Lack of sleep, both quantity and quality is a public health problem. Sleep is one of the most studied health issues around the globe. Too Many of us aren’t sleeping soundly enough to feel rested and rejuvenated during the day. As a population, we now sleep less than we ever have. It’s one of the most essential elements to well being alongside nutrition and exercise. Sleep isn’t optional. We need to make it a priority as it plays such a vital role in one’s mental, physical and emotional health. Chronically poor sleep and lack of sleep can result in severe health consequences: illness, disease, loss of brain tissue, lower cognitive performance, neurodegenerative disease, a constant state of exhaustion, and irritability.
Adopting some healthy bedtime rituals is a must in order to improve your sleep patterns. Below is a curated list of the many ways you can do this. Pick a few, or implement them all, and make them part of your pre-bedtime routine.
Take a Magnesium supplement. This mineral is often deficient in our bodies which can lead to fatigue, excess stress, low energy, muscle tension, cramps, spasms, anxiousness, nervousness, and the inability to sleep. Magnesium is a natural sedative and muscle relaxant. Take in the evening close to bedtime.
Shut all tech down. The blue light given off by electronics compromises the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Turn off all electronics at least one hour before bedtime. Aim for two.
Exercise. Aim for four or more sweat sessions a week. Avoid exercising too late in the day because your body needs time to cool down before bedtime.
Your bedroom should be comfy, cool, clean, and free and clear of clutter so you are free from distractions. Clear space means a clear mind. The bedroom should be as dark as possible. Set the thermostat to 65-70 degrees. Your body temp needs to drop to induce sleep. According to Feng Shui experts, get rid of everything in your bedroom that doesn't have a purpose there.
Don’t eat late, minimize sugar and avoid heavy meals at dinnertime. Avoid eating past 7pm because you want your organs resting not working digesting food whilst trying to sleep. Scale back on alcohol consumption aiming last drink by 7pm. Alcohol is a sleep disruptor. Avoid caffeine past noon. Everyone metabolizes caffeine differently and caffeine can stay in your bloodstream for over twelve hours depending how much one consumes. Keep in mind if you consume several cups it does have a cumulative effect and may very well be detrimental to the quality of sleep you get.
Determine a set wake + sleep time. It’s important we continue to do this whilst saying home. We need to keep a routine. Be consistent with these times. The key here is same time each day. This is the most important thing you can do. This helps establish a healthy circadian rhythm (sleep cycle). Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Sleep needs to be restorative-continuous and not fragmented in order to feel your best during the day. It takes roughly two weeks of consistent sleep/wake times for your body to adjust, and to notice much less fatigue during the day. Changing your sleep schedule just one or two days a week will throw off your body’s sleep cycle.
Try a white noise machine. They have consistent frequencies versus a sound machine where sounds are inconsistent leading to a disruption in sleep. Any change in sound will wake you up. White noise is excellent in drowning out the inconsistencies in and around your space.
Use a silk eye mask. For the best possible sleep you want to avoid any stitch of light.
Meditation. There are many resources online, or apps you can use. Ten minutes is all you need to quiet the chatter, calm the nervous system and relax your mind.
Finally, hit the pillow by 10pm. The sleep you get before midnight is more restorative than early morning hours. Apply a few drops of lavender to your pillow. This plant extract has sedative properties and enters your bloodstream via inhalation. Aim for 7-9 hours of restorative, non-fragmented sleep so you’ll feel like a human who can do anything the next day!
