I know I have many nights when I can't seem to fall asleep or stay asleep. I also have a lot of people that come in for acupuncture sessions with sleeping issues especially because of how much it has affected their mental health.
Having a good night's sleep is essential to your physical health and wellbeing. In animal studies, sleep is necessary for SURVIVAL. What does that mean? That means sleep deprivation can affect our immune systems and in the long run affect our memory and physical abilities. Some experts also believe that our neurons have a chance to repair themselves while we are in deep sleep.
Even the term "Beauty sleep"has some validity because as we sleep proteins are broken down and cells repair damages from factors like stress and ultraviolet rays.
So what can you do to get a better's night sleep?
I happen to read a great article in Woman's Day magazine called "Sleep better tonight."They had awesome tips from sunrise to sunset in order to really impact your sleep. Here are some of the important tips that I will be sharing with you today!
1. DON'T HIT THAT SNOOZE BUTTON
Yeah i was surprised about this one. I always thought I was getting just a few more minutes of shut-eye but in reality just trying to fall back asleep takes so much energy that once you wake up again you really don't get any additional deep sleep.
2. EXERCISE
Exercise in the morning helps you have energy throughout the day and can decrease stress hormones. This can help you wind down and fall asleep faster. The caveat is that vigorous exercise leading to bedtime can actually have the reverse effects.
In a recent study, by Scott Collier, PhD, director of the Vascular Biology of Autonomic Studies Laboratory, people who got 30 minutes of moderate exercise at 7 A.M. (compared to 1PM and 7PM) significantly improved the quality of their sleep that night, spending 75% more time in deep sleep. So Exercise and try to do it in the morning!
3. Cut out CAFFEINE
This is one of the hardest things that I find my patients have trouble with and can be a hard thing to do for a lot of people. Caffeine is a stimulant and can stay in your system for 4 to 7 hours. As long as you don't have caffeine still in your system before bedtime, then you can have a better nights sleep. The only thing is that caffeine is not only in coffee: tea, chocolate and soft drinks also contain enough caffeine to affect your sleep. Avoid that extra cup of coffee in the afternoon and you will get more sleep!
4. EAT DINNER 2-3 HOURS BEFORE BEDTIME
Ever wonder why you couldn't sleep after a heavy meal? Your body needs at least 2-3 hours to digest food. If you eat closer to bedtime, your body has a harder time to rest because your stomach is still working. Fatty foods take a lot of work on your stomach and keep you up. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening and eat a lighter meal. Be cautious of spicy or acidic foods as they can cause heartburn.
5. BEDTIME RITUAL
We live in a fast-pace world and it's always go go go. Wake up, go to work, go eat, go workout, go take care of the kids, go do this, go do that etc.
The most simple and rewarding thing to do is just have a nice ritual before sleeping. What do I mean by ritual? Your body needs a transition from moving all day to lying still in bed. By washing your face, taking off your makeup and doing something relaxing like reading a book, can trigger signals in your brain that your day's over and it's time to sleep.
Shut down that computer or T.V! These two stimulate the nervous system making it harder to unwind.
Also, get into bed and do a light 30 second stretch with a few deep breaths. This can help you relax
under the sheets.
I hope these tips helps you get a good nights sleep. I know I will be trying them tonight!
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