HOW TO SLEEP BETTER NATURALLY

Getting a good nights sleep is crucial to functioning your best throughout the day. Below are my top natural tips to help you sleep better naturally.

How we operate throughout the day is significantly influenced by how we slept the night before. We all have experienced a poor night sleep, and can feel those effects for the days to come. There are many ways to improve the quality of our sleep, as well as our ability to fall asleep. This can be done by changing our approach to going to sleep.

Below, I have provided my top ways to naturally support sleep, to help you feel your very best.

KEEP A REGULAR SCHEDULE

This is by far one of the most important rules to follow, yet people rarely do this. Your body follows a natural rhythm throughout the day. Going to bed and waking up at different times throughout the week disrupts your melatonin production. Melatonin is essential to helping you fall asleep. It is also a potent antioxidant in your body that helps reduce inflammation.

Keeping a sleep schedule is only one part of the puzzle. It is important to aim for a bedtime between 10-11 pm every night. This is the time frame when you start getting the most beneficial sleep, and this lasts until about 2 am. If you are going to bed any later than this, then you are not achieving your most restful sleep and are more likely to wake up feeling tired.

OPTIMIZE YOUR BEDROOM ENVIRONMENT

You spend on average 8 hours a day sleeping in your bedroom. That’s a third of your life. Putting some time and energy into making your room a relaxing place to fall asleep will help you sleep better and wake up feeling more refreshed.

Here are some ways to optimize your bedroom environment.

Sleep in a very dark room. This is extremely important to keep your melatonin levels elevated while you are sleeping. Using black out curtains or an eye mask can help if you experience outside light pollution.
Aim to keep your bedroom temperature between 60-70 degrees. Melatonin actually turns down your body’s internal temperature at night, so there is no need keep your bedroom extra warm. If you are cold when you are going to bed, consider going to bed with a heating pad. It will naturally start to cool down and won’t disturb your temperature into the night.
Don’t forget about your pajamas and sheets. Don’t get me wrong, I love flannel, but it is not ideal to sleep it. It can make you overly hot while you’re trying to sleep. Stick to cotton and linen that is lighter and breezier. While you at it, try to buy organic cotton sheets. Remember, you sleep on your sheets for an average of 8 hours a night. That is a lot of time to absorb pesticides and toxins while you are sleeping.
Consider a white noise machine or fan if you hear outside noises.
Keep electronics outside of your bedroom. Consider purchasing a battery operated or plug in alarm clock if you need one. If using your phone is the only option, put your phone on airplane mode while sleeping to reduce any emfs from your phone.
Keep the air clean. Try to open a window once a day to let fresh air in and consider buying an air purifier for your bedroom.

ESTABLISH AN EVENING ROUTINE

Setting up a sleep routine in the evening time is a great way to calm your body down from a busy day. Ways to promote an evening calm include a hot bath with epsom salts or essential oils, meditation, stretching, or sitting by the fire drinking a cup of tea. I personally love to crochet and listen to calm music.

AVOID STIMULANTS BEFORE BED

Caffeine is very stimulating to your body, and should be reserved only in the morning. Ideally, it should not be consumed later than noon, and at the latest 2 pm. Remember, for some people, the effects of caffeine can take a long time to build up in your body. Some people say that they have been drinking caffeine in the evening for years without any effect. Your body could have been adapting all those years and may now only be experiencing the effects of it.

Don’t forget that all electronic screens are stimulating. They produce blue light that keeps your body awake, and prevents your natural melatonin production. Stopping screen time at least 1 hour, but ideally 2 hours, before bed is going to help you fall asleep much easier. Other options include taking a bath or listen to relaxing music.

Lastly, try not read an extremely exciting novel before bed. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading. But, reading can be very stimulating. If you like to read before bed, try to read books that you know you aren’t going to get hooked on reading until 2 am!

EXERCISE REGULARLY

Exercise is foundational to a healthy sleep. It improves the quality of your sleep and helps you feel more tired before bed. For those who find exercise extremely stimulating, aim to exercise in the morning time, or stick to more relaxing exercises such as walking or yoga in the evening time. Try not to work out less than 2 hours before bed, as this is often too stimulating on the body.

EAT PROTEIN BEFORE BED

Some people who have a hard time regulating their blood sugar throughout the night may experience a drop in blood sugar. This, in turns, wakes them up in the middle of the night. If this happens to you, consider eating some protein 1 hour before bed to help stabilize your blood sugar. Something like turkey is a really great option because it contains tryptophan, which helps you produce more melatonin.

TRY SOME SUPPORT

This is not my first option. Lifestyle modifications can have a huge impact on your daily life and is foundational to your life, that I highly stress the importance of starting there. If you find that none of the above is working for you, then consider adding some supporting herbs or supplements.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a natural body relaxant, which can help you feel tired at night. It is a great option to take orally before bed or in the form of epsom salt in your bath water. Aim for about 400 mg of magnesium glycine nightly or 6 cups of epsom salt per bath (Yes, 6!). Start magnesium slowly and work your way up because it can cause loose stools.

Passionflower & Chamomile

These are both some of my favorite herbs for sleep. They are both nervines, which mean they act directly on the nervous system to help product a calming effect. This makes them both great sleep herbs, especially to enjoy as a cup of tea before bed. Try 1 tablespoon of herb per cup of water or 1 tablespoon of each herb with 2 cups of water for a tasty tea. Looking for a place to purchase them, I love Mountain Rose Herbs.

If you find that none of the above have been beneficial to you, it might be time to talk to a doctor. There are a number of underlying causes that could be contributing to your sleep difficulties. Helping get to the root of the problem can help you get on your way to a better nights sleep.

Please schedule today if you are interested in working with me to help you sleep better.