Trouble sleeping through the night? Feeling exhausted? Running on stress hormones all day? Sleep is this daily thing that we all do and yet we're just beginning to understand all of the ways it helps us and all of the factors that can affect it. The modern science of sleep is fascinating, complicated and growing but sleep has been one of the 5 major tenets of naturopathic healing for centuries. (The other 4 are pure water, sunlight, whole food and fresh air.) Lack of sleep affects just about everything in your body and mind. People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk for many health issues like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer, not to mention slower metabolism, weight gain, hormone imbalance, and inflammation. Lack of sleep also affects mood, memory and decision-making skills and may even negate the health benefits of your exercise program. Knowing this it's easy to see the three main purposes of sleep: To restore our body and mind. Our bodies repair, grow and even “detoxify” our brains while we sleep. To improve our brain's ability to learn and remember things, technically known as “synaptic plasticity”. To conserve some energy so we're not on-the-go 24-hours a day, every day. 7- 8 hours of sleep per night goes a long way in supporting adult wellness. You’ve heard all this, right? So, how can you set yourself up for a good night’s sleep? Consistency Make a consistent sleep schedule a priority and you're more likely to achieve it. This means turning off your lights 8 hours before your alarm goes off. Seven. Days. A. Week. Weekends can easily throw this off but by making sleep a priority for a few weeks your body and mind will adjust and thank you for it. This is especially important with sleep patterns that get thrown by Daylight Savings Time. Our internal clock that regulates waking and sleeping, our circadian rhythm, is in tune with sunrise and sunset, not an arbitrary clock. Balance your blood sugar throughout the day. Balanced blood sugar means balanced hormones which means better sleep since sleep is regulated by hormones. As I keep repeating in every blog: eat whole foods. They are full of blood-sugar-balancing fiber. Choose an apple over apple juice, for example. Protein balances blood sugar: avocados, seeds, nuts, hummus are all easy protein choices. Get some sunshine and exercise. These things tell your body it's daytime; time for being productive, active and alert. By doing this during the day it will help you wind down more easily in the evening. Evening exercise makes it hard for your body and mind to prepare for sleep. Again, work with your bodies natural inclination to rise and settle with sunlight. Choose wisely after 12pm. Whole foods like fruits and veggies are fine for late afternoon snacks, it's the added and processed sugar and stimulants that disrupt hormones and in turn, sleep. Yes, this includes your beloved afternoon chai latte. Whole foods such as tomatoes, walnuts, olives, rice, barley, strawberries and cherries contain melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate your daily sleep-wake cycle. When your body absorbs melatonin from these foods, you may begin to feel calm and sleepy so these are good choices to include in your evening meal. Also, there is a melatonin-B vitamin connection when it comes to a good night's sleep. Without B12, the body can’t produce melatonin. Doctors have prescribed B12 to treat insomnia in many patients. Two small clinical trials, published in Sleep, 1990 and Jpn J Psychiatr Neurol, 1991 showed that people suffering from insomnia experienced an improvement in sleep after receiving supplemental B12. Additionally, folic acid (B9), another essential vitamin for healthy sleep cycles, improves in effectiveness when taken alongside B12. B12 also helps folic acid regulate the formation of red blood cells and absorption of iron, a key component in sleep health. Magnesium-rich foods like spinach, Swiss chard and pumpkin seeds help promote the beneficial calm that helps you wind down. Both caffeine and added sugar can keep your mind a bit more active than you want it to be in the evening so forego the afternoon coffee and eat your chocolate at lunch. By the way, chai latte lovers, fear not! Keep on reading. Have a relaxing bedtime routine. Adopt a routine that starts 1 hour before your “lights out” time that is 8 - 10 hours before your alarm is set to go off. This would include dimming your artificial lights, nixing screen time and perhaps reading a “real” book--with paper pages-- or taking a bath or warm shower. Add some pure lavender essential oil to your bath or spritz the essential oil in your shower stall as your shower. Lavender contains linalool, a compound that is shown in clinical studies to help treat insomnia and improve quality of sleep. Rub a few drops of lavender essential oil diluted with a carrier oil such as jojoba oil onto the bottom of each foot or spritz your pillow with lavender. Many women I work with, especially those of a certain--ok,let's just say it: menopausal-- age cite sleep issues as their most disruptive hormonal challenge. The wisdom years are about being wise enough to offer yourself the consistency in taking the actions that will support getting a healthy night’s sleep. You deserve sweet dreams. Here's a little caffeine-free, spicy-sweet Chai Latte to lull you into calm and comfort. Be well. Sleep well. xoxo Beth
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