Dr. Elissa Epel

I had a patient who told me she traveled around with black electrical tape whenever she went to a hotel and she would put it over all the little light sources in the hotel room.

So those two, quiet, calming. And I think this idea that you go, go, go, go, go, go, hop in bed and turn it off like a switch, that doesn't work either. So building in a transition to rest and relaxation. If you can do an hour, that's great. And getting off the devices, not watching TV, maybe reading a book or journaling or doing something, taking a bath, stretching in the tub.

So those two, quiet, calming. And I think this idea that you go, go, go, go, go, go, hop in bed and turn it off like a switch, that doesn't work either. So building in a transition to rest and relaxation. If you can do an hour, that's great. And getting off the devices, not watching TV, maybe reading a book or journaling or doing something, taking a bath, stretching in the tub.

So those two, quiet, calming. And I think this idea that you go, go, go, go, go, go, hop in bed and turn it off like a switch, that doesn't work either. So building in a transition to rest and relaxation. If you can do an hour, that's great. And getting off the devices, not watching TV, maybe reading a book or journaling or doing something, taking a bath, stretching in the tub.

I mean, there's all kinds of wonderful ways to ease into rest.

I mean, there's all kinds of wonderful ways to ease into rest.

I mean, there's all kinds of wonderful ways to ease into rest.

That's my favorite as well. And then you go to your cool bedroom and you do your legs up the wall yoga, restorative yoga position and bingo, you've got your transition to rest and relaxation.

That's my favorite as well. And then you go to your cool bedroom and you do your legs up the wall yoga, restorative yoga position and bingo, you've got your transition to rest and relaxation.

That's my favorite as well. And then you go to your cool bedroom and you do your legs up the wall yoga, restorative yoga position and bingo, you've got your transition to rest and relaxation.

Yeah, that's a tough one. That's a tough one. So the rough analogy is this. It's funny, when they asked partners of people with insomnia how many of them were suggesting that they have a drink to go to sleep, it was about a third of them. So people think alcohol is going to help you sleep. And it might make you fall asleep. But then as it clears out of your system, there's an arousal.

Yeah, that's a tough one. That's a tough one. So the rough analogy is this. It's funny, when they asked partners of people with insomnia how many of them were suggesting that they have a drink to go to sleep, it was about a third of them. So people think alcohol is going to help you sleep. And it might make you fall asleep. But then as it clears out of your system, there's an arousal.

Yeah, that's a tough one. That's a tough one. So the rough analogy is this. It's funny, when they asked partners of people with insomnia how many of them were suggesting that they have a drink to go to sleep, it was about a third of them. So people think alcohol is going to help you sleep. And it might make you fall asleep. But then as it clears out of your system, there's an arousal.

It can exacerbate hypoglycemia. It makes you wake up. It's going to make sleep apnea worse. If you're a woman in midlife, oh boy, it's a bladder irritant. It's a hot flash trigger. So it's really affecting sleep in a lot of ways. The rough equivalent is there's about an hour of sedation followed by an hour of arousal.

It can exacerbate hypoglycemia. It makes you wake up. It's going to make sleep apnea worse. If you're a woman in midlife, oh boy, it's a bladder irritant. It's a hot flash trigger. So it's really affecting sleep in a lot of ways. The rough equivalent is there's about an hour of sedation followed by an hour of arousal.

It can exacerbate hypoglycemia. It makes you wake up. It's going to make sleep apnea worse. If you're a woman in midlife, oh boy, it's a bladder irritant. It's a hot flash trigger. So it's really affecting sleep in a lot of ways. The rough equivalent is there's about an hour of sedation followed by an hour of arousal.

So if you had a glass of wine at 6 and you go to bed at 10, it's probably not going to impact your sleep as much as if you have two glasses at 8 or like your late dinner last night if you had a glass or two of wine. I had a beer.

So if you had a glass of wine at 6 and you go to bed at 10, it's probably not going to impact your sleep as much as if you have two glasses at 8 or like your late dinner last night if you had a glass or two of wine. I had a beer.

So if you had a glass of wine at 6 and you go to bed at 10, it's probably not going to impact your sleep as much as if you have two glasses at 8 or like your late dinner last night if you had a glass or two of wine. I had a beer.

That has another impact on your sleep.