My most productive days are when I have had a solid 8 hours of sleep. A good night’s sleep works wonders for focus, concentration, creativity and overall mental energy.  So what’s the link between sleep and productivity and what happens if you don't get in your 8 hours of sleep? Understanding how sleep affects your productivity and mental performance is crucial for your career, school work or business success.  The Science of Sleep and Productivity: What Sleep Does To Your Brain  When you go to bed, your brain doesn't spend the entire night resting. In fact, during the REM sleep stages, your brain is just as active as when you are awake.  Sleep consists of multiple stages of sleep (3...

Sleep, good quality sleep to be specific, is one of the best anti-aging secrets that many people don't take advantage of. Research has shown that sleep has a huge influence on the biological aging process.  Not getting enough sleep causes accelerated aging. And it’s not just about your skin. You’ll also experience faster cognitive decline, loss of vitality and poor health.  How Sleep Affects Aging  There’s lots of ongoing research that’s looking at the link between sleep quality and aging. But the studies we already have show a strong connection between the two.  Sleep deprivation is strongly linked to biological aging. One study showed that after just one night of poor quality sleep, blood tests of participants indicated molecular processes...

For many of us, screens have become a normal part of our bedtime routine. We go from watching something on TV right before going to bed to browsing on our phones while in bed.  All this nighttime screen time is bad for sleep. Using screens right before bed has been linked to insomnia and other sleep difficulties, especially 3 Ways Screens Affect Sleep Quality  1. Light Delays Sleep Onset Many processes in the body operate on a 24-hour circadian rhythm. This internal clock is mostly governed by light and darkness.  When it gets dark in the evening, your body begins to get ready for sleep by triggering the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin. This is what makes you sleepy. ...

After decades of research and numerous study, the connection between sleep and body weight is pretty clear. Good quality sleep is an essential part of any weight loss plan.  Not getting enough sleep will sabotage your weight loss efforts in multiple ways. In this post, we look at some of the ways that sleeping can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight.  5 Ways Sleep Affects Body Weight  1. Lack of Sleep Increases Hunger and Cravings  Have you ever noticed that you feel hungrier when you’ve not slept well? That’s because sleep deprivation causes a sharp rise in the hunger hormone, ghrelin. So you are more likely to consume more food when you don't sleep well, which...

A healthy bedtime routine is one of the best things you can do for your sleep quality. Most of us do have a bedtime routine, but it would be a stretch to call it healthy. Late night Netflix binging and doom scrolling on our phones is probably not the best way to get ready for sleep.  A good bedtime routine starts during the day to ensure your body is in an optimal state for deep restful sleep. It may be hard to stick to a routine at first, but give it time and you’ll find you actually enjoy it.  Why A Bedtime Routine is Important I wish there was an off switch for sleep. Click and you are out.  Unfortunately,...

A comfortable bed can make a huge difference in the quality of your sex life. You want a bed frame or foundation that’s sturdy and squeak-free plus a mattress that’s supportive, responsive and cool.  The bed sheets matter a great deal too when it comes to sex. Soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking sheets make for the best sexy nights.  In this quick guide, we discuss the best kinds of bed sheets for sex and what to look for when shopping for them.  Why Bed Sheets Matter When It Comes to Sex Unless you want to end up all tangled up in clammy and stuffy sheets, it’s important to pick the right sheets for your fun nights.  The right sheets make sex,...

Most of the sweat your body produces is odorless. This may be hard to believe when you can’t stand your own body odor (BO). But the culprit in bad BO is not sweat, but rather bacteria on your skin interacting with the sweat.  Lots of factors influence your skin microbiome including diet, health, medication, hormones, stress and so on. Any change in one or more of these factors can suddenly cause your sweat to smell bad.  Unlike what many people think, BO doesn't depend on the amount of sweat. You might not see a change in how much you are sweating but still develop an unpleasant smell. It’s all about the bacteria.  In this post, we explore the most common...

A lot of men suffer from a sleep disorder, or two, and don't even realize it. A combination of factors including lifestyle, work, mental health and more have made sleep difficulties a lot more common in men.  There are over 80 known sleep disorders, so we can’t cover all of them. Instead, we’ll discuss the most common ones including their causes, symptoms and treatment options.  Note: If you’ve been having difficulty sleeping for some time, see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment recommendations.    Most Common Sleep Disorders in Men 1. Insomnia  Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders in both men and women. It’s so common that many people don’t even realize they have a disorder. They just...

You close your eyes and what feels like seconds later, your alarm wakes you up. The time between those two moments tends to feel like one continuous period of dormancy.  In reality, a lot happens during sleep. The body goes through stages of alternating light and deep sleep. Missing out on some of these stages or not spending enough time in them can lead to worse sleep quality.  Why Does Sleep Occur in Stages? Why the heck are there sleep stages? As with a lot of other things about sleep, there are only theories.  Scientists think that these stages play important roles in our health and function. During some stages, the body consolidates memory and helps you retain what you’ve...

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. What makes it particularly insidious is that many people don't even realize they have it. And because there are numerous causes of insomnia, finding the cause and successfully treating it can be difficult.  In this sleep guide, we look at some of the most common causes for insomnia and what you can do to overcome this sleep disorder.  What is Insomnia? Insomnia is difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep. An occasional late night is not considered insomnia.  A clinical diagnosis of chronic insomnia is made if you have serious trouble sleeping for at least three nights a week for a period of three months.  You can also have acute insomnia which lasts...