4 Ways to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
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It’s no secret that sleep is important. We’ve heard it for years, from everywhere, from everyone. But even though sleep is still important, a good majority of the population walks around with heavy eyelids and a cup full of coffee to try to pull them from their sleepless daze and into reality. Many people are barely surviving through their day, but even less people are thriving through their day.
This used to be me. I remember working long days, only to go hang out with friends in the evening with an attempt at a social life. I would stay out way too late, go home, get a few restless hours of sleep, wake up, work out on an empty stomach, fill up on coffee, head off to work, and repeat the cycle over and over again… I felt like a zombie. I was always tired and had very little energy for the relentlessly busy schedule.
I used to think that sleep was important because it affected our day-to-day lives, but did you know that a lack of sleep has actually been linked to chronic disease? Beyond just being tired, multiple studies have showed that every disease of the developed world from Type II Diabetes to Alzheimer’s Disease can be linked to insufficient sleep. So what do we do about this (not so) little-sleep epidemic?
Tips to get a better night’s sleep
Put a red filter on your phone at night. This is something I started doing last year, and I noticed that it actually helped my eyes not to feel so tired when looking at my phone after dark! The blue light that your phone produces tricks your body into thinking that it’s daytime, which messes with your circadian rhythm. I put it on a timer so that the red light filter comes on when the sun goes down and it stays on until sunrise. Along with the red light filter, I also always try to put my phone away at least one hour before bed. This not only helps my body with it’s natural circadian rhythm, it also helps to reduce stress by not taking in an overload of information while trying to wind down. When I started doing this, I stopped waking up in the middle of the night feeling anxious.
Consider taking some magnesium. This is not a blanket statement, as not all supplements are suitable for everyone. But most people are deficient in magnesium because of the quality of food and water in our world today. Magnesium helps to relax our central nervous system, which helps us to fall asleep. Many magnesium supplements can be quite expensive, which is why I always make mine at home. I’m spending pennies on the dollar when I do it that way! My favorite brand is Crucial Four. I just add this to carbonated water, which you can buy at the store or invest in a Soda Stream if you’re making carbonated water as much as I am. Then you just shake in the Magnesium Hydroxide powder and viola!
Find different things that help relax you. This could be doing some deep breathing exercises, perhaps a light and relaxing yoga flow, prayer or meditation, or whatever it is that helps you! This year I started using an acupressure mat to help me fall asleep at night. Similar to acupuncture, acupressure mats are noninvasive. They have pointy spikes that you lay on that help to relax the body and ease tension. This helps the body to relax, therefore helping with sleep. I’ve noticed on the nights I use my mat, I usually sleep deeper and longer. It also helps with headaches and back pain!
Balance out your blood sugar. One of the most common symptoms associated with blood sugar dysregulation is waking up in the middle of the night. With high spikes and dips comes the release of cortisol, or the stress hormone, in the body. This is typically what causes you to wake up in the middle of the night. If you’re looking for tips to help balance out blood sugar levels, you can read about that here.
Getting enough good quality sleep is vital for your health! Whenever I’m working with my clients, we always take a deeper look into their sleep quality and how it can be improved. And of course, if you’re looking for support for your sleep quality, you can book a discovery call to see if Nutritional Therapy might be a good fit for you!
