It’s bathing suit season, and we just heard a collective groan. We know, trying on bathing suits can be just as disheartening as a night without sleep, but don't despair. Scientists believe there is a way to eliminate bathing suit woes and restless nights in one, fatal swoop. Let's take a look at what diet and sleep routines they recommend.

Your Diet and Sleep

No Skinny Soup or Tiny Salads for You!

No, it's not one where you eat nothing but soup or greens. It is a calorie restriction diet that leaves folks with a lot of leeway on what they consume, how they eat it and when they dine. Are you interested yet? Well, the diet in question was part of a study conducted earlier this year and released in the February 19th issue of Cell Metabolism.

Just in case you're not a subscriber of the clinical journal, the same study results were later picked up by New Scientist and several other publications. The study itself took place at Missouri's Washington University. Those involved wanted to see what effect, if any, the diet would have on a person's lifespan. In the process, they learned a little something about sleep and its impact on the body.

Stop Cheese Dogs from Barking Up the Wrong Tree

Anyone that's ever eaten a chili cheese dog or another spicy snack before bed knows that dietary choices can affect sleep. Can anyone say acid reflux or indigestion? But do you know why acid reflux happens or what else goes on in a person's stomach after they've settled down for the night? If so, we've got the abridged answer for you right here:

Scientists have long said that our saliva gland production, bowel, and gastric activity all slow down when we're resting. As a result, undigested food is more likely to turn to fat and cause an array of other undesirable effects, including cell damage. So it stands to reason that eating less food before bedtime would help someone ditch the heartburn and maintain a healthier weight. There are a few side effects, though.

Pass the Heavy Blankets Please!

For one, losing weight may alter a person's core body temperature. Over the years, countless studies have looked at why svelte people tend to feel colder than their more stout counterparts. Accordingly, we understand that the phenomenon has to do with adiposity and metabolism. In other words, some fat tissue acts as insulation and helps speed up a person's metabolic rate. The remaining tissue, of course, keeps us from looking great in our bathing suits and helps shorten our respective lifespans. Therefore, the key to keeping our bodies in bathing suit condition for years to come is finding a healthy balance between rest, refueling activities and exercise.

Get Ready to Sleep Easy and Sport that Bathing Suit

Of course, this brings us back to the subject of calorie restricted diets and sleep. How many calories should a person cut out from his or her diet and how much sleep is needed? It's a question best answered by an individual's doctor. However, there are some generalities to consider in the meantime.

We don't know what the calorie intake was for each participant before the study started. All we know for sure is that after the investigation began, they reduced their daily, caloric intake by 15%. That was all it took for them to see a change in their sleep patterns, metabolic rate, core body temperatures and more. We also know that most healthy individuals need to consume at least 1,200 calories a day.

According to Harvard Health Medical School's publishing arm, the real number is generally determined by looking at a person's weight and multiplying it. So, check with your doctor and see if it is safe for you to follow the study's recommendations and reduce that amount by 15%. Also, ask him or her to confirm how much sleep you should be getting each night. For the average adult, the minimum tends to be seven.

Great Sleep Aids for the New You

After your physician gives the go-ahead, be sure to review your sleep environment before proceeding. Given the expected change in body temperature, you may want to upgrade your mattress to one that offers some degree of temperature control. It might also be a good idea to invest in a thermic phase, change the cooling cover. They're suitable for use with a range of mattresses, including plush, firm and luxury feel.

Nest Bedding Can Help You Get There

Nest Bedding's range of customer-centric policies makes investing in a temperature control mattress and bedding easy. For instance, there are financing options that will help get the necessary sleep aids to your door before you start perfecting that beach-ready body.  One of the most popular among young couples and others with little financial history is a lease-to-own program. We partner with Zibby on that one.

There's a 0% financing option on offer too. For that, we've partnered with another great company. You may have heard of before. And yes, if you've already got the money in hand, you can pay for the mattress outright. Either way, your order should arrive within two weeks, depending on your location. So, you can likely start your new shape-up routine in no time at all.

Plus, there is the 100-night trial, lifetime warranty, comfort guarantee and freebies to consider. For example, did you know exchanges, shipping, and returns are often available at no cost? So in effect, your wallet can remain fat while you whittle away your waistline. Ask our representatives directly about those policies for more information.

And let's not forget that our handmade, eco-friendly mattresses and accessories are compatible with other sleep aids, including heating pads. They're great for those nights when you've overdone it at the gym, and your tired muscles need some extra warmth. Also, they work hand in hand with custom, adjustable frames. So you can elevate those tired, skinnier limbs too.