Eat and Drink Smarter

(waves crashing) (airplane zooming) (upbeat music) (coffee maker clanking) (coffee spurting) Did you know that that extra cup of coffee, that long midday nap, or even that late night dinner can impact your sleep? (upbeat music) That's why it's important to be mindful of the choices we make when we travel, so we don't interrupt our sleep cycle. You know what? Actually, maybe I won't get that mac and cheese. And I get it, there is that temptation to throw our habits out the window when we're traveling, but hear me out. Those moment to moment choices you make can make or break a good night's sleep. (graphics swooshing) So try making sleep a priority. Not only will you feel more rested, but you'll actually be able to enjoy your trip and be present for it. As relaxing as that nice glass of wine or beer can be before bedtime, alcohol does negatively impact our quality of sleep. When you drink alcohol, a neurotransmitter called GABA, or gamma immuno butyric acid if you wanna be fancy, disrupts the firing between nerve cells in the brain. And creates a calming effect, which is why we tend to believe that alcohol can help us sleep better. But because sleep literally lives in the brain, alcohol impacts our sleep quality. That glass of wine or beer in your bedtime does lead to deep sleep, but less REM sleep in the first half of the night. As the alcohol in your bloodstream decreases, this means you're more likely to experience a lighter sleep, which means it's easier to wake up. And you may experience a rebound of REM sleep, which means your dreams are more active and stressful. All of this leaving us less refresh and less restored. (gentle music) Now, I'm not saying that drinking alcohol is bad. This is a judgment free zone, but it is important to understand how alcohol impacts your mind and your body. These small habit changes that we make throughout our travels can really impact our overall sleep, our mood, and our travel experience. (pleasant music)...