Feeling a little sluggish after lunch? Downing a pot of more of coffee just to stay awake? You know you’re not getting enough sleep, but how can you fix the problem? By including five healthy habits into your lifestyle, you can improve both your amount and quality of sleep every night.
Replace Your Afternoon Caffeine With a Bike Ride
Caffeine is packed with antioxidants that can cut your risk for conditions like heart disease and diabetes. However, you do need to consume it in moderation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming no more than 400 milligrams per day. But what if you get your afternoon second wind another way: replacing that second (or third) coffee cup with a short bike ride?
The idea may sound a little odd at first, but consider this: Cardiovascular exercise can boost your energy levels. Cycling is an excellent choice that’s lower impact, so people with knee and back issues can benefit. With a huge range of models, including big and tall bikes, nearly anyone of any size can find one that fits their body perfectly. And over time, your body adapts to your daily bike ride in two important ways:
- Increasing muscle cell mitochondria
- Improving blood and oxygen circulation
More muscle cell mitochondria translate into more available energy. How? Well, mitochondria are the powerhouses of your cells. They convert glucose in your blood into energy that your body can use. As for blood and oxygen circulation, regular bike riding strengthens both your heart and lungs. Blood is pumped more efficiently, improving the delivery of oxygen and hormones throughout the body. Increased hormone levels, especially dopamine and serotonin, can improve your overall mood plus sleep quality, stress reduction, digestion and memory.
Catch Some Vitamin D and Manage Your Worries
You could get an afternoon workout in at the gym. For many people, gym membership offers convenient access to exercise facilities and equipment. But nothing quite beats the feeling of getting out for fresh air and sunshine. Exposure to sunlight triggers the body to produce vitamin D, which it uses to help absorb calcium and maintain immune system function along with heart and bone health and sleep cycle regulation. You need about 30 minutes of sun exposure to increase vitamin D levels in your body.
Thankfully, you don’t have to give up using sun protection to drink in all that vitamin D. If you slather on some SPF 50 sunscreen before you ride your mens ebike, you’re protected from 98% of the sun’s UV radiation. The remaining 2% is just enough to reach your but nowhere near enough to significantly increase your skin cancer risk.
3 More Tips for Better Sleep
Cycling helps you get more exercise and vitamin D, two important ways to improve your sleep. If you don’t have a bike, you can buy electric bike online that fits your body, riding habits and needs. Meanwhile. it’s also important to keep a consistent sleep schedule with the same bedtime and waking time each day. Your bedroom should also promote good sleep, so lower the temperature a bit and install darker shades. Finally, limit your exposure to screens starting an hour before bedtime.