Let’s Fix That!

Waking up after a full night of uninterrupted sleep feels amazing! Unfortunately, about 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep. We hear a lot about the importance of a good night’s sleep and receive many tips on improving the quality and quantity of sleep. If you’re like me, understanding the reason behind things inspires lasting changes.

Knowing that blue light from screens messes with my Melatonin and that alcohol disrupts my sleep makes me want to put down my Kindle and skip the nightcap earlier in the evening.

Why is sleep important?

Sleep is not a luxury; it is essential for our physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as healing.

 Here are some of the top functions of sleep:

• Restoration – Allows your body to repair tissues and build muscle

• Immunity – Boosts the immune system and helps fight off infections and illnesses

• Energy – Recharges energy stores

• Hormones – Balances hormones like insulin function, helping maintain blood sugar level

• Heart – Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation

• Performance – Enhances reaction time, coordination, and overall physical and mental performance

• Memory – Helps organize and store memories, improving learning and problem-solving skills

• Brain health – Clears out waste and toxins in the brain, preventing mental fog

• Learning – Restores the brain’s capacity for absorbing new information, preparing it for learning

• Mood – Improves mood and reduces irritability

What can impact quality and quantity of sleep?

Caffeine blocks Adenosine, a brain chemical that promotes relaxation and deep sleep, while also stimulating the nervous system. There are many factors that impact how long it takes to metabolize caffeine, and it varies from person to person.

Tip: Limit caffeine intake at least 6-8 hours before bedtime.

Alcohol may help you fall asleep more quickly as it has a sedative effect on the brain. But it disrupts the sleep stages, causes fragmented sleep and may lead to waking up more often during the night. Once alcohol is metabolized, there can be a rebound effect where the body becomes more alert, leading to early awakenings and difficulty returning to sleep.

For every serving of alcohol, sleep is impacted for two hours.  Half a bottle of wine could impact you for 4-5 hours.

Tip: Avoid alcohol close to bedtime.

Nicotine impacts sleep by stimulating the nervous system, delaying sleep onset, disrupting sleep cycles, and causing nighttime awakenings.

Tip: Avoid nicotine, particularly in the hours leading up to bedtime.

Food that is high in sugar or fat can lead to restless sleep and blood sugar fluctuations. Eating large meals close to bedtime can also lead to discomfort, making it harder to fall asleep.

These are foods that can help promote sleep:

• Foods rich in tryptophan (e.g., turkey, nuts, dairy) can help the body produce serotonin and Melatonin, which regulate sleep.

• Complex carbohydrates (e.g., whole grains, oatmeal) help increase tryptophan uptake by the brain.

• Foods high in magnesium (e.g., leafy greens, bananas) and potassium (e.g., bananas, sweet potatoes) can relax muscles and nerves, aiding in sleep.

• Cherries and kiwis are natural sources of Melatonin, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

Tip: Eat your last large meal 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you are hungry before bedtime, opt for a light snack such as a banana with peanut butter.

Electronics like smartphones, tablets, TVs and computers emit a blue light, which interferes with the production of Melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. Additionally, these devices can keep the brain active, making it harder to relax and fall asleep.

Tip: Turn off screens at least 1 hour before bedtime. When possible, use “night mode” on devices to reduce blue light exposure in the evening.

Other tips for better sleep:

• Exercise promotes deep sleep. Being active during the daytime sets yourself up for better sleep.

• Establish a bedtime routine 30-60 minutes before bed to start to ramp down

  • Turn off electronics

  • Dim the lights

  • Use calming scents like lavender or chamomile

  • Go to bed when tired

  • Have a consistent wake up time

If you have “brain churn” and cannot seem to slow it down, try these techniques:

• Recite poem, prayer, hymn or mantra

• Deep breathing (e.g., inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds)

• Progressive muscle relaxation from head to toe

• Guided imagery or meditation

If your mind wanders, restart the process.

If you are still awake after 20 minutes, get out of bed and try:

• Reading under a soft light

• Gentle stretch or yoga

• Relaxation techniques

 Note: If brain churn persists and interferes with your sleep long-term, consider looking into techniques like CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia).

A great exercise to help work on keeping your mind present in the moment is called the Habit Releaser. This exercise can help with both anxiety and depression and is most effective when combined with a breathing exercise. How this exercise works – pick one habit that you have and change only that one for a week. Do not try to change multiple habits in a week as it will be overwhelming for your mind.

Examples could include:

• Take a different way to work for one week, or turn off the radio while you drive to work if you normally have it on or vice versa.
• Change the order you do either your morning or evening routines.
• Make your bed each morning if you normally do not.
• Clean up the dishes right after a meal if you would normally leave them for later.
• Put down your technology for an hour an evening and read a book or go for a walk.
• Change the way you put your clothes on, if you always put your right leg in your shorts or pants first try putting your left leg in first.

These are just a few examples but you may choose whatever will work best for you. You will find that your mind at times will feel unruly and less than participatory when trying to change a habit. The brain will see these new habits as a threat to its routine and comfort zones and you will find it challenging to keep your mind focused on your new habit. This is okay as that is the point of the exercise to challenge your routines by breaking the cycle of anxiety and depression in your mind. It is not a complex skill that needs to be perfected, the only discipline is to be consistent with your practicssawd-dq