We’ve all heard time and again the importance of getting a good night’s sleep but for many of us dreamland eludes us or we simply find that our busy lives don’t allow enough time. Or for some of us, there are nighttime interruptions…. moms of little ones, you know who you are.
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But sleep matters. A lot!
Hormones play a big role in sleep processes. This explains why, during times of hormone changes rhythms can be disrupted, for example during menopause, puberty, or pregnancy. Other factors that can impact hormones are certain foods, toxins, and artificial light.
Stress is also problematic because it can raise cortisol levels (stress hormones) reducing your ability to get good sleep. In fact, stress can have a tremendous impact on your sleep cycle. Unfortunately, it’s a two-way street because a lack of sleep elevates stress hormones and stress hormones can cause sleep problems.
Also, lack of quality shut-eye often stems from lifestyle choices so it’s important to be mindful and address the areas in your life that may be contributing to the problem.
Note: Popping a pill to help you doze off may seem like the easy answer but can be problematic due to side effects and the potential for addiction.
Problems With Poor Sleep
Lack of sleep leads to stress on the body which leads to weight gain, premature aging, hormone imbalances, infertility, and lowered immune function.
Importantly, melatonin, available to the body at night is reliant on serotonin which is one of the hormones available during waking hours. To be sure it’s crucial to keep these two hormones in a balanced state as it’s imperative for restful sleep.
So, What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
Sleep is vitally important for many aspects of maintaining good health.
- Overall Health – During restful slumber, the body repairs itself. Long-term poor sleep is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and stroke.
- Insulin – Poor sleep impacts insulin levels, the hormone that controls blood sugar. Long-term spiked blood sugar levels can lead to a host of negative health effects, including Type 2 diabetes.
- Memory and Learning Problems – Sleep helps your brain commit new information to memory. In fact, studies have shown that people who slept longer after learning a task did much better on tests.
- Hormone Health & Weight Gain – Sleep helps regulate hormone balance between feeling hungry or full. Being well-rested helps your body by increasing the ‘feel full’ hormone, leptin, and decreasing the ‘feel hungry’ hormone, ghrelin. In turn, being well-rested helps you maintain your ideal weight. In fact, one study found with each hour of sleep lost, the odds of becoming obese went up.
While slumber may tend to elude you, keep in mind there are things you can do to make sure you optimize your day, setting yourself up for better sleep. The following are a few simple tips to help you get a better nights sleep:
First and foremost, rule out any potential disorders.
Insomnia is common for adults, In fact, The National Institute of Health estimates that roughly 30 percent of the general population complains of sleep disruption. Other disorders include narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. If you suspect that any of these disorders may be affecting your sleep quality see your doctor and get tested.
Plan Ahead – Daytime Habits
Get regular exercise. Physical activity increases the duration and quality of sleep. Couple that with the known fact that exercise reduces stress, which can keep you awake at night, you’ll see that regular exercise does double duty to ensure a good night’s rest. The best practice is to exercise earlier in the day to allow your body to relax in the evening hours.
Drink plenty of fresh clean water. Keeping well hydrated is important for all your body’s functions. To avoid running to the bathroom all night trying to get the majority of your water intake earlier in the day, preferably 2 hours before bed.
Don’t eat too late. It’s best to stop eating about 4 hours before bed, preferably having your last meal of the day around 6 pm. Having some good quality protein, plenty of fresh vegetables and some healthy fats would be your best choices.
Take a relaxing bath or shower before bed. A soothing salt bath or shower before bed calms your nervous system and helps you drift off.
Avoid long naps during the day. A short power nap is fine and in fact, has been shown to help you nod off quicker at night. Remember to keep your nap under 30 minutes if you decide to take one.
Avoid caffeine 6-8 hours before bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant that can make it harder to fall asleep if you drink it later in the day.
Avoid alcohol. While alcohol may help bring on sleep, after a few hours it acts as a stimulant, increasing the number of awakenings and decreasing the quality of sleep later in the night. Therefore it’s best to limit alcohol consumption to 1-2 drinks per day, or less, and to avoid drinking within 3 hours of bedtime.
In Your Bedroom
Optimize daytime blue light & Reduce blue light in the evenings. Get outside during the day and let lots of bright natural light into your home by opening blinds and curtains. Try to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day to boost your serotonin levels, in turn improving melatonin levels at night. In the evening remove all artificial light including TV light, computers, phones, and even your alarm clock. Consider blackout curtains to further increase the darkness in your bedroom.
Lower the temperature in your bedroom. Set your thermostat to no greater than 70 degrees.
Create consistent sleep/wake times. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekends, to keep your hormone cycle regular.
Choose natural organic bedding materials. Look for a comfortable organic mattress. Additionally look for organic pillows, sheets, comforters, and mattress pads.
Try a grounding/earthing sheet. The earth gives us negative electrons, keeping us balanced and healthy. When we connect with the earth either through direct contact or through a grounded port our bodies receive a charge of energy that makes us feel better, fast. Additionally, it has been shown to induce deeper, better quality sleep.
Herbs & Supplements to Help You Sleep
- Melatonin
- Gingko Biloba
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- Valerian
- Glycine
- Magnesium
- CBD Oil
Make Time for Quality Sleep
Please, please, please make time to get plenty of shut-eye. It is so important for your health and it doesn’t cost a thing!
I understand how hectic our lives can be but making it a priority to get a good night’s sleep every night will equal more daytime energy, less stress, and overall better health.
Do you have any tips for getting a good night’s sleep? Share below!
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For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.