Summer can impact your sleep. Here are ways to sustain your sleep schedule
People who plan to be up later than normal are encouraged to take a nap for less than 30 minutes in the early afternoon.
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While the summer usually means longer days, more activities to do and later nights, experts say they can all take a toll on your sleep.
People who plan to be up later than normal are encouraged to take a nap for less than 30 minutes in the early afternoon. Doctors also suggest limiting caffeine by mid-afternoon and avoid heavy meals and alcohol late at night, which can all impact sleep.
Dr. Chafen Hart, a sleep specialist with National Jewish Health, says having a regular sleep schedule is just as important, if not more critical than the amount of sleep someone gets at night. Hart adds that waking up 30 minutes before your normal time can also help keep your brain's sleep schedule on track.
"Not only do people feel better if they have a regular schedule, but we also think this decreases their chances of cardiovascular events later in life and dementia. Don't worry if you have a night or two where you don't get enough sleep, you'll make up for it. It will be OK, and you'll get back on track," she says.
Hart says being out in the sun in the morning and physical activity can help with falling asleep at regular time.
