How To Improve Your Sleep
Interested in this info but not into reading? No problem - Check out this video.
Getting enough sleep is actually a crucial part of our overall health. When we don’t get enough quality rest, and especially if we are chronically sleep deprived, this can cause:
Suppressed immune system (AKA it’s easier to get sick)
Changes to our mood
Difficulty in regulating our emotions (which can lead to worsened depression and anxiety)
Changes to our metabolism
Increased risk of chronic health conditions developing
So seeing as sleep really is quite important, here are a few strategies to help improve your sleep.
1) Create a regular bed-time routine
Figuring out a bed time and a routine that you can stick to every night will go a long way with helping you fall asleep and stay asleep. A bedtime routine usually consists of the typical pre-bed activities (PJ’s, brush teeth, etc.) plus a calming activity or two to switch on the parasympathetic nervous system. When we have a regular, calming routine like this, your body will get those sleepy signals which will help you fall asleep faster. Here are some ideas for calming bed-time activities to get your routine started:
Aromatherapy
Reading
Drinking herbal tea
Really what we are looking for here are activities that help you feel calm, safe and relaxed. When we feel calm, safe and relaxed, that means our parasympathetic nervous system is active and in this state we are able to get quality rest. After all, they don’t call it the rest and digest system for nothing.
2) Decrease your screen time before bed
I am sure you’ve already heard about the impact of looking at screens before bed, but let’s cover it again for good measure. The blue lights that are used in electronic devices like smartphones, Ipads, computers and TV’S suppress the natural release of melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates your circadian rhythm (AKA it helps you fall asleep). Staying away from screens for about an hour before bed is a fairly good rule of thumb to begin with.
If you don’t want to set aside your screens, at the very least see if your device has an option for using red lights instead of blue lights. Red lights are much less disruptive to our circadian rhythm than blue lights are. On an Iphone, you can find this by going to settings, display and brightness, and clicking nightshift. This will give your phone a red- orange hue which will be much less disruptive to your circadian rhythm. You can even set up a regular time for this to turn on so you don’t even have to think about it.
Another option is to use blue light blocking glasses. You can find many options on amazon for pretty cheap. I think when I bought my own, they were only about $12 and I have noticed a huge difference. Through the pandemic, my entire working day was either seeing clients via telehealth, working on marketing or creating resources - all of which was done on my computer. I began getting headaches daily, had a lot of eye strain and my sleep ended up suffering as well. But since using these glasses, those problems have pretty much disappeared.
For more info on this topic, I would highly recommend my colleagues podcast where she chats with the owner of Midwest Red light Therapy which is right here in cincinnati.
3) Weighted blankets
Another good option out there, especially for those of us who deal with anxiety, is weighted blankets. If you have never heard of these before, they are just like they sound. You can purchase these types of blankets in different sizes, as well as different weights, to match the needs of your body. Most companies who sell weighted blankets will guide you through some type of size and weight chart to ensure you are getting the best one for your body.
Since these are relatively new products, data is still being collected on effectiveness; however, the current studies out there are quite promising. Weighted blankets were created to mimic something called Deep Pressure Stimulation. When a consistent amount of weight is placed over your entire body, your parasympathetic nervous system becomes activated. This is the branch of our nervous system which helps us feel calm, safe and secure. Not only that, but research is also indicating that using weighted blankets leads to increased serotonin, (the happy chemical) decreased cortisol (the stress chemical) which means improved mood and decreased stress and anxiety. Of course it also assists with improving the quality of our sleep.
Go ahead and try one, or a few, of these out this week and see what difference you notice in how rested you feel.
