Finding your rhythm and your own routine is key. What works for you may not work for someone else. However, the following are tried and tested health strategies for ensuring you're giving yourself the best possible chance of deep, quality, restorative sleep.
1. Morning routine
Create your morning routine and stick to it. Wake up at the same time every morning, regardless of whether you need to be up for work or not. Blue light exposure is key first thing in the morning because when the light reaches the retina at the back of the eye, this signals the brain to cease releasing melatonin, helping us to feel awake. The blue light exposure also helps us to set our circadian rhythm within our cells and organs.
Take a short, gentle walk, or try some Qigong or Tai chi on grass: bonus points if you do this barefoot to reap the benefits of grounding with the earth. A morning beverage in the garden or on your walk is a great way to start the day too. You may find a workout is more effective in the morning by taking advantage of the high cortisol levels we naturally have at this time of the day. The endorphins released thereafter help you to feel relaxed and boost your mood too.
2. Eat to sleep
You need energy to sleep. The brain and organs, such as the liver, are very active during sleep. The immune system is working hard to clear the body of toxins and waste products whilst circulating potent antioxidants such as melatonin. The brain is as active when we’re asleep as when we’re awake. Considering the brain utilises 20% of energy consumption at rest, we need to have sufficient nutrient supply throughout the night too.
Protein intake at every meal is very important. The amino acid tryptophan is required for hormone synthesis, such as melatonin and serotonin. For the body to convert tryptophan into our mood-boosting hormones and sleep hormones we require a good intake of vitamin B6 too. Protein is also required for neurotransmitter production, which are still firing as quickly and readily as when you’re awake.
As the immune system and brain is so active at night, it requires a constant supply of energy in the form of ATP. ATP production requires B vitamins so if you haven’t eaten the right foods during the day your body will suffer for it during the night. The B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning we don’t store them in the body and need a constant intake of them. Another important nutrient to consider is magnesium. This mineral is well known for its relaxation properties and is useful in calming the nervous system and reducing muscle cramps. It is also a major player in the breakdown of ATP and therefore the release of energy.
B vitamins -> Energy-building Magnesium -> Energy-releasing
Even when you are eating a good diet you need to consider the breakdown of those foods. The macronutrients fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are all catabolised (broken down) the same way: hydrolysis – hydro- water, lysis- break down. Your body needs water to break down your nutrients in order to absorb, and subsequently build hormones, neurotransmitters, blood cells and cell structures.
Eliminate alcohol from the diet until you have improved your sleep and your sleep routine has become a habit. Alcohol alters the sleep cycles throughout the night, so although it may help you get off to sleep initially, it robs your body of the sleep cycles needed for deep, restorative sleep. These cycles are when the immune system and glymphatic system do their work too. The liver has to work hard to detoxify the alcohol throughout the night and the excess sugar from alcohol puts you at greater risk of developing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular diseases. Getting quality sleep is a chance to detox the brain and body, but alcohol will only disturb these potent antioxidant processes.
3. Get outside
Come rain or shine, get outside as much as possible. We require the full spectrum of light from dawn to dusk but most of us are cramped inside in our fluorescent, LED, strip light boxes, sat for several hours in front of blue light emitting screens. Getting outside is not just about vitamin D synthesis, (although very important), there is emerging research which shows melatonin is not only produced in the pineal gland in the central nervous system, but is also synthesised in the skin and organs during the day. This production of melatonin in the peripheral system is instigated through exposure of near infrared radiation; emitted throughout the day, and the night.
Have you ever spent the day at the beach, or gone camping for the weekend? Did you feel tired by the end of the day? Perhaps you went to bed earlier than usual. It is often people’s experience that being outside all day sets them up for a really good night’s sleep. There is a reason for this and it’s primarily to do with the body’s exposure to the full light spectrum from dawn to dusk. Our skin absorbs the daylight and the various wavelengths throughout the day helps set our circadian rhythm in our cells, tissues and organs.
