sleep better
Sleeplessness. We’ve all been there at one point or the other. The tossing and turning, the active brain deciding it wants to think instead of going to bed. The knowing we need to sleep, but our brain has its own plans and wants to stay awake. All of this can be very frustrating, and makes for a next day of fatigue and brain fog. What can we do to help with getting to sleep and staying asleep until the alarm goes off?
According to the Mayo Clinic and the National Sleep Foundation, stress is a major cause of bad sleep and/or insomnia. Dr. Annise Wilson, assistant professor of neurology and of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Baylor College of Medicine states, “high levels of stress impairs sleep by prolonging how long it takes to fall asleep and fragmenting sleep. Sleep loss triggers our body’s stress response system, leading to an elevation in stress hormones, namely cortisol, which further disrupts sleep.”
Since stress is a major cause of sleep, (and stress is my specialty) I wanted to provide a few tips that have helped me enjoy a consistent restful slumber. To me, GOOD sleep is a preparation process that encompasses: the environment, food intake, and thought control. We’ll break down each one, but it’s the cumulative of the three activities that make a big difference.
Environment
Studies suggests a few items to help improve your environment for better sleep. This is a cool, dark, quiet space. Ask yourself the following questions:
Am I waking up hot in the middle of the night? If so, work to make the room cooler. You can look into cooling sheets, cooling comforters or take a cold shower before bedtime. This prepares your body for sleep since your body temperature drops at night for a good rest. If you are cold plunging, try a cold plunge before bed. I did this for 30 days and I never woke up hot.
How is the darkness in my room? Is there light from the window? Is there light from devices, plugs, monitors, etc. that I can see? Excess light can disturb sleep telling your body to wake up earlier than you’d like. Work to make the room completely dark. You can place blackout curtains, put electrical tape over devices, or use a sleep mask. I personally use the sleep masks by MZOO. Check them out!
Is noise an issue? Barking dogs, crying babies, snoring partner, etc. can all lead to waking you up. To help, do your best to help with noise. Depending on your style, ear plugs can always help. Some of my clients/friends enjoy sounds machines that help drown out other noises. If you are waking up because of a new baby, hang in there it gets better.
Food Intake
Based on my research, there are foods to stay away from and foods that can help with sleep. Research also suggests to not eat heavy meals right before bed. Give yourself some time to plan your eating associated with your bedtime, 2-3 hours before bedtime should do the trick.
Foods to stay away from: Sugary desserts, caffeine, alcohol. Remember caffeine can stay in your system for up to 9 hours, so watch when you have that last cup of coffee, soda, or iced tea. One glass of wine isn’t bad, but many studies show alcohol can disrupt the quality of your sleep.
Foods to help with sleep: Fatty fish and light meats e.g., lean turkey (high in tryptophan) or lean chicken. Magnesium will also help with sleep and found in spinach, black beans, and avocados.
Thought Control
Stress is often times associated with our thoughts and mindset around pressures or negative experiences. When we are stressed, our thoughts will activate our sympathetic nervous system or “fight of flight” response when trying to sleep. It doesn’t really care if you need to sleep or not because it senses danger and is only doing its job. Even if we fall asleep but wake up in the middle of the night, our thoughts begin to activate and getting back to sleep is a struggle. Then we begin to stress about not sleeping, which makes us more stressed out, which keeps us up even longer. Have you had a night like this? Here are a couple tips to help with controlling your thoughts and keeping your brain in a sleepy state.
Breathe. Breathing is the easiest and fasted thing you can do to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. The PNS controls the body’s ability to relax, and is often called the “rest and digest” state. Try this: deep breathe through your nose for 5 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 5 seconds, then hold for 5 seconds. This is called, box breathing, and is a quick and wonderful exercise to activate your PNS. Repeat this a minimum of 3 times but go as long as you feel comfortable.
Use the RIGHT thoughts to help you fall asleep. When we are stressed or anxious, we deep down are scared or worried about something harming us. When our body thinks we’re in danger, our sympathetic nervous system activates, thus preparing our bodies to fight or flee. The problem is, our anxiety is often wrong, especially if we’re just lying there in our thoughts. Here are some tips to help turn your brain “off” with the right thoughts:
Tell yourself, “I am ok. I’m here in bed, and all is ok. All is ok with my loved ones. I’m safe, they are safe. I am going to sleep.”
Also tell yourself. “This is not the time to think about my worries or justify my feelings. It’s time to sleep and I’m tired. I will think about my worries tomorrow when I wake up.”
Next, focus your thoughts on your breath. Just think about the air going in and out. Your mind will wander and that’s ok. When you notice yourself wandering, come back to focus on your breath. In and out, and continue to repeat your statements above.
If you’re having trouble falling and staying asleep, give these tips a shot. Try the tips for a week or two; this doesn’t happen over night (no pun intended) and the cumulative of the above is best for results. If you’re having major issues, please speak to your physician for additional resources.
Getting to the foundation of stress will also help with sleep, and Better Your Busy is here for you. Please reach out for a free consultation to see how I can help you with your stress and well-being.
Cheers,
David Perez
betteryourbusy.com
