From an outsider’s perspective, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow appear to have plenty in common.
Besides their repertoire as esteemed, A-list actresses, they both have famous blonde manes, balanced diet and exercise routines, past relationships with Brad Pitt and, as it turns out, the same simple hack for a good night’s sleep.
Having spoken openly in the past about the importance of sleep in their lives—and in Aniston’s case, struggles with insomnia—the actress’ bedtime routines feature one notably similar component: no technology at bedtime.
“My one key tip is to sleep with my phone at least five feet away from me,” Aniston said in conversation with Arianna Huffington.
“That’s helped me tremendously. And I also do a quick meditation before I get into bed, even if it’s just for five minutes. There are also some yoga poses that I’ve found to be quite helpful in relaxing my mind, even if it’s just a simple downward dog and some stretching.
“But the biggest thing is the electronics shutdown, ideally an hour before I turn off the lights. It’s really a big deal.”
Similarly, Paltrow has also spoken about sleep’s role in good health and how sleep deprivation makes her feel on more than one occasion.
“For me, sleep is a major thing… I don’t always get it, and when I don’t, I look like I’ve been hit by a truck,” the goop founder said in 2016.
In her book Goop Clean Beauty, Paltrow went on to reveal that she maintains a technology-free bedroom, including laptops, phones and TV, before indulging in “clean sleeping” with “at least seven or eight hours of good, quality sleep, and ideally even 10”.
And there is science to support this theory, with a five-year-long study revealing that the blue light exposure from technology during sleep can disrupt the circadian rhythm (body clock) and lead to weight gain.
Moreover, the devices themselves have been found to be overly stimulating, thereby reducing the actual quality of sleep and consequently the ability to function optimally the next day.
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