The Power of Sleep
A good night’s sleep is so important for our physical and emotional well-being, but it’s not always easy to come by. If you’re not getting enough sleep because it’s hard to fall asleep or it’s hard to stay asleep, there are a number of small changes you can try that may help you sleep better, from environmental changes to lifestyle changes these simple steps should help improve your overall sleep quality.
The science on the importance of sleep is growing, and can even begin to predict those who may be at higher risk of Alzheimer's/dementia development because of poor quality sleep.
Sleep regulates your brain function, helps stabilize your mood, and is a time when the body heals and repairs itself along with allow the production of anti aging hormones. It’s absolutely critical for a healthy body to prioritize sleep. We suggest aiming for a total of 7 hours of total sleep. Sadly, over 70 million Americans don’t sleep well. This lack of sleep is degrading our health. We feel it in our energy level, it can be challenging to focus, and it can even contribute to chronic illness.
At Rejuve, we teach that your sleep hygiene or your sleep habits start the moment you open your eyes.
Here are our 7 tips to improve your sleep.
1. Support your circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm is our body’s internal clock, controlling changes in hormones, body temperature, blood pressure, and other aspects of the sleep-wake cycle. There are things we can do to regulate our circadian rhythms so our bodies are ready for sleep.
As often as possible, keep bedtimes and wake times consistent — even on days off (weekends or vacation)
Choose a bedtime when you’re naturally tired.
Seek out daylight. Within the first 20 minutes of waking up, make sure to get exposure to daylight. Open up all of your curtains/ shades and avoid wearing sunglasses if possible for the first 2 hours of your day.
Aim to be asleep during the critical hours of 12am and 2am for optimal production of hormones ( testosterone, cortisol, progesterone, IFG-1 and pregnenolone).
2. Limit light before bed
Our brains secrete more melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy, when it’s dark, and less when it’s light which keeps us alert. To prepare our bodies for better sleep, it’s best to limit our exposure to unnatural light before bedtime.
Avoid bright screens — phones, computers, tablets, and televisions — at least three hour before bed. Wear blue blockers during the day to shield your eyes from blue light.
Have a dark bedroom — cover (or remove) any electronics with lights, use light-blocking curtains or blinds, or wear a comfy sleep mask.
If you need to get up in the night, keep lights low or off.
3. Eat for better sleep.
How to eat for better sleep? Our bodies are all different but there may be some adjustments in diet that can improve your body’s sleep readiness, even many hours later. Here are some things to try.
Limit caffeine — coffees, caffeinated teas, sodas, chocolate, etc. at least 8 hours prior to sleep. Some people have a gene that make them “slow metabolizers” of caffeine, causing you to be effected longer by any caffeine consumption.
Have dinner a little earlier; digesting a heavy meal within four hours of bedtime will keep our bodies up and prioritize the digestion process rather than recovery, restoration, and sleep.
Keep well-hydrated during the day, but limit liquid intakes 4 hours prior to sleep.
Avoid alcohol and high sugar containing foods before sleep.
4. Exercise for better sleep.
A habit of exercising regularly can result in deeper, more restorative sleep.
Choose exercise that you enjoy and that’s easy for you to fit into your schedule and do at the same time most days — a 15-minute walk each morning, an exercise class at noon, a run after work. Find movement that you enjoy.
More intense workouts release cortisol, which is stimulating, so keep high intensity to morning or afternoon times.
Gentle stretches and mindful movement can help the body unwind at the end of the day.
5. Create a relaxing sleep environment.
Limiting unnatural light in our sleep spaces is one environmental change to help us sleep better, but there are others that may also help. If you’re stimulated or stressed by clutter, aim to have a tidy bedroom.
Ensure your bedroom is a comfortable temperature; we usually sleep better with a slightly cooler temperature than during the day. Ideal sleeping temperature is 68-70 degrees fahrenheit.
Try a white noise machine for natural peaceful sounds.
If possible turn your cell phone on silent two hours before sleep.
Journal, or write down whats on your mind before you get into bed.
Limit your bedroom for only the activities of sleeping, and romantic relations.
Test for sleep apnea if you snore. Sleep apnea is an extreme form of sleep deprivation where you wake up several times throughout the night because you stop breathing. This can lead to things like hormonal imbalance, high blood pressure, difficulties losing weight, and even heart attack and death.
6. Meditate.
A regular meditation practice — even if it’s brief — can improve our sleep quality and duration. Quieting our minds for a few minutes during the day makes unwinding at night much easier. Here are three different types of simple meditation that can improve sleep:
Counting the Breath - Count “one” for an in-breath and “two” for an out-breath and continue.
Focus on the Breath - Give all your attention to your breath from inhalation to exhalation to inhalation again, and so on. When your mind wanders, gently return your attention to your breath.
Body Scan - Beginning with the top of your head and moving down the body, check in with each part and be present with whatever sensations arise.
7.Supplement with Nutrients
There are several supplements on the market that you can use to help support and encourage a good nights sleep. Take a look at our Fullscript protocol with our favorite sleep supplements.
Inositol Melatonin
Glycine Valerian Root
Ashwagandha L-Theanine
Good Quality sleep is not just the hours spent in bed, but the quality and time spent in each stage of sleep. We prefer tracking devices to provide us quality data to see how we score with our sleep quality. We prefer the oura ring for its sleekness and design, and data quality.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, hearing how important it is may be frustrating. But simple things can improve your odds of a good night’s sleep, and your overall health. Contact us to do an at home sleep study test, or advanced blood testing to improve your quality of sleep and to slow the aging process.