I am sure you will agree that there are few things better than a good night’s sleep. That feeling of opening your eyes voluntarily, feeling alert and refreshed is the cat’s meow.

Unfortunately, for many of us this remains an ongoing struggle and there are many internal and external factors at play. Stress, medical issues, sleep schedules, jet lag, stimulants, and diet (to name a few.) Sleep deprivation can cause anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment, kidney disease, high blood pressure, stroke and obesity.

Some of us feel depleted and opt for sleeping pills which can cause serious dependencies and problems stopping the drugs due to increased insomnia.

Choosing to address your sleep issues holistically can be a game of “trial and error”, and although there isn’t a one size fits all solution, there are some effective tools that you can use to kickstart your journey to better sleep.

 

1.HYDRATE

Drink plenty of water during the day. Water helps to balance our systems, it makes us feel good, increases our energy and regulates our body temperature to help induce sleep. That is correct. I should mention that drinking water right before bed can interrupt sleep. Plan to drink water every half hour and then limit it a couple of hours before bed.

 

2. DO LET THE SUN GET IN YOUR EYES

According to neuroscientist, Andrew Huberman getting that early morning sun exposure upon waking helps to regulate the proper release of your sleep hormones. (Tried and tested- IT WORKS!)

He suggests getting out before noon and looking at the sky (not directly in the sun of course) for about a half hour, if the day is cloudy, stay out a little longer. Afternoon light and evening light also are important in the proper release of melatonin.

Fresh air and exercise have many other benefits to your overall wellbeing, so it’s certainly a win/win.

 

 3. WHAT YOU EAT & WHEN YOU EAT MATTERS

According to a small study eating meals high in saturated fat and low in fiber before bed interrupts slow wave sleep. Slow wave sleep is also known as “deep sleep” and according to the National Institute of Health is the most restorative sleep stage.

Best to avoid foods high in saturated fat such as cheese, meats, ice cream and highly processed foods to help improve the overall quality of your sleep.

Salt intake has also been linked to thirst, eating salty foods before bed may cause you to wake up for water and then ultimately wake up to urinate. Double whammy.

Lastly, eating a heavy meal so much as 2 hours before bed can impede our ability to get a restful night’s sleep. Heavy meals are harder to digest, and they can cause the microbiota to produce a pro-inflammatory environment which can disrupt your circadian rhythm and can also lead to obesity.

 

4. LIMIT STIMULANTS

Caffeine: Aim for 1-2 coffee’s a day. We are more likely to grab for more if we are feeling sleep deprived but the truth is, is that this will only feed the negative cycle. Too much caffeine, especially past 3 pm for older adults can make it difficult to fall asleep.  Skipping that extra afternoon coffee may make you feel drowsy initially but will help you fall asleep later that evening.

Alcohol may act as a sedative initially but as blood alcohol levels decrease this can cause sleep interruptions. Alcohol can be addictive and weaken the immune system, it may cause a series of chronic illnesses including heart disease, liver disease, high blood pressure and cancer.

Nicotine: Smokers tend to have poorer sleep quality compared to non-smokers and night-smokers to day-smokers. Why? As we know nicotine is a stimulant keeping our mind and bodies awake but it also interferes with our REM Sleep. Rapid Eye Movement sleep cycle helps us to process what we have learned throughout the day, it filters out the junk, promotes brain development and plays a role in helping us prepare to wake up.

Screens: That blue light that keeps the dream alive… the dream of never sleeping and constant scrolling. How ironic. Light plays a critical role in your sleep/wake cycle. Your body responds to light as a prompt to wake- up and dark as a signal to sleep.

 

5. UNWIND

Stress induces a repetitive cycle that can wreak havoc on our entire night’s sleep and health in the long term. It can make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep and then the effects of sleep loss trigger our ability to manage our stress even further which increases cortisol and the process respeats.

Consider breathwork: Cyclic Sighing: Inhale through your nose halfway, then stop, now inhale fully and slowly exhale from your mouth, try doing this for 5 minutes before bed or anytime of the day that feels stressful.

Emotional Freedom Technique: Otherwise known as “tapping” has been shown to reduce stress levels by releasing energy.

Tapping on meridian points helps to restore and unblock the flow of energy in our bodies. This is a technique that can be used anywhere, like the breath and is very helpful in dealing with stress, I use it to get out of my head and back into my body.

Supplements: If you have tried all of the above but still feel you need a little more, you may consider supplementing. I would start with one and see how you do, and of course if you have any medical condition, I advise you to speak to your doctor before embarking on this route.

Magnesium Bisglycinate 200 mg

GABA 100 mg- 300 mg

L-Theanine- 100 mg to 400 mg

Life is all about balance and learning to listen to your body. You are the the only person who knows your body inside and out. Pay attention, invest in your health- I promise you it’s the best decision you will very make.

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Kräuchi K. The thermophysiological cascade leading to sleep initiation in relation to phase of entrainment. Sleep Med Rev. 2007 Dec;11(6):439-51. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2007.07.001. Epub 2007 Aug 30. PMID: 17764994.

Setting-your-biological-clock-reducing-stress-while-sheltering-in-place/

St-Onge MP, Roberts A, Shechter A, Choudhury AR. Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016 Jan;12(1):19-24. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.5384. PMID: 26156950; PMCID: PMC4702189.

Bishehsari F, Voigt RM, Keshavarzian A. Circadian rhythms and the gut microbiota: from the metabolic syndrome to cancer. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2020 Dec;16(12):731-739. doi: 10.1038/s41574-020-00427-4. Epub 2020 Oct 26. PMID: 33106657; PMCID: PMC8085809.

Colrain IM, Nicholas CL, Baker FC. Alcohol and the sleeping brain. Handb Clin Neurol. 2014;125:415-31. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-62619-6.00024-0. PMID: 25307588; PMCID: PMC5821259.

Peters EN, Fucito LM, Novosad C, Toll BA, O’Malley SS. Effect of night smoking, sleep disturbance, and their co-occurrence on smoking outcomes. Psychol Addict Behav. 2011 Jun;25(2):312-9. doi: 10.1037/a0023128. PMID: 21443301; PMCID: PMC3571661.

Liao Y, Xie L, Chen X, Kelly BC, Qi C, Pan C, Yang M, Hao W, Liu T, Tang J. Sleep quality in cigarette smokers and nonsmokers: findings from the general population in central China. BMC Public Health. 2019 Jun 24;19(1):808. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6929-4. PMID: 31234809; PMCID: PMC6591832.

Jaehne A, Loessl B, Bárkai Z, Riemann D, Hornyak M. Effects of nicotine on sleep during consumption, withdrawal and replacement therapy. Sleep Med Rev. 2009 Oct;13(5):363-77. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2008.12.003. Epub 2009 Apr 2. PMID: 19345124.