1. Make Sleep A Priority
Getting enough sleep is essential for the detoxing process – but how much do we actually need to keep in tip top shape? Though individual requirements will vary, depending on physical activity, health, and age, the National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get between 7-9 hours per night while babies, children, and teens need even more. Despite popular myth, sleep needs don’t decrease all that much as you age – people aged 65+ years should still aim for between 7-8 hours per night, according to medical experts.
Sleep really helps to detox your system, flushing out brain damaging neurotoxins and releasing hormones that slow down inflammation in the body. It also helps to promote blood flow and oxygen, encouraging healthy new tissue growth which lets your body heal from daily wear and tear.
The quality of your sleep may matter just as much as the amount you get – one MIT study found that participants who slept poorly didn’t receive extra physical or wellbeing benefits by simply upping the number of hours they slept.
Making your bedroom comfortable by ridding it of noise, reading before bed instead of watching TV or scrolling on your phone, and investing in a good mattress will all help to boost your sleep quality – so you can grab your fair share of zzz’s.
