It’s no surprise that we’re all chronically stressed. Our world is faster-paced than ever before, and it only seems to be moving quicker and quicker by the day. The majority of adults report that chronic stress impacts their physical and mental health. High stress is proven to cause depression, anxiety, heart problems, and more. Therefore, learning to manage our stress is key to managing our health. It may be as easy as breathing, according to recent research. Certain breathwork patterns are known to shift our mental states and invoke calming emotions. When we’re happy, we breathe slowly and deeply. Therefore, breathing slowly and deeply during periods of stress can shift the body and mind from overdrive into a relaxed state. Using breathing techniques to de-stress is not only simple to implement into your daily routine; it’s backed by scientific research as an effective tool for stress reduction.

Grogginess upon waking is normal. However, if it lasts for most of your morning or disrupts your productivity, it quickly becomes a problem. Intense grogginess and confusion upon waking is called sleep inertia. While we aren’t completely sure what causes it, many researchers theorize that sleep inertia is the brain’s way of preventing us from waking up at every little sound or disturbance throughout the night. In extreme cases of sleep inertia, sometimes called sleep drunkenness, this phenomenon quickly becomes dangerous, putting you and everyone around you at risk of injury due to delayed reaction times. High sleep debt caused by sleep deprivation worsens sleep inertia. Moreover, your sleep chronotype influences whether or not you’re likely to experience it. High adenosine levels that build up due to lack of sleep are also to blame, which lower as you pay down sleep debt and establish a consistent sleep routine.

Many of us think we can just “catch up” on sleep once we finally make it to the weekend. This is wishful thinking, as sleep debt quickly accumulates. Sleeping in over the weekend doesn’t correct your sleeping patterns for the long haul, and long-term sleep deprivation has serious consequences. A lack of sleep causes inflammation markers in the body to rise, increasing our chances of illness and disease. Moreover, sleep debt lowers our immune response and recovery time, meaning you’re more likely to get (and stay) sick if you don’t get enough sleep. As if that isn’t bad enough, sleep deprivation is known to cause a build-up of protein in the brain known to cause Alzheimer’s disease. If you want to reduce brain inflammation, correcting your sleep patterns and sleep-wake cycle is essential.

Chances are, you’ve heard of the Wim Hof method at some point or another. This technique, created by Dutch athlete Wim Hof, involves combining controlled breathwork with cold exposure. Many claim that Wim Hof workshops are a secret weapon for improving wellness and longevity, while others question whether the method is just the latest health fad. Before you write off the Wim Hof method, consider that the benefits of both cold therapy and breathwork are backed by scientific research. For example, many athletes rely on ice baths to recover from exertion quicker, while controlled breathing techniques have been used for centuries to improve focus, concentration, and mood. Wim Hof himself has participated in recent research that validates the immune-boosting benefits of his breathwork and cold therapy practices.

Does it seem like you just can’t get going in the morning? Or do you have no issue rolling out of bed? Some people hit the ground running as soon as they wake up,  prepared to conquer the day with a smile. Others have to ease into productivity, ramping up their energy as the day goes on. Beyond that, certain people find it hard to wake up and even harder to fall asleep at night. Are these people just night owls or early birds? Science says it’s much more complex than that. In fact, modern research has proven that there are at least four different types of sleep chronotypes that determine the time of day we’re biologically the most productive and focused. You’re either a bear, wolf, lion, or dolphin sleep chronotype – and you may even be a mix of more than one. If you’re not sure which chronotype you most closely identify with, certain online quizzes can help you determine yours.

The early bird gets the worm, while the night owl is usually framed as less productive. But is this really true? As it turns out, night owls are typically more creative than early birds, but not without sacrifice. Night owls are statistically at a greater risk for health issues like diabetes, mental health challenges, and metabolic issues. Moreover, as the onset of your sleep routine becomes delayed, your chances of developing harmful sleep disorders like sleep apnea rise. This worsens the problem – but can you break the cycle? Or is being a night owl just a biological predisposition that you can’t change? While certain pre-existing conditions may cause you to feel more creative and active during the wee hours of the night as opposed to the morning time, tidying up your circadian rhythm and sleep cycles can help you become the early bird you’ve always dreamed of being. By paying closer attention to your sleep hygiene, light exposure, caffeine intake, and more, you can shift your sleep cycle forward each day until you reach the routine you’ve always desired.

We spend a large portion of our lives sleeping or trying to fall asleep. If you experience a bad night’s rest, you know how it interferes with your life at work and home. However, sleep deprivation quickly turns from irritating to dangerous. Over time, poor sleep hygiene wrecks the brain’s ability to restore itself. In fact, our brains run on sleep. Without it, we can’t process memories, retain information, or harness creativity in the same manner as we can when we’re well-rested. Our brain’s ability to heal wounds, revitalize the skin, and manage hunger dramatically decreases when we’re tired. Certain brain waves for sleep help to carry out revitalizing processes we need to stay healthy. Moreover, poor sleep habits cause plaque buildup in the brain known to increase the risk of memory-related illnesses like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Proper sleep hygiene ensures that your brain has its best chances at processing new information, maintaining a healthy appearance, and keeping you at the top of your game.

Good dreams are blissful and exciting. Have you ever woken up from a great dream only to wish you could go back to sleep to relive it? What about a nightmare? Most of us not only never want to relive our nightmares, we’re happy to wake up from them. For some people, nightmares become so frequent and distressing that sleep becomes anxiety-inducing. So why do we have nightmares at all? Turns out, there is a need for them. They help us prepare for life-threatening scenarios. However, sometimes recurring nightmares are the result of a mental health condition like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unprocessed trauma leads to bad dreams that disrupt and diminish our quality of life. Sleep apnea is another potential cause, as this sleep disorder causes a blocked airway and lowered oxygenation during sleep. No matter the reason for your nightmares, rest assured that their occurrence is caused by your brain trying to process memories and protect you from danger.

What you eat matters. Food is fuel, and our choice of fuel determines how we feel. However, even if you’re making healthy food choices, some of the foods you consume may cause insomnia if eaten too closely to bedtime. Moreover, certain foods may have hidden sources of stimulating ingredients like sugar or caffeine. For example, your favorite protein bar may be loaded with extra caffeine, taking your daily intake to a harmful level. If you’re a soup lover, your favorite can from the grocery store might be loaded with sugar, making your favorite comforting, warm meal a sugar bomb that prevents quality sleep. Some of your favorite treats may also unknowingly cause bloating, indigestion, and acid reflux that worsens when you lay down, keeping you awake. Over time, this lack of sleep impairs your ability to stay focused and healthy. That’s why we’ve rounded up a list of seven foods that keep you awake.