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Why You Should Nix Midnight Surfing

Surfing the Web before bed may seem like a relaxing, low-key activity. But it could rob you of something very important (hint: it's not your identity).

We're talking about sleep. In a group of people who reported spending up to 2 1/2 hours a night browsing sites on the Internet, over one-third of them also had some kind of problem with their sleep. Here are some better bedtime rituals. (see below ?)
Sounder Sleep
It appears that high-excitement media inhibits drowsiness (watching late-night TV made sleep time less productive, too, in a recent study). The light your body is exposed to via TV screens and computer monitors seems to mess up your natural sleep/wake cycles and rhythms.

Here are better ways to ease your body into sleep mode.

* Love your routine. A consistent bedtime helps you sleep better.
* Do some gentle stretches every morning. Here's why this helps.
* Put on a pair of warm socks. This is what it will do for you.

Feeling Drowsy?
If you're sleepier than usual, the end of daylight saving time may be throwing off your ZZZs. Sticking to your regular sleep schedule will help you adjust faster. Or take the RealAge Sleep Health Assessment and find out what's really causing your restless nights.
RealAge Benefit: Getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night can make your RealAge as much as 3 years younger.

'Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health' Try It:
Are you tired but wired at night? Learn the concept of a "power-down hour" and more from Michael Breus, PhD, in his ZZZ-building book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health.