4. Beware of artificial light
Conversely, when night time arrives be mindful of artificial light exposure. Even the darkness sends messages to our brain and body to prep the body for sleep. Flooding our homes and bedrooms with blue light from our screens and LED light bulbs really messes with our neurochemistry. Studies in rodents with 24hr light exposure showed a rapid decline in their neurological health, with a stark rise in dementia-type symptoms. Swap out your LEDs for red light bulbs or candles instead. Invest in blue light blocking glasses to wear in the evening if you need to use screens. Aim for screens to be off 1-2 hours before bedtime. Street lighting may disturb you, or a neighbour’s garden floodlight, so try wearing an eye mask or buy blackout curtains. Modern technology is necessary but we need to be mindful how it’s affecting our sleep health.
5. Exercise with your hormones
High intensity, high impact exercise may not be wise close the bedtime.
When you do an intense workout you’re demanding a physiological change in the hormones circulating the system. Adrenaline and cortisol are heightened which is great for the workout, but terrible for relaxing afterward. Your hormones are slow to respond and slow to reduce, meaning they circulate in the body for quite some time after the event.
At a time of day where you want to work with the body and not against, try to fit your workout earlier in the day. Morning is amazing because you can capitalise on the alpha brainwaves from first waking up. Alpha brainwaves help clear the mind, focus on the body, and may help instil good habits as it works with the subconscious; ergo, powerful transformation and productivity!
Others prefer a midday workout or afternoon. Whatever works for you and your schedule.
Another aspect to consider for women only, is the ever-changing hormonal landscape of the reproductive cycle. The follicular phase (1-15 days approx.) is when oestrogen is slowing increasing. Oestrogen is a “builder” hormone and weight training or resistance exercise may be better suited. Testosterone peaks at ovulation for women so you may feel you can push a little harder during this time of the month. In the luteal phase (days 16-28) you may find sleep becoming an issue because progesterone may be low. If you’re hitting the gym hard or over-exercising during this period of the cycle it may ruin your sleep. Switch up the type of workout to swimming, yoga, and walking. Think less intensity: more gentle training and stretching. I speak from years of experience where exercising too close to bedtime absolutely ruined my sleep onset and sleep duration. I would be lying in bed at 10pm buzzing still from the intensity of the exercise, and I did this for years. Guess what? I had a mental breakdown eventually, despite being fit and looking healthy. I was anything but healthy.
6. Hit the herbs
Don’t underestimate the power of herbs.
Granted they may not hit you like a prescription drug for sleeplessness, but they won’t give you the nasty side effects these drugs usually have. Also, prescription drugs often reach a tolerance level in the body and you require more of the drug to get the same effect. Unfortunately, you can then become reliant on the drug whilst needing a larger dose over time.
Herbs work differently. Firstly, their effects on our cells is subtle and varied. They often have more than one mode of action. They gently support the body processes we target with the herb to arrive at the desired outcome. For example, passionflower herb is thought to bind to the benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, promoting an inhibitory effect in the central nervous system. It promotes calm, reduces anxiety, and acts as a sedative.
Chamomile, lemon balm and valerian are other herbs to try. Lemon balm and amino acid theanine is a particularly potent mixture as a sleep aid or anti-anxiety aid.
Be very careful with caffeinated coffee. The half-life of coffee is very long, often reaching 8 hours in people. One cup of coffee in the morning can still reap its effects come the evening! My rule of thumb is, if you have tried everything to get better sleep and you are still struggling, eliminate the caffeine for a month and see how you go.
7. Evening routine
Lastly, create your evening routine and stick to it.
The non-negotiables are: 1hr before bed, no screens (TV, games, phone) and no exercise 2hrs before bed. Aim for 7-8 hours sleep a night and schedule your evening time around this. No alcohol and no caffeine.
Cool the room. Make your bedroom a sanctuary, a safe place.
Promote alpha brain waves by listening to calming music or white noise, get into meditation or mindfulness, go for a gentle walk, read. If racing, ruminating thoughts are an issue then start writing down your worries. Write down your concerns and to-do lists, and deal with them tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day. It can wait. Your health cannot.
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