If you want to Feel Better, Look Better, Live Better It’s Time To Figure Out How to Sleep Better
The Science of Sleep is a relatively new discipline. It wasn’t until 1999 that the American Medical Association recognized Sleep Medicine as a specialty. It wasn’t until the first half of the 20th century that scientists understood that sleep wasn’t just a passive state of inactivity, that it served a useful purpose. With the discovery of brain waves by Hans Berger in 1924 and the invention of the EEG, scientists were able to measure brain waves and learned that physical changes occurred to our bodies and brains during cycles of sleep. In 1952 REM (rapid eye movement) sleep was discovered. REM is important because this cycle is when memories are consolidated and it is all the cycle of vivid dreaming and creativity.
With our 24/7 society, sleep problems are increasing with 7 in 10 people complaining of sleep problems and 1 in 3 reporting long term sleep deprivation.
Do you have a sleep deficit? If it takes you less than 10 minutes to fall asleep or more than 20 minutes to fall asleep, then you have a sleep problem. 7-8 hours of sleep is still what’s recommended and, more importantly, what’s needed.
What does not enough sleep cost you? Sleep deprivation leads to Reduced Immunity, Reduced Productivity, Increases in Blood Pressure and Cortisol (the major inflammatory hormone).
What does this mean to you? Increased Risk of Heart Disease,Stroke,Type II Diabetes, Accelerated Aging, Weight Gain, Reduced Immunity and Reduced Resistance to Disease.
Not Enough Sleep also affects your thinking, memory, ability to calculate and shorter attention spans. Sleep deprivation leads to worse moods, less agility and slower reaction times.
One of The Most Important Things You Can Do To Improve Your Sleep:
Don’t just turn off but unplug those appliances in your bedroom(TV, clock, computer cell phone) and have room darkening shades. Your brain needs darkness to make melatonin, the sleep hormone. Do NOT fall asleep with your TV on.
Melatonin 101: Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal glad deep inside the brain that regulates the body’s sleep/wake cycle. Melatonin is synthesized from the brain hormone serotonin which is made from the amino acid tryptophan (think turkey/think sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner). Melatonin also repairs damaged collagen and as most women of a certain age know collagen repairs fine lines and improves the elasticity of the skin. Most of your melatonin is secreted during deep sleep.
Melatonin is thought to protect against cancer because it affects the levels of other hormones including estrogen. “Melatonin can prevent tumor cells from growing – it’s cancer-protective” , says Eva S. Schernhammer of Harvard Medical School. Exposure to light at night reduces your production of melatonin and increases your cancer risk.
What are the Barriers to good sleep? Interruptions to a good night’s sleep come from many sources but there are three basic categories and STRESS is a factor in all: Emotional, Physical and Environmental. Stress causes sleep deprivation and sleep deprivation causes additional stress.
Emotional Barriers: If something is bothering you, it will affect your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep…avoid confrontations before bedtime, do positive affirmations and to put things in perspective write down problems and solutions or try journaling before bed. See my personal intention/affirmation below under Intention.
Physical Barriers including caffeine, nicotine and alcohol as well as breathing issues and pain. Hydration: Perhaps most important is dehydration and also the easiest to remedy. Drink more water earlier in the day and eliminate caffeine by 10:00 AM … 2:00 PM at the absolute latest!
Environmental Barriers include temperature, light, noise and the layout of the room as well as the quality of your mattress and pillow. Does your pillow give your head proper support and let your head cool? How old is your bed?
So what can you do beyond the obvious (no caffeine or alcohol close to bed time, no exercise for at least 4 hours before bedtime, have a regular bed and wake time)?
Below are all things our family has used.
Tryptophan rich foods for your evening snack such as yogurts, figs, nut butters and bananas.
Sleeping Aids we’ve used: Natural Calm the Anti Stress Drink which is a great source of magnesisum, Oil of Lavender Oil or Peace & Calming by Young Living on the bottoms of your feet, Sleepy Time Tea or Chamomile Tea, Homeopathic formulas such as Hylands Calms Forte or Boiron Quietude, Supplements such as Irwin Naturals Power to Sleep PM and Healthy Origins 5-HTP both from www.iherb.com (use coupon code BOT164 for $5 discount on first order).
Take a bath but if you haven’t the time or you hate taking a bath, just soak your feet in warm water with a few drops of oil of lavender for 10 minutes. The warm water dilates the blood vessels in your legs and feet drawing energy away from your head. If you can’t deal with this, at least massage your feet with a little oil (even olive oil will do) and a few drops of oil of lavender.
Rinse your sinuses with a neti pot. If you are prone to a stuffy nose and/or allergies it will affect your ability to go to sleep and stay asleep so rinsing with a neti pot or a saline rinse at night might help.
Nadi Sodhana otherwise known as Alternate Nostril Breathing (if you’re really adventuresome, or really desperate to relax and sleep) (the yogis consider this to be the best way to calm the mind and the nervous system)
1) Close your right nostril with your thumb, and inhale slowly through your left nostril for three to six counts. 2) Close the left nostril with your pinkie and ring fingers, hold the breath for three to six counts. 3) Release the thumb, and exhales through your right nostril for three to six counts. 4) Inhale through the right nostril for three to six counts. 5) close right nostril with thumb, and retain the breath for three to six counts. 6) Lift pinkie and ring fingers from left nostril, and exhale three to six counts. This constitutes one round. Continue for five to 10 rounds and the goal is to work on slowing the breathing so you always do six counts.
Nadi Sodhana is also great for calming yourself before a test or a big game. My children learned this technique from their 6th grade teacher before taking standardized tests!
Intention: My intention is that I fall asleep within 15 minutes. My intention is that I sleep deeply and soundly throughout the night until ___AM. When I awake at ___AM I will be refreshed and rested. If there is anything I need to remember from my dream state, I will remember it when I awaken. I have used this Intention for years especially on nights when I’m not going to get as much sleep as I should.
Hypnosis: Before considering a prescription drug, consider Hypnosis. Since the late 1960’s, hypnosis has been recognized by the AMA as “effective for insomnia treatment” and it has no side effects. Other modalities such as Biofeedback, Cognitive Therapy and Nidra Yoga have been helpful.
Sweet Dreams!
Studies if you’re interested or I haven’t piqued your interest yet.
A 2009 study from Penn State College of Medicine found that people who have experienced a year of insomnia or get less than five hours of sleep a night are at increased risk for Type II diabetes.
2010 research from the University of PA School of Medicine demonstrated that “cellular changes in the sleeping brain promote the formation of memories” reinforcing previous research that good sleep is critical to the developmental process and that good sleep rather than more homework helps reinforce what was learned during the day. During sleep, the brain literally categorizes memories from the day so you have better recall.
A recent study in Britain published in the BMJ, a British medical journal found, “that sleep-deprived people appear less healthy, less attractive and more tired compared with when they are well rested.”
Dr. Stuart Quan, a nationally recognized sleep medicine clinician and investigator, from the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine, says “Those who are sleep deprived have an increased level of inflammation (cortisol) – a key factor in heart disease.”
Dr. William Dement, the author of The Promise of Sleep, writes, “people who are not sleep deprived are less likely to catch a cold or have upper respiratory infections.”
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.