5 Lifestyle Changes to Support Sleep
A lot of people have been reaching out lately for help with their sleep. With all the recent changes and stress a lot of people have been having issues falling asleep, staying asleep or both.
For some, it’s the change in routine. Some are having issues shutting their brain off. And some it is their anxiety preventing them from getting the deep restful sleep they need.
Here are some tips to help encourage a nice deep restorative sleep.
Before going to medications or supplements I suggest adjusting the sleep routine and environment. Sometimes these shifts can be all we need to improve our sleep.
1. Go to bed around the same time every night (even weekends)
Even though regular schedules have changed for a lot of people - it is important to try to maintain as much routine as we can. Especially when we are struggling with our sleep! By going to bed around the same time every night we support the regular wake/sleep (day/night) schedule of our body. Eventually, our body becomes accustomed to the routine and will adjust its circadian pattern and appropriately.
2️. Keep the bedroom dark, cool & quiet
The environment where we sleep plays a big role in its quality. Not only can having a room too warm, light and/or loud prevent you from falling asleep, but it can also prevent you from getting a night of deep restorative sleep.
If you can’t change the environment you can use earplugs, an eyemask, or blackout curtains.
Our body temperature drops slightly to initiate sleep. Having a nice cool room supports this. You can even try having a nice warm shower or bath before bed to encourage this. Bonus - you can incorporate some calming herbs like lavender (in your bubble bath or soap). Epsom salts in the bath are also a nice addition as they help relax the muscles and you get the added benefit of Magnesium!
3. Avoid screens at least 1 hour before bed
This can be hard in today's society, but the light from the screens disrupt our circadian rhythm and prevents our body from shifting into sleep mode.
IF you have to use a screen try to adjust the lighting, or use an app to adjust the type of light emitted.
4️. Avoid eating, stimulants, alcohol and nicotine right before bed
Try to leave a few hours between your last meal and bedtime if you can. Big meals (and intense exercise) to close to bedtime may actually decrease the quality of your sleep. If you don’t get enough deep sleep in the night you will not wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
Though alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, it impacts the quality of your sleep and can cause night waking and prevent restorative sleeps.
Caffeine can affect your sleep in a variety of ways. Similarly to eating and exercise, caffeine increases your heart rate, making it harder to fall asleep as well as impacting the quality of your sleep. We know caffeine helps make us feel awake, it does this by blocking the action of adenosine. Adenosine helps to calm our nervous system and make up sleepy. I recommend limiting caffeine intake to before 2pm. Remember that caffeine is not only found in coffee, it can also be found in pop, tea, and chocolate. And for some these can be in high enough levels to disrupt your sleep. Another reason to cut the pop!
5️. Make yourself a bedtime routine.
This can include a brief meditation session, reading a book, stretching. It can be anything that you find de-stressing. This will help the body unwind and get ready for bed. Try to keep your routine the exact same each night - use the same smelling candle, lotion, etc. Do your routine in the same order in the same part of your house. And if you do it every night it can become a single for the body to start winding down.
Remember when we first start out at anything it can be hard, It can take time to unwind the mind if you are used to always be “on”. But just like any other training the more your practice relaxing your mind (such as with meditation) the quicker you will find yourself switching into that state. And the more relaxed and calm you are the easier it will be to fall asleep.
You don’t need to struggle with sleep. You should be able to fall asleep within 10-20 minutes, stay asleep through the night, and wake feeling rested and refreshed. If that doesn’t sound like you let's work on it!
I always start with lifestyle support for my patients. But sometimes you do need extra help, which is where botanicals and certain nutrients can come in handy. Sleep is one of the basics of health and we need good quality restorative sleep!
Want more support? Book in for your visit so you can wake up feeling energized and refreshed!
Information can be empowering, but we all have unique health profiles and needs. Health-related information contained in this post is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for visiting a Naturopathic Doctor. This article was written for information purposes only and was not intended to diagnose or prescribe. The above advice is intended to only offer a general basis for individuals to discuss their medical condition with their health care provider. Always consult your licensed physician.