Why Sleep Is A Big Deal
My son as a baby, less than 1 month old. He loves his sleep…now
Photo Credit: Rhea Waite
Sleep Is A Big Deal
Sleep is a big deal. A really big deal. It may be the closest thing we have in life to a panacea for health. Healthy sleep cycles regulate everything from growth and hormone regulation to immune system functioning and pain regulation. Unfortunately, it seems deep sleep is hard to come by for many people. Without sleep your health suffers greatly. Your hormones, immune system, weight, mood, anxiety, cognition, ability to function, memory, and more are all affected by lack of sleep.
There was a time when my son (the one above) did not sleep more than 1 hour at a time in the night. Every hour I woke up with him to soothe his sweet little body. Every freaking hour, I woke up to a crying baby. Then, I’d work or parent or both all day. Repeat. This went on for over a year. I prided myself on high level functioning with very little sleep. I told people I could be a Navy Seal I was so good at living a sleep deprived life. Now, I know how crazy it is to brag about that. I almost went legit crazy.
Before my kids were born I was not a good sleeper. I had not slept through the night for as long as I can remember. After a year of even less sleep, I nearly drove off the road with both my babies in the car because I fell asleep at the wheel. Things had to change. Immediately. Our lives depended on it.
We live in a fast and furious time with many things that impact our sleep including screens, stress, light, pain, anxiety, work, feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day and much more. The good news is that there are ways to help your system return to balance and find healthy sleep patterns.
Here are some ways to start sleeping better tonight.
Practice Exceptional Sleep hygiene:
Turn off the TV/phone/computer/etc 1 hour before you want to be in bed. If you have a TV in your bedroom, move it to another room if possible.
Keep your room cool, about 68 degrees has been shown to be optimal for most people.
Ensure the room is dark. Use black out curtains to minimize any light pollution from outside
Keep your room clean and clutter free. It’s important that your room feel like a sanctuary where you can truly let go of your day and relax. Clutter in your space clutters your mind. If your rest/sleep space is cluttered it will be more difficult to fall asleep. This means your room is not to be used for piles of laundry, arguing with your partner (or mother or kids), home projects or anything other than sleeping and sex.
Move your body daily. It’s best if you can be outside when you exercise but this is not always possible so just move. Go to the gym, workout outside, walk, dance, swim, or whatever gets you excited. Regular exercise, 30 minutes daily,
Balance and maintain your blood sugar. Because your body preferentially burns carbohydrates for energy what you eat in the day and how your blood sugar rises and falls greatly affects sleep patterns. When you have high blood sugar your sleep will be disrupted. Also when your sleep isn’t optimal you will have higher blood sugar. In addition, if your blood sugar drops too low at night, you will wake up. It can be helpful to examine potential blood sugar issues if you have trouble sleeping. Other tips: Avoid eating 3-4 hours prior to bedtime. If you must eat, choose foods rich in healthy fats and protein. These macro nutrients take more time to burn in your system prolonging the time it takes for your stress hormone (cortisol) to be cued and wake you.
Consider a weighted blanket. Weighted blankets are shown to reduce anxiety, help you sleep longer and reduce time it takes to fall asleep. Long used in therapeutic settings weighted blankets are now widely available. Sleeping under a weighted blanket gives a steady pressure, which reduces the body’s physiological arousal level. Choose a blanket with micro glass or sand as the weight. This allows the pressure to spread evenly, is non-toxic and usually recycled glass. The sand like glass is fine and almost not noticable in a well-made blanket. Choose a weight that is closest to 10% or less of your body weight. So, if you are 100lbs you’d choose a 10lbs or less blanket. Starting with a less heavy one is a great way to get the weight you prefer. You can always choose heavier if you’d like
Use the following link to get 15% off the ones I like by Honeybird http://honeybird.refr.cc/drrhea
Supplements for sleep. Always consult your physician
Magnesium is helpful for relaxation, muscle tension, pain and it is also a co-factor for hundreds of enzymes. It is essential for bones, heart, all the organs, muscle contractility and nervous system regulation. Magnesium citrate is easy to find in most grocery stores. Caution - magnesium can cause loose bowels. Purchase HERE
Anti-anxiety herbal teas such as chamomile, lemon balm, Dr. Waite’s Calming Tea and other “sleep” teas found in your favorite store.
Seditol is a relaxing supplement made from magnolia bark. It’s an anxiolytic herb (reduces anxiety) by increasing GABA neurotransmitter to quiet excititory neurotransmitters. It’s also a powerful antioxidant and activates cannabinoid receptors helping to reduce inflammation, pain and elevate mood. Get it HERE
Melatonin for sleep. Sleep cycles are determined by the body’s ability to make and regulate hormones and neurotransmitters such as serotonin, cortisol and melatonin. They are regulated by the 24hr light/dark cycle. Cortisol drops towards the end of the day and melatonin rises to help make us sleepy. The blue-light in screens disrupts this careful symphony of hormone balance. ***Melatonin is a hormone and should not be used long term as a sleep aid.
Adequate sleep is not negotiable. You must have sleep to do any of the other things you want to do in your life. If you are not sleeping well please reach out to your physician or schedule with Dr. Waite to start sleeping better now. You’re body, mind, heart, soul will thank you.