Has this ever happened to you? You head to bed in plenty of time to get a solid eight hours of sleep. Then you slide between the sheets and toss and turn instead, and watch the clock slowly tick away the minutes...then the hours. The culprit? Probably something you did in the hours leading up to bedtime. So be on the lookout for these sleep thieves--they're sneaky!
- Food. Stop eating two to three hours before hitting the hay. (For more on food that may interfere with your beauty sleep, see our Sweet Dreams, Beautiful! Special Report.)
- Alcohol. Sure, it may have a sedating effect, but imbibing too close to bedtime can disrupt your beauty sleep.
- Caffeine. Drink all you want before lunchtime, then no more until morning.
- Naps. Dozing during the day isn't all bad, but limit naps to 15 minutes--tops.
- Exercise. If you exercise early, you'll sleep like a baby, but working out too close to bedtime will wind you up like a top and you'll struggle to fall asleep.
Still having trouble? Try this time-tested remedy: At bedtime, mix 1 teaspoon of honey in warm milk or lukewarm water, and drink it down. In no time at all, you should be well on your way to a nice, restorative night of beauty sleep.
While we're snoozing away at night, our bodies are busy repairing damaged tissues, and recharging our energy levels. That's why we feel so much brighter and smarter in the morning, even without a jolt of java. Add a boost to your beauty sleep by applying a night cream to your skin before hitting the sack. Baker's Best Intensive Night Repair Therapy is a velvety rich, protein-packed cream that actually repairs your skin while you sleep.
