Experts say massaging the inside of your wrists for two to three minutes can help you sleep better.
The inside of your wrist contains several important acupuncture points. Applying pressure to these sensitive points can help relieve pain, reduce stress, and improve overall health.
According to sleep expert Dr Katherine Hall, this is one of the key acupressure points that induces relaxation and reduces cortisol levels. The National Health Service defines cortisol as a stress hormone that helps control blood sugar levels. Increased cortisol levels can affect mood and sleep.
“Cortisol is often referred to as the stress hormone, because it plays a key role in body functions and responses to the sleep-wake cycle,” says Dr. Hall.
This surge of hormones can disrupt the delicate balance of your sleep-wake cycle, leading to problems like insomnia, reduced sleep time, and morning grogginess. To combat this, your body produces more cortisol to wake itself up, in a cycle that continues indefinitely.
Basic wrist massage movements. Photo: Freepik
Other ways to improve sleep that experts suggest include reading a book, petting a pet for 10 minutes, limiting alcohol intake during the day, and not drinking alcohol for three hours before bedtime.
Research from the University of Sussex shows that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. Scientists found that volunteers who read for just 6 minutes had reduced stress levels.
On the other hand, drinking alcohol may provide a temporary sedative effect, but it negatively impacts your sleep cycle by interfering with the chemicals in your brain that regulate sleep. This can leave you waking up in the morning feeling unsettled, even after getting a full eight hours of shut-eye.
Thuc Linh (According to Mirror )
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