Secrets to a Better Night’s Sleep
“A well-spent day brings happy sleep.” - Leonardo Da Vinci
I am often surprised by how few people get a good night’s sleep. Although I completely understand that our environment almost demands it - we want to work all hours of the night, stay up to study, have fun or play games or do shopping online - we can burn the candle at both ends, right? Whether you have been doing it for years, or think you don’t need it, or it has always been like that for you - it is not good for you, or your health and I am afraid the science agrees with me.
Poor quality sleep affects our mood, judgment, memory, learning, eating behaviour, and may even lead to more serious health problems including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even early mortality.
The Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Chronic Disease
According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, there are three main types of studies to help us understand the links between sleep habits and the risk of developing certain diseases. The first - Sleep Deprivation Studies - these have revealed a variety of harmful effects of sleep deprivation such as:
Increased stress,
Increased blood pressure,
Impaired control of blood glucose,
Increased inflammation.
The second type of research - Cross-sectional epidemiological studies. This involves examining questionnaires that provide information about habitual sleep duration and the existence of a particular diseases in large populations. Interesting enough, both reduced and increased sleep duration, as reported on questionnaires, are linked with hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. However, cross-sectional studies cannot explain how too little or too much sleep leads to a disease condition because people may suffer from a disease that affects their sleep, rather than having poor sleep habits that caused their disease.
The third one - Longitudinal Epidemiological Studies is the most convincing type of evidence that long-term sleep habits are associated with the development of a number of diseases. Data is collected by tracking the sleeping habits and disease patterns of people over long periods of time, these individuals were initially healthy. Results from these studies indicate that adjusting one’s sleep habits may reduce the risk of eventually developing a disease or lessen the severity of an ongoing disease.
Everyone can benefit from better sleep
When we get a solid night of sleep, we have more energy, perform better at work, think more clearly, make decisions quickly, and feel happier. Sleep is also essential to balancing hormones, improving metabolism, optimizing immune function, and supporting just about every aspect of our physical health.
But for lots of people, sleep is easier said than done.
Here’s to getting more zzzz’s!
Music Before Bed Improves Sleep
A new study *hot off the press* found that listening to music for 30 minutes before bedtime improved sleep. Participants listened to songs through a free app called Music Star, which has color-coded playlists based on different tempos. Music Star is available on the App Store & Google Play!
Secrets to Better Sleep
Everyone seems to talk about how important sleep is to overall health, but what about the other way around? Everything we do to support our physical health can dramatically affect our sleep. Who doesn’t want better sleep? It’s the key to more energy, weight loss, mental clarity, and just feeling GOOD.
What you can do to improve your sleep
Wake up at the same time every day to set your internal clock & hormones.
Get out in the sun so your body can make vitamin D, which helps regulate sleep.
Move your body for better sleep quality.
Stay hydrated to regulate your core body temperature and sleep better.
Eat for blood sugar balance because both too high or too low blood sugar can disrupt sleep.
Make sure your room is very dark.
Stop doing these things if you want better sleep
Check your habits first. Do you do any of these 5 things that could be secretly ruining your sleep?
Alcohol. Even though alcohol initially calms the nervous system, it disrupts the normal phases of the sleep cycle as it wears off during the night.
Sugar. Eating sweets and refined carbohydrates causes blood sugar fluctuations that disrupt sleep.
Late-day caffeine. It can take up to 10 hours for caffeine to completely clear from your system, so pay attention to when you drink that last sip of coffee.
Sitting around. Movement and exercise are key to healthy hormones, a regulated internal clock, and quality sleep.
Nighttime Screens. The blue light that emits from your phone, tablet, or TV interferes with your natural production of melatonin, the hormone needed for sleep.
Before you grab a pill (even something natural), take a look at these habits and see if you notice better sleep when you stop them.
Ever thought of Wi-Fi? The wi-fi router sends constant invisible signals throughout your home—increasing your family’s exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs).
EMFs stress the body, nervous system, and hormones. Some people are more sensitive to EMFs than others, and you may think they don’t affect you, but EMFs could absolutely be one thing contributing to ‼️poor sleep‼️ One simple thing you can do to decrease the EMFs in your home while you sleep: Turn off your wi-fi-router! An easy way to do this is to plug the router into an outlet with a programmable timer.
There are other benefits too! It will improve communication between you and your spouse and children.
Sounds like a more peaceful environment for sleep to me 💤
Health Tip
Keep a Gratitude Journal: Did you know there is scientific evidence to show that gratitude can improve sleep? It’s true. You can do this any time of day, but if you’re the type that needs a little more winding down at night, do it right before bed. It’s as easy as writing down 3 things you feel grateful for today.
Lavender: When it comes to sleep, lavender essential oil is one natural option with research to back it. One study found that college students who wore a chest patch containing lavender essential oil had better sleep and woke up feeling more refreshed. Lavender essential oil is calming and stress relieving. Here are some ways to use it for better sleep:
▪️Apply a small amount to the wrists & temples
▪️Apply to the soles of the feet before bed
▪️Use in an aromatherapy diffuser
▪️Add to a warm bath before bed
Chamomile Tea: Our minds respond to PHYSICAL inputs (like nutrients & foods) and also MENTAL inputs (like journaling, taking a bath, or other bedtime routines).
Chamomile has long been used in herbal traditions to calm the nervous system and support relaxation.
Taking the time to sit and sip a cup of tea sends a message to the brain that it’s time to transition to calm. (Chamomile is generally safe except in the case of allergies. It’s in the same plant family as ragweed, which is a common allergen so be aware).
Foods that may improve your sleep
I don’t recommend eating right before bed. It can disrupt digestion, slow your metabolism, and contribute to weight gain. But if you find yourself feeling hungry early in the evening and want a snack that will support better sleep, here are some backed by science:
Foods high in magnesium (to calm the nervous system):
Oats
Almonds
Cashews
Chia Seeds
Foods containing tryptophan (to make serotonin):
Pistachios
Sesame Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Cottage Cheese
Foods that support melatonin production:
Kiwis
Oranges
Bananas
Pineapples
Tart Cherry Juice
Read more about these foods here
Like any habit, if you have been sleeping badly for very long, then take some time to implement one good habit every few weeks and keep practicing until you get it right - you can only gain from it.
Sleep well