Are you getting good quality sleep?

If not, and you are a men, your libido dismisses

We are now sleeping less than we did in the past, and sleep quality has decreased as well.

If we are getting quality sleep, It is more easy  to lose weight, to enhance athletic performance, keep our blood sugar in a normal range, increase our ability to interact socially and reduce the risk of depression. A good rest enhance our thinking process and makes us to be more productive and efficient.

?When I was doing some reach about what sleep quality means I found an interesting articles focus on this side effect : “ your libido dismisses”.  But, if you are a women, don’t worry about this side effect. This study,  was performed only with men ( Effect of 1 Week of Sleep Restriction on Testosterone Levels in Young Healthy Men). Then, the women or, we have not libido, or  female libido is not affected by a poor quality sleep. Or, as usually happens, research community is not focus on women health.

National Sleep Foundation (https://www.sleepfoundation.org), who publish a nice paper How Sleep Is Different for Men and Women, recommend to have having good sleep hygiene. Try to keep the following sleep practices on a consistent basis:

1. Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. 
2. Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. 
3. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps, especially in the afternoon. Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can't fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help.
4. Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep.
5. Evaluate your room. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool – between 60 and 67 degrees. Your bedroom should also be free from any noise that can disturb your sleep. Finally, your bedroom should be free from any light.
6. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive.
7. Use bright light to help manage your circadian rhythms. Avoid bright light in the evening and expose yourself to sunlight in the morning.
8. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and heavy meals in the evening. Alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine can disrupt sleep. Eating big or spicy meals can cause discomfort from indigestion that can make it hard to sleep. If you can, avoid eating large meals for two to three hours before bedtime. Try a light snack 45 minutes before bed if you’re still hungry.
9. Wind down. Your body needs time to shift into sleep mode, so spend the last hour before bed doing a calming activity such as reading. For some people, using an electronic device such as a laptop can make it hard to fall asleep, because the particular type of light emanating from the screens of these devices is activating to the brain. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid electronics before bed or in the middle of the night.
10. If you can't sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. If you associate a particular activity or item with anxiety about sleeping, omit it from your bedtime routine.

In summary, If you want to have a healthy and productive life, have a good quality sleep .