Better Sleep, Bigger Gains

[01dragonslayer]

Did you sleep soundly last night—so good that you woke up full of energy? If not, you may be damaging your health and aging faster, not to mention losing muscle.

According to Dr. Jonny Bowden, coauthor of The Great Cholesterol Myth, there are three simple things you can do to sleep better:

1) 68 degrees. That should be the temperature of your bedroom when you hit the hay. Studies show that it’s the perfect restful temp for the human body.

2) No media. Stop the TV, computer and other devices at least a half hour before bedtime. You need time to wind down.

3) Complete darkness. “Studies show that even the slightest light in the room can measurably interfere with good, restful sleep.”

So the sound-sleep recipe is “dark, cool and media-free,” says Dr. Bowden. Here’s one more tip to try…

Lavender. According to the September ‘14 issue of BottomLine Health, “When a bottle of lavender oil was left open within three feet of the bedside, [subjects] slept significantly better and had lower overnight blood pressure.” The scent of lavender is calming, and you get sounder shut-eye.

—Steve Holman