5 tips for successful sleep
I'd like to argue that the one crucial component of health and happiness that we all are quick to sacrifice is sleep. Most of us think that sleep is overrated, or we will "sleep when we're dead", or an extra cup of coffee will make up for the lost sleep. But sleep is an incredibly crucial time for the body to recover, and without quality sleep we just can't be our best selves.
Sleep is a time of detoxification, muscle rebuilding, and hormone regulation. What's even more alarming is what happens when we consistently cut our sleep short; we run the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, and many more conditions.
More than half of Americans don't get enough sleep, meaning 7-9 hours of high quality sleep. Either we cut our time short or we are up tossing and turning all night that we don't wake feeling refreshed. Quality sleep means we are energized the next day, our mood is stable, cravings subside, and our workouts are successful.
So how did we get so far off track? With the rise of social media and technology means we can always be connected, any time of the day. It is hard to "power down" when you know one more notification awaits. FOMO, anyone?
It's easy to blame calories, lack of exercise, or genetics for reasons why we aren't reaching our goals, but is sleep deprivation ever the culprit? Not from my experience, it isn't. I too was avoiding the fact that my sleep was consistently poor and I felt consistently awful, but didn't make the connection.
It wasn't until I turned the spotlight on my sleep and made a honest effort to get 8 hours of sleep every night that I really saw my health improve. My energy was stable (without caffeine!), my skin became clearer, and I didn't have those intense 3pm cravings anymore.
And because I know it's not easy to all the sudden become a good sleeper, here are the 5 ways I improved my sleep. I urge you to pick one of them and focus on it for a couple days or even a week until you are ready to incorporate another one. Don't stress about it, just relax into knowing your body knows how to sleep well.
1. Stick to a consistent schedule.
This one is a difficult realization for most people when they realize that their late weekend nights could be hindering their sleep for the entire week. But when we throw the body off it's schedule drastically for two days, it has trouble getting to sleep during our daily routine. You don't have to stay in and forego any social outings, but maybe try cutting your nights an hour or two shorter to get some shut eye. And a major benefit of waking up earlier on the weekends is more time to your day to do as you please!
2. Turn electronics off at least an hour before sleep.
A major hinderance in our modern day sleep ignorance is the constant stream of artificial light to our bodies. The reason why we sleep during the night is because the darkness signals to our circadian rhythm that it is time for rest. We can't go from staring at our instagram feed for an hour to immediately shutting our eyes and dreaming. So I make a conscious effort to stop looking at any technology an hour before bed and read a book or write in a journal. Also, I use f.lux on my phone and computer, which is an app that dims your screen during the evening hours.
3. Manage daily stress.
One of the main culprits in our sleep-lacking society is the stress we experience during the day. It's hard to shut off the mind when we're constantly on the go, checking off our to-do lists. How can we expect our minds to relax when the only break we've given it is when our heads hit the pillow? If we make a more conscious effort to address our worries and stressors throughout the day, we can more easily fall into a dream state. Take time throughout the day to check in with yourself and ask what's worrying you? One of the best ways to get it off your mind is to write it down. Put pen to paper and write out everything on your mind and you may be surprised how much less catastrophic your problems seem. Remind yourself that everything will work out and you stressing about it will not bring you any closer to resolution. Address the stress and find yourself catching more z's.
4. Essential oils.
The power of scent is not to be ignored when it comes to restful sleep. Essential oils relax the muscles, brain, and nervous system. Calming scents such as lavender, chamomile, and cedar wood have an immediate affect on our ability to fall into sleep. There are even essential oil combinations, like this one, that pack an even more powerful punch. There are many ways to incorporate the oils whether it be a few drops right on the skin, mixed in with your favorite lotion, or my favorite way which is an oil diffuser. I use this one every night on my night stand combined with a calming scent to relax my mind and body.
5. Supplement with magnesium.
Magnesium is a vital mineral that is present in the body and plays a role in muscle relaxation, blood pressure regulation, heart rhythm, and much more. It is crucial that we obtain this mineral for proper sleep but the majority of us are deficient. Historically, magnesium was abundant in our soil and the grains and crops we ate. But modern farming techniques and refined grains have lowered the magnesium content of our foods. Magnesium is also greatly impacted by stress. Sure we can find it in foods, such as nuts, spinach, and avocado, but our modern population could all use some extra help. Natural calm is a powdered supplement you can mix into water, or I use this magnesium oil and use a couple sprays on my feet before I sleep. Start slow and work your way up to a amount that feels right for you.