We live in a chaotic world that has forgotten the importance of sleep for optimal health, most people are constantly on the go for work, pulling all nighters to study for exams, or dealing with stress which can lead to insomnia. Insomnia affects 70 million people, and many people are reaching for stimulants such as coffee and energy drinks during the day and using relaxants such as alcohol and sleep medications (prescriptions) or supplements like melatonin or valerian root to wind down at night. This is a vicious cycle that can create an unhealthy dependency which can ultimately lead to gaining weight, adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue, brain fog, irritability, anxiety, digestive issues, and even risks for chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
We need to remember it’s okay to rest and to give our bodies a break! When we sleep our organs are recovering from working all day, tissues are repairing, and if you do heavy lifting, your muscles repair and protein synthesizes during sleep. Hormones that regulate appetite control such as ghrelin and leptin, stress, growth, and metabolism are released as well. Most importantly, when we sleep our memories are processed and consolidated, this allows for more memory storage which is vital for learning new information. So in addition to sleep affecting the mind- focus and creativity- it also affects the body and immune system.
Adults 18 years and older need between 7-9 hours of sleep a night, if you are younger you need more!!! To achieve restful sleep, eat your lightest meal in the evening consisting of protein and healthy fats (avocados, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, ghee, salmon are just some examples). This stabilizes blood sugar levels and avoids an insulin spike and crash cycle. Limit sugar consumption and do not drink caffeine after 2pm.
Your environment plays a huge role in deep sleep, keeping your bedroom clutter free, using calm/cool colors and good smells like essential oils decreases stressful energy. Removing all electronic devices is major because they all emit blue light which affects your body’s natural production of the hormone melatonin. This includes TVs, computers, tablets, and laptops, (this one is hard I know, it took me 27 years to finally give my TV the boot!) Blue light also leads to premature macular degeneration so use a bluelight filter if you can! Electromagnetic radiation is a serious thing guys, put your phones on airplane mode when you’re sleeping and keep it as far away from you as possible.
Reducing light and sound exposure is crucial for deep sleep. Creating a bed time routine which consists of sleeping at the same time every night and limiting technology and artificial light is also helpful for our circadian rhythms! Reading a book, journaling when those nagging thoughts occur, yoga, stretching, meditation, and deep breathing are some ways to get the body to relax at night instead of keeping it stimulated with light!
These are all lifestyle changes for sure, no need to do them all at once, but implementing them slowly will make a difference!
Health Energy 