Trouble Sleeping? Your Phone May Be to Blame

Yes, you read that headline right. According to a new study, using your phone before you go to bed can disrupt your sleep schedule and prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.

Specifically, the study found that those who use smartphones or tablets before bed went to bed later and had a later sleep onset than those who didn’t. The study also found that those who used their phone or tablet before going to sleep had lower levels of the sleep-regulating hormone, melatonin. Lastly, the study found that electronic device usage before bed reduced the period of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a vital component in our sleep patterns.

So, if you’re having trouble sleeping, try putting your phone or tablet away before heading to bed.

Spinach Power Salad with Mandarin Vinaigrette

Dressing

  • 6 ounces mandarin orange juice (reserve oranges)
  • 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup pure cane sugar
  • ½ small onion (chopped)
  • 1 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper

PREPARATIONS

  1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender. Mix until combined.
  2. Divide the spinach among four bowls. Top each bowl with the shredded carrots, grapes, mandarin oranges, walnuts and chicken breast.
  3. Shake the dressing. Drizzle over each salad.

Makes: 4 servings

Salad

  • ½ pound chicken breast (cooked, chopped)
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 1 large carrot (shredded)
  • 24 seedless red grapes
  • 1 ½ ounces walnuts (coarsely chopped)
  • Reserved mandarin oranges

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Total Calories 362
Total Fat 22 g
Protein 16 g
Carbohydrates 27 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Sodium 488 mg
Total Sugars 22 g

 

Source: USDA

For more information and helpful links, please download our August 2018 Live Well, Work Well Newsletter.

Download.