Dear Vitality Squad,

This month, let's talk about sleep. The days are getting shorter here in Michigan, giving us the perfect opportunity to reset our bedtime routine. Read on for suggestions for falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up feeling rested. Trust us, these won't be the same ones you've heard before!

Beyond the Basics

There are some foundations to great sleep: Get movement in early in the day, limit caffeine intake especially after noon, keep your room dark and quiet. But let's focus on some sleep strategies that you may not have heard of before, but might do the trick if the basics aren't working for you.

Body Temperature

It's no surprise that sleeping in a room at a comfortably cool - but not too cool - temperature is ideal for sleep. But your body temperature before sleep is just as important! A drop in body temperature 1-2 hours before bed signals your brain to switch to sleep mode. In the hours before bed, you can try visiting a sauna or taking a warm bath. As your body cools, you'll slip more easily into sleep.

Pink Noise

You may have heard of white noise, but did you know about pink noise? Pink noise is lower and deeper than white noise. Pink noise machines can help drown out distracting noise and lull you into a deeper sleep, quicker. Helen's favorite pink noise machine is the Yogasleep Dohm.

Here Comes the Sun

Your sleep cycle is ruled by your circadian rhythm, but sometimes your rhythm is off the beat. The good news is that you can help reset this cycle with a powerful signal: sunlight. To reset your natural sleep hormones, try this for one week:

Get at least 10 minutes of direct daylight - even on cloudy days - on your face before 10am. Through a window doesn't count - you'll have to go outside!

ZERO screens (TV, smartphone, tablet) for 2 hours before bed. Screens trick your brain into thinking it's mid-day. Read a book, journal, go for a light walk, or have a chat instead.

Podcast Rerun

In case you missed it, here's a link to our podcast from July on getting better sleep. Check it out:

That's a wrap for this month ... hope you get some great sleep tonight!