sleep

Functioning on six or fewer hours of sleep might be the norm for you, but consistently not getting enough z's can affect your mood and your health. Here are four reasons to make an earlier bedtime a priority.

1. To avoid weight gain: You wake up groggy from lack of sleep and reach for some kind of edible pick-me-up. Chances are it's sugary or high in fat, which means it's high in calories. Fatigue encourages mindless snacking and more calories consumed, which can lead to an expanding waistline. That coupled with skipped workouts from lack of energy means even more weight gain. A foggy head can also impair your judgment, making you more likely to give in to cravings. If you're trying to lose weight, getting enough sleep can make all the difference.
2. To prevent heart issues: Lack of sleep raises your blood pressure, putting unnecessary strain on your ticker, which puts you at risk for a heart attack or stroke.
3. To strengthen your immune system: Your body needs an adequate amount of downtime in order to function normally and to be able to fight illnesses. Getting about eight hours of sleep a night boosts your immune system and can reduce your risk of getting sick.
4. For a long life: Staying at a healthy weight, preventing heart problems, and having a strong immune system are all linked to living a longer life.

Lots of things can affect your energy levels, like whether you've gotten enough sleep the night before or if you're coming down with a cold. If you've been hit with a sudden urge to nap, here's how to reenergize your day.

You are what you eat: Feeling sluggish? It could be what you ate. Fried, high-fat, or sugary foods can zap your energy, but others can help you reenergize without the need for a cup of coffee or a long nap. Quantity and quality both matter when it comes to eating for energy; don't stuff yourself at lunch, for example — an overly large midday meal may be the reason for your heavy lids in the afternoon. And choose natural, low-processed foods instead of refined carbs and oils. Read more about what food habits will help you reenergize here.

Time for a break: Sitting or lying in one place or staring at the screen can lead to lethargy. Just moving around may be all you need to wipe away that lazy feeling. Make sure you're moving regularly, even just in your chair, to stay awake when you feel like you want to snooze. Keep alert and stay tension-free with these four essential stretches for office workers; feel free to do them at home if you're lying on the couch!

Take a hot bubble bath, sip some chamomile tea, and do some relaxing yoga poses — these are all things you can do right before hopping into bed to help promote a restful night of sleep. There are also things you can do in the morning that can affect how you sleep that night, so try these tips.

1. Set your alarm: Getting up early and at the same time every day (even on the weekends) is essential in helping to set up your body's circadian rhythm. Rising by 7 a.m. will ensure that you're tired enough to fall asleep later.
2. Burn some calories: Exercise uses up energy, so a good sweat session can help you feel fatigued by the time the sun goes down. Morning exercisers tend to work out longer and harder than those who exercise at other times during the day, and exercising first thing in the morning makes sure it gets done.
3. Have your cup of joe: There's nothing wrong with needing to bury your head in a mug of coffee in order to get a little pep in your step — just make sure you enjoy your cup-o-caffeine in the morning. Sipping on coffee and other caffeinated beverages later in the day will stimulate your brain and can lead to restless sleep at night, so limit your coffee fix to breakfast time.

This weekend marks the beginning of daylight saving time, when we jump forward an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10. The good news is that we have a day to acclimate to the change before the start of the workweek, but the bad news is that our internal clock may not be as easy to reset as the ones on our computers and phones. In fact, many sleep experts say that losing that hour of sleep because of DST can affect us for around 48 hours, meaning come Monday, you may be dreaming of resting your head on your keyboard for a quick nap. To prevent a groggy, irritable Monday, here are some tips for dealing with DST.

• Time to change your habits: A post-DST hangover-like feeling can be all you need to realize that your sleeping habits in general need a change. Things like establishing a bedtime routine and regular bedtime and not using the snooze button can all help you get more quality sleep. Here are more expert ways to change your sleep habits for the better.
• Start preparing: Going to sleep and waking up 30 minutes earlier over the weekend and taking a nap on Sunday can both prepare you for that early-morning jolt come Monday. Once you wake up over the weekend, try to get some sunlight as soon as possible for extra energy, says sleep expert Dr. Vivek Jain.
• Take a hot shower at night: Jain also recommends taking a hot shower before bed and then getting into a cool bed. That ritual will mimic the day-to-night process, which "may help guide you to sleep."

How will you deal with losing an hour this weekend?

Ugh, is it 6:30 a.m. already? If you constantly wake up in the morning exhausted and feel like you're in a fog, here are eight reasons why.

1. Your room is a cave: If blackout shades prevent daylight from streaming in and slowing waking you up, your internal clock won't know day from night. Exposure to sunshine in the morning will signal your brain that it's time for your body to waken. And when you do, it'll be gradual, so you'll wake up feeling rested.
2. You skipped yesterday's workout: Exercise burns calories, but it also burns up energy. If you have too much, you'll be too restless to settle. Stick to a regular exercise routine, working out at least three or four times a week in order to reap the benefits in the bedroom.
3. Late-night Facebooking: It's difficult to disconnect from the world, but when you check your email "real quick," it's easy to get sucked in, and before you know it, an hour has gone by. Besides keeping you up late, the lights from your phone, computer, and TV stimulate you brain, so when you finally shut off the lights, it takes your mind a while to calm down enough to drift off to sleep. Make a promise to shut off all technology at least an hour before bedtime and read a book, take a bath, or do some stretches before bed instead.

Continue reading to find out other reasons why you're not waking up rested.

Whether you're a morning person or not, we can all use a few extra minutes of "me time." To ensure that you get it, set your alarm to go off 10 minutes earlier than normal. Use those extra 10 minutes to do something that you know will make you feel more energetic, relaxed, or de-stressed — whatever your needs are.

It may be hard to make the alarm clock adjustment, but it's a small change that will make a difference. Try these morning yoga poses, read a few pages of your favorite book, meditate, stretch, drink your coffee in silence, or use the extra time to create a wholesome breakfast. Ten minutes may not seem like much, but it'll set a positive mood for the rest of your day. Let us know how you plan on spending your 10 minutes of "me time"!

If you're not the best in the morning, I feel your pain. While some people are naturally wired early birds who effortlessly catch the morning worm, some people just aren't. Here are five easy tips to de-stress your morning routine and make things a little easier.

1. Pack your bag the night before: Laying things out before going to bed is a tiny step that can be a huge help. Packing both your work and gym bag the night before takes just a few minutes, but it's one less thing you'll have to scramble to do in the a.m.
2. Don't start with the snooze: We know that starting your day by hitting the snooze button is not ideal for your morning routine. It may be difficult at first to get into the swing of things without snoozing, but the benefit is starting your day less groggy and in a better mood. Plus, the extra minutes you have to yourself will make the morning remarkably easier!
3. Drink plenty of water: Since you've been a sleeping beauty, your body needs to rehydrate! Leaving a big glass of water next to your bed is a great habit to get into so you can just chug away when you first wake up.

Keep reading for two more ways to make your morning better.