Listen, I'm just gonna say it, I'm a real bear if I don't get adequate sleep. Is there really anything better than a great night’s sleep? I think not! However, sleeping has not always come so easily to me.
I have an overactive mind. When it comes to tucking myself in at night, well, let’s just say it hasn't been so easy to turn off my thoughts and drift off in peace. In fact, I used to feel like my mind would kick into overdrive as soon as the lights went out. It was like a highlight reel of all the things I wanted to forget about or what hadn’t been addressed that day, which would leave me feeling so anxious, drained, and tired. I was snacking late, on my phone all night, and struggling to get the rest I needed to be my best self for my days. It is through trial and error that I have developed a sleep hygiene process that has truly worked miracles for me. Check out these 5 game changers that will help you get the sleep you need and deserve.
5 Ways to Sleep better tonight!
1. Cut down on sugar.
Sugar consumption can contribute to peaks and troughs in our energy throughout the day, but when it comes to getting restful sleep the link between sleep and sugar is complex. When the body processes sugar it actually uses up our magnesium resources which contribute to easeful sleep. Sugar (and chocolate in particular) can stimulate the feeling of being awake. We all know how good that sugar high feels, we have evolved to crave and be addicted to sugar, but now’s your chance to overcome that biochemical drive. Doctors and experts recommend cutting off sugar intake two hours before bed. I swapped out my desserts for calming teas and it made all the difference! If you’re a die hard late night snacker, look for foods that contain magnesium (pumpkin seeds, almonds) and tryptophan (turkey, cottage cheese) as these will give your body what it needs for great sleep.
2. Breath work.
Breath work has changed my life. With this simple practice you can change the rhythm of your whole body. Deep, slow breathing can promote feelings of relaxation, helps cue your brain to slow down, physically slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and even increases natural melatonin production, a key chemical for sleep and maintaining circadian rhythm, your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. I use a 10 min meditation on spotify called The Honest Guys that guides your breath to a sweet dream. These angels from Australia put me to sleep better than my mother ever did... sorry mom! When you try this out, make sure to make the “whoosh” sound on the exhale. It creates a biofeedback loop, where the more you hear the sound of yourself relaxing, the more relaxed you actually feel.
3. Put the phone down!
There are several reasons why late-night screentime disrupts your sleep. FIrst off, it keeps your mind active and engaged. Most aps are literally designed to hook us on an emotional and chemical reward when we see we have new messages and notifications. When we see something online that activates an emotional response - happiness at a text response, or disappointment at the lack thereof - revs you up and can delay falling asleep, which then delays REM sleep (the most restful part of the sleep cycle), which creates more tiredness the following day. Blue light is also detrimental to sleep because it restricts melatonin production, whether it's from your phone or computer. When we are low on melatonin, we can experience insomnia, fatigue, and irritation, all at the same time! Your eyes also perceive blue light very similarly to sunlight, which is another cue to your body that you should be awake, not asleep. I set a scroll timer on my phone and make sure to set it down for the night by 9:30 pm. Another trick to try is plugging your phone in for the night somewhere away from your bedside table to avoid the temptation to check those notifications. No easy feat in today’s age, but so critical to getting deep rest.
4. Warm bath every night.
Aside from feeling amazing, research shows that taking a hot bath (or shower) 90 minutes before bed improves sleep quality, helps you fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer. The golden temperature is 104 degrees, and as little as 10 minutes in a hot bath or shower can help you get to sleep. The reason this hot water method is so effective is because it actually helps to lower your body temperature, which cues your circadian rhythm and helps you to slumber. Your temperature naturally fluctuates throughout the day as you eat and move, allocating blood and heat to different arts of your body as needed. At night the body typically cools down as we approach bed time. Hot baths and showers give this evening cooling process an extra boost. While you get nice and toasty in the bath, physiologically the warmth of the water is actually drawing all your blood to the surface and channeling the heat in your core to your extremities– the surface of your skin, the top of your head, and, mainly, the hands and feet, which helps to cool your body and lower your blood temperature. When you get out you might notice that you feel cool. It’s not only the difference in the air and water temperatures, it’s also because the heat has been channeled from your core to the outer parts of the body. If you prefer baths to showers, you can add lavender essential oils which promote relaxation, and epsom bath salts which contain magnesium that gets absorbed through the skin.
5. Meditate.
Meditation will change your life as it has mine! I feel the data empty from my mind when I meditate before bed like deleting the trash folder on my computer. There are many ways to meditate and no two people will experience meditation in the same way. Some common meditation techniques include Mindfulness, Body Scanning, and listening to guided meditations, from which there are so many great ones to choose! We already know deep breathing (a huge part of meditation) helps with the production of sleep inducing chemicals in the brain. Like deep breathing, meditation lowers blood pressure and heart rate. It has endless physical, mental, and emotional benefits, including soothing anxiety and depression, but the reason certain meditation techniques work so well for relaxation and sleep is because of how it changes your brainwave frequency. Brains produce 5 different kinds of waves, each of which flows at a different speed. From fastest to slowest, they are: gamma, beta, alpha, theta, and delta. When we are drifting off to sleep, floating between conscious and unconscious, our brains are giving off theta waves. In deep sleep, we are in delta. Like deep breathing, meditation helps to create a calming biofeedback loop. There are so many amazing guided meditations available on youtube, spotify, and apple music. If you really want to take your meditation and restoration to another level, try experimenting with healing frequencies, which can also help soothe the brain into theta and delta state. Aside from brainwaves and body temperature, meditation is a holistic way to process and settle your thoughts, clear your mind, boost mood, and promote feelings of joy and contentment.