The Crescent Blog | Advice and Insights from Sleep Experts

Does Tryptophan in Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?

Why does turkey make you sleepy? You've finished your Thanksgiving meal and now you're ready for a nice nap. Is the bird to blame?

Sleep health

Why Do We Have Daylight Saving (*not Savings) Time?

7 in 10 Americans hate resetting their clocks twice a year. So how did this unpopular tradition come about?

Cognitive performance

Breathing exercises for sleep, stress and relaxation: The link between deep breathing and the parasympathetic nervous system

From our friends at Othership: a guide to how breathwork can improve your sleep, stress, and recovery, and the science behind how deep breathing influences your autonomic nervous system!

Sleep health

How does Alcohol Impact Your Sleep?

Alcohol has a sedative effect that someone might mistake as relaxing or helpful with sleep, but from a physiological perspective that is not the case.

Physical performance

Ultimate Guide for Athletes: Sleep & Exercise, Training, and Recovery

More and more athletes at the top of their game are relying on a performance-enhancing — drug free — supplement: healthy, restful sleep.

Sleep health

The Stages of Sleep: What Happens During Each

Most people have heard of REM or NREM sleep. Fewer know how each stage of sleep contributes to well being, or how sleep stages work together. In this guide, you'll learn about the stages of sleep, and how they contribute to the recovery of your brain and body.

Sleep tech

Guide to Sleep Trackers: Sleep Experts Review, Compare, and Test Top Sleep Trackers

We help you decipher how some of the top sleep trackers perform and identify the most useful information you’ll get from each device.

Sleep health

What is sleep apnea, what are the symptoms, and how to take action

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. What are the symptoms and risks of sleep apnea? How do you treat and manage sleep apnea?

Exercise Recovery Formula

We create the “demand to grow” in the gym. The body says, “Woah that was intense! I'd better adapt just in case...

Sleep tech

Apple Watch OS9's New Sleep Stages: How Good Is It and What It Means for Your Sleep

Sleep experts review Apple Watch's sleep stages tracking feature in the new WatchOS9. How good is the data and what you should know

Spotlights

Sleeping like Olympians: Dr. Amy Bender Wants to Awaken the Champion in You

This sleep scientist and elite athlete has implemented sleep optimization strategies for Canadian Olympic and pro sports teams. She's now turning her attention to the rest of us.

Sleep health

Sleep and Oral Health

Brushing your teeth may be part of your nighttime routine, but are there more connections between sleep and oral health?

Protocol guides

Protocol: Morning Sunlight

Getting outside in the morning (even if it's cloudy) puts a halt to melatonin production, and boosts serotonin which gives you a boost for your day! Our internal clocks...

Protocol guides

Protocol: Sleep Environment Clean-up

Protocol guides

Protocol: Consistent Morning wake time and routine

Protocol guides

Protocol: Rebalancing Your Negative Thoughts

Thought rebalancing is another tool that can help you take distressing thoughts and “rebalance them” into more neutral territory.

Protocol guides

Protocol: Daily Wrap Up Exercise

Cognitive performance

Guide to Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) and how to get started

NSDR helps slow down your thought-flow and brain wave frequency, allowing your brain and body to rest deeply. It can help with sleep, stress, anxiety ... and even learning.

Protocol guides

Protocol: Relaxation Response Meditation

A meditation that achieves a "Relaxation Response" is one that puts the body and nervous system at rest rather than in fight or flight. The Relaxation Response can actually be measured...

Protocol guides

Protocol: Magnesium Supplementation

Magnesium is part of more than 300 enzymatic reactions (some for energy production and some for sleep) which makes it pretty important to get enough!

Protocol guides

Protocol: Consistent Sleep Window

Practicing a consistent "in bed" window is one of the most important behaviors that create better quality sleep. You can calculate your ideal "in-bed" window by...

Physical performance

Want to sleep better? Lift some weights.

Results of a new study show that resistance exercise promotes better sleep among inactive adults, especially those who are poor sleepers.

Sleep health

Why Your Wake Time Matters More Than Your Bedtime for Improving Sleep

Sticking to a regular morning wake-up time is one of the best things you can do to improve your sleep tonight. (And the next night, too.)

News

Crescent Chat Recordings - expert advice just for our members

Get up close and personal with experts! Watch your email for the next event invite

Protocol guides

Protocol: Worry Time Exercise

Reflecting for a moment, do you experience any negative thoughts aimed at your sleep? Or do you lay down to go to bed and feel as if your mind "turns on" ...