We’ve all heard the saying, “a good day starts the night before,” and there’s a great deal of truth to it. When you wake up in the morning after a blissful slumber, it sets a positive tone for the rest of the day. However, with many of us caught up in our busy lives and hectic schedules, sleep often gets pushed down the priority list. In fact, studies show that 1 in 3 adults don’t enough shut-eye. Motivated to meet that deadline and taking pride in being as productive as possible, many people who are lacking sleep wear it as a badge of honor. Actress Jennifer Aniston understands the importance of sleep firsthand and is passionate about eliminating the stigma surrounding sleep to let people know they are not alone and motivate them to take action to find solutions. In an interview with Parade.com, Aniston shared everything from how it impacts our lives to practices that have improved her sleep quality.
How sleep has impacted Aniston’s daily life
“When we’re young, we’re just so invincible. We can go on two, three or four hours of sleep and feel incredible and think, ‘well, I’ll sleep when I’m 80,’ says Aniston. “But as the years go by, all of a sudden, you’re waking up and feeling exhausted.” She discovered that when she wasn’t getting enough sleep, it took a toll and negatively impacted her overall health. “I started to notice that memorization for words wasn’t happening as it should, my exercise wasn’t up to the optimal quality and my eating habits weren’t as nutritious. And then I realized this was all due to a lack of sleep. I learned that during sleep, your body repairs and your cells regenerate and the importance of a good night’s sleep,” Aniston explains. And research confirms it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while we sleep many vital bodily processes occur: repairing tissues, fighting off infection and forming memories.
The habits Aniston practices to improve her sleep quality
Part of Aniston’s nighttime routine is cutting back on screen time. She also recommends maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. “Put your phone down. Go to bed at the same time every night and give yourself time to wind down,” says Aniston. “And the consistency of sleep is really important, too.” Not only does the blue light from our electronic devices make it difficult to fall (and stay) asleep, but our brains are overstimulated when we spend too much time scrolling on social media and watching the news—which can also elevate stress levels and lead to increased tossing and turning. She admits it isn’t always easy to get a good night’s sleep, especially when she’s filming. However, even when circumstances are beyond your control, you can still make small adjustments that make a major difference. “I just finished a movie I was working on for three months and my schedule was all over the place so it was hard to have a consistent sleep routine. But I do notice the importance of limiting screen time,” Aniston explains. “Even something as simple as putting your phone in another room helps tremendously. And trying to maintain the same time of sleep every night is also important if you have the luxury of that.”
The most interesting fact Aniston has learned about sleep
“The saying ‘you’ll sleep when you’re 80’ is absolutely not true,” says Aniston. “Because you cannot make up for lost sleep. You can’t operate on fumes throughout the week and think ‘I’ll just sleep the whole weekend.’ If you’ve lost your sleep, you’ve lost it. And that’s going to add up over the years and you’ll suffer the consequences down the road.” The long-term effects of chronic sleep deprivation include high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, decreased immune function and the list goes on. Most importantly, make sleep a priority and treat it as a necessity, rather than a luxury. “There are so many people who don’t get enough sleep and wear it as a badge of honor. But I think we need to turn that around and realize that if you’re not well-rested and you’re not rejuvenated, it will negatively affect everything around you.” Lastly, mindfulness can also improve your sleep health. Aniston’s favorite mindfulness technique is meditation paired with stretching and yoga. “Even if I only have five or 10 minutes in the morning it is an essential part of my day,” she says. Next up: 6 Ways to Get More Deep Sleep Tonight
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Do You Get Enough Sleep?“Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Vital Body Processes Occur During Sleep"Harvard Health: “Blue Light Has a Dark Side"Cleveland Clinic: “Here’s What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep (And How Much You Really Need a Night)”
