Lagoon | Sleep & Fitness News - April 18th, 2024

Hey packlings 👋

How did Emma Bates’ road to recovery culminate during the Boston Marathon on Monday?  What are the latest sleep findings from Gallup?  We’ve got all the details  in this week’s edition of the Sleep & Fitness News, so let’s get into it!

🦄 Emma Bates’ Road to Recovery and Redemption in Boston 

On Monday in Boston, Emma Bates was the first American female to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon - for the second year in a row.  However this year, Bates referred to Boston as “Plan B,” after she suffered a foot injury during the Chicago Marathon this past October which prevented her from competing in her Plan A - the US Olympic Trials.  Due to the foot injury, Bates wasn’t able to toe the start line for Trials in February in Orlando.  After overcoming the initial disappointment, she instead set her eyes on Boston, and was determined to make a speedy recovery.  Emma shared her recovery journey on social media, in which her #1 priority was sleep.  Her routine included getting 9-10 hours of sleep a night, using a humidifier, reading a wordy book, drinking tea, and of course sleeping with her Otter pillow from Lagoon.  We’re proud to play a small role in her road back to the top - and are wishing her a huge congratulation on her amazing performance!  

 🧘 Is Meditation the Missing Piece in Your Optimal Sleep Toolbox?

By promoting calmness before you go to sleep, bedtime meditation has been shown to reduce insomnia and other sleep problems, making it a great tool for improving sleep.  That’s because meditation triggers a “relaxation response,” which helps you move your body and brain from flight-or-fight mode to rest mode.  This helps lower our heart rate and slow our breathing - both of which can help bring sleep onset.  “When there is less of that future/past rumination, it becomes easier to relax in the present moment and certainly wind down into sleep at the end of the day,” says meditation expert Megan Monahan. The types of meditations that Monahan recommends are body scanning, visualization, breathwork and progressive muscle relaxation.  You may also consider using guided bedtime meditations through an app on your phone for a little extra help or structure.      

😴 Gallup: More Than Half of Americans Want More Sleep

According to a Gallup report this week a majority of U.S. adults (57%) say they would feel better if they got more sleep.  Unfortunately the trend of inadequate sleep amongst Americans is moving the wrong way over the decades.  In 1942, 59% were getting eight-plus hours of sleep, while only 3% reported getting five hours or less. Today, a quarter are still getting eight-plus hours, but the percentage getting five or less has risen to 20%.  Younger age groups report getting less sleep than they’d like compared to older cohorts, with women saying they’re not getting as much sleep as they need (48%) more frequently than men (36%).  I try not to harp on negative news about sleep problems, and instead try to focus on solutions.  However, my hope is that sharing this information can be helpful in understanding the current landscape in the US and be used to help educate others on ways they can improve their sleep if they are not getting the sleep they desire. 

⏰ The One Thing Sleep Experts Never Do in the Morning

You’re probably thinking the answer is “never hit the snooze button.” Not quite.  According to Dr. Chester Wu, a double board certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist the answer is this - never lying back in bed after the alarm goes off.  “I try not to linger in bed because I definitely feel like that causes me to feel more lazy or groggy,” Wu said.  Similarly, Dr. Chris Winter,  a neurologist and sleep health expert, says “I never remain in my dark bedroom. It is essential to get into the light. Light effectively shuts off your brain’s production of melatonin and lets your body know the day has begun.”  Instead, these sleep doctors recommend getting out into the daylight within 30 minutes of waking up to properly set your circadian rhythm, as well as some light stretching or exercise to wake up the body.  

That's all for this edition of sleep & fitness news.. Thanks so much for following along!  Remember to follow @lagoonsleep on Instagram for your daily dose of sleep & fitness news and entertainment.