National Sleep Awareness Week is coming up (April 23-29) to help teach us how to sleep better.

Sleep is the one aspect of our health that we tend to dismiss. Everyone needs at least 8 hours of sleep each night to get the full benefit of the process. Think about how many people you know that don't get that much - who has time, right!

According to the National Sleep Association, who updated the requirements back in 2015, this is how much sleep we need every night -

  • Newborns (0-3 months ): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day (previously it was 12-18)
  • Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours (previously it was 14-15)
  • Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours (previously it was 12-14)
  • Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours (previously it was 11-13)
  • School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours (previously it was 10-11)
  • Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours (previously it was 8.5-9.5)
  • Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category)
  • Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours
  • Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category)

Falling asleep isn't always easy. Most of us have something keeping us awake, whether it's  running through our workday, reviewing what we need to do the next day or just plain old insomnia, getting sleep is harder than it sounds. And while we know television, phones and even our e-reader can affect how we fall asleep, the internet is a fascinating place to get the answers to the odd questions bedtime brings.

And what about coffee and sugar? Those are part of our daily life, often in conjunction, and consumed way too late to be good for us.

That's just the tip of the iceberg of things that can keep us from our precious sleep. But what about something that could help you sleep - not a pill - and tastes good too?

We've got a great juice blend recipe that is not only that sweet treat, but gets in part of your daily fruits and veggies and will help you sleep.

Karliin Brooks, author of Squeeze Life and the founder of The Squeeze, a cleansing and juicing lifestyle brand located in NYC tells us,  “Cherries have many benefits, such as reducing pain and inflammation, but cherries also improve your sleep since they contain melatonin,” says Brooks.

*Melatonin is a chemical that occurs naturally in the body to help us sleep by maintaining our circadian rhythm.

Here's her Recipe for a Better Sleep - Feeling Blossom

INGREDIENTS:
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
1 cup frozen cherries, pitted
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp almond butter
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
Blend all ingredients together until silky smooth.