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Sleep Smashers

One of the best beauty secrets is getting enough sleep.  People often thing it is OK to get by on 5 or
less hours of sleep at night but scientists have stated we need a minimum of 6-8 hours of restful
sleep!  Not getting enough sleep is always going to show up on your face.  You know it – circles
under the eyes, puffy eyes, red eyes, worn out looking skin and skin tone, and frazzled hair!

If you sometimes have problems getting to sleep, remember what you ate the night before, says
Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of The Food & Mood Cookbook.  

Any of the following things can leave your body alert and wide awake!

1.  Spicy Foods – Most people know this one yet still eat these foods late in the day!  Garlic, chilies,
cayenne, and other intense spices may taste great but can keep you up with heartburn or
indigestion.  Avoid MSG, as it can trigger bad dreams.

2. Noisy Vegetables  - You know what I’m talking about – gassy foods.  Things that produce noise
out of your body that makes you look around and say, “Who did that” all the while trying to look
innocent!  Eat those foods -beans, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts - earlier in the middle of
the day.  

3.  Late Big Dinner  - An overtaxed digestive system takes hours to settle.  When sleep is critical,
make lunch your largest meal and a 500-calorie dinner early in the evening.  The saying is to eat like
a King for breakfast, a Prince for lunch and a Pauper for dinner.

4. Eating Too Fast -  Relax and enjoy meals to avoid swallowing air, another common cause of
stomach and sleep troubles.

5. Alcohol - Alcohol may make you drowsy at first but later on it disturbs sleep patterns and leads to
wakefulness and restlessness. If you indulge, don’t drink a lot and never within two hours of bedtime.

6. Caffeine after noon - Caffeine can linger in your body for as long as twelve (12) hours.  If you're
often wide-eyed at bedtime, cut back on the caffeine at least 12 hours before bedtime.  This includes
chocolate – sorry – and tea, cola, or other caffeine culprits such as certain cold pills.  

If you are still watching the clock at 2 a.m. then try this test:  wean yourself off even morning java
(prepare for headaches), then stay caffeine-free for two weeks. If you sleep better without problems,
you know that caffeine is not your friend. If the results are mixed, "Try adding back a cup or two of
coffee or tea in the morning and watch what happens," says Somer. "But if sleeplessness comes
back, cut it out."  Some people simply can’t have caffeine.
BEAUTY TIPS #2