Do you ever have trouble falling asleep? I never used to give much thought to falling asleep. Usually, my head would hit the pillow and I’d be out like a light — surely, there was no tossing and turning for me. Even now, as I’ve gotten older, sleep is still one of those things that comes relatively easy. But I’ve noticed one change lately: The way I sleep is different. Even if I’m bone tired, I have trouble just falling into bed and getting comfy. I always lie down on the left side of my bed and fall asleep on my left side. That is my magic sleep spot, and there’s even an indentation in my bed to prove it!
New York magazine recently interviewed a sleep expert (doesn’t that sound like an awesome job?), who said that sleeping with your feet outside of your blankets could help you sleep better and fall asleep faster. Scientists have speculated that cooler temperatures cause sleepiness, and the feet-outside-the-blankets theory might work the same way, says Natalie Dautovitch, a spokesperson for the National Sleep Foundation and a psychology professor at the University of Alabama.
“I think itβs likely in service of trying to cool our bodies down because we’ve gotten too warm to sleep,” she said. The feet also have the perfect vascular structure to help dissipate body heat, so “sticking your toe out or your foot out could bring you to a more restorative sleep.”
Sleep yet, friends? Do you sleep with your feet peeking out? Does it work? Any other sleep tricks that have worked? I’d love to hear them, and here’s to peaceful slumbers! xoxo
P.S. Tracking your mood, Prancercise, Internet-free Thanksgiving, honest selfies and the 24-Hour No-Complain Challenge! π
[Photos via We Heart It]
suburban prep says
Sleep is something that has alluded me for some time. I am thrilled if I can get a good night sleep and it has been quite some time since that has happened. I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue and those do not help much with the sleeping issue. Then as I have gotten older sleep becomes more and more elusive.
I try to take an epsom salt bath and that helps sometimes. I do like it cooler than my husband so he is shivering under covers while I have three fans and AC on me.
Sometimes this and other stuff works sometimes not.
Twinkle Terrior says
I never had much trouble falling asleep til around age 43… I do sleep w-feet peeking out tho LOL. I used to be able to drink a cup of coffee and go straight to sleep when I was young. Now I try to start "winding down earlier" since it can take awhile to fall asleep. GREAT TOPIC – they say that sleep is so important part of our health- we have to get a good rest every night π
Anni says
I do sleep with one or both feet peeking out! For me, it helps me stay at a comfy snoozing temperature really well. If I really have trouble falling asleep (usually if I'm upset about something, or my migraine medicine has me jittery), I'll sometimes listen to relaxing Youtube videos – nature sounds, guided meditation, etc, and I've found those are good for shaking out thoughts that keep racing through your head while you're trying to fall asleep.
Tiffany Kadani says
That makes so much sense!!! I do this all the time when I can't sleep.