You will already know that sleep is essential for good health, providing physical, mental and emotional well-being. That’s why you are reading this…
Problems with sleep can be varied: getting to sleep, staying asleep, waking too early or feeling unrefreshed. What is clear is a getting a good night’s sleep is an increasing problem for many people. Sleep problems are exacerbated by other stuff; stress, trauma, anxiety, menopause & conditions like Lyme, fibromyalgia & chronic fatigue.
Poor sleep can reduce cognitive and behavioural performance, cause hormonal changes and affect blood sugar levels.
So, it's worth doing what you can to support sleep.
It's also worth saying that, a few nights of pants sleep is normal… And that our bodies are incredibly resilient. I had a good 3 years of very poor sleep, just a few hours a night if I was lucky. I am now consistently getting 6 hours or more. I do not feel that all those years have taken a toll, now I am back on track.
This blog is based on scientific research… With a bit of personal experience thrown in. I hope you find it useful…
1. CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
LIGHT IS MASSIVE when it comes to sleep… Our modern life styles do not help us… In the good old days, we would have just got up with the sun and gone to bed when it set…
Appropriate exposure to natural light is fundamental for a good night’s sleep. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for making you sleepy tired. It is released 14-16 hrs after you have seen natural light. Get yourself out as soon as you can. Expose your eyes to natural light. If you can’t get out, open curtains and get the light in. Even on a cloudy/overcast day – it just takes a bit longer. You need a few minutes on a clear day, if its super cloudy it’s more like 10mins
While we are on light…
Artificial light – the light given off by phones and other devices delays & reduces the levels of melatonin release. AND it does this over consecutive nights. This is true of other artificial lighting. Try and dim lighting in the evening &, if possible, have light physically low to the ground. Also red/orange light much better in the evening… Reducing light pollution in your bedroom is also recommended for a good night’s sleep – blackout curtains etc
“Studies show reading an iPad before bed compared to reading a printed book, suppresses melatonin release by over 20% and results in a 90min lag in the evening rising melatonin for several days after.” neurohacker
Phones BTW - I know from personal experience, how much this looking at your phone thing mucks things up. I can feel myself not switching off – the scrolling stimulates your sympathetic nervous system – your fight & flight response. Your body is never going to want to sleep if it thinks you are in danger…
& also - Looking at your phone within the first hour of waking disrupts your brain functioning. It makes the brain skip through its natural waking up process & means that concentration throughout the day is reduced. The brain is less efficient.
2. ROUTINE – It is sooooo helpful to establish a routine.
It really helps to establish a routine. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Consistently going to bed and waking up at the same time each day leads to improved overall sleep patterns and quality by anchoring your body's circadian rhythm, or internal clock. Aim for being no more than 30mins either side of a time…
Tie your routine into what naturally works for you – are you a night owl or an early bird? Decide what works for you and stick to it – even at the weekend…
Getting ready for bed so that when you get sleepy tired you can go straight to bed
1-2 hrs before bed…. Engage in relaxing activities, such as meditation, listening to music, podcasts, sleep stories, or reading a book.
Avoid stimulating activities before bed, such as watching television, reading the news, strenuous exercise, or social media.
Food & Meal Timing
The effect of food on sleep largely depends on appetite, circadian rhythm, and personal preference. Experiment with different foods and timing to see what best supports your sleep.
For most, eating approximately 2 hours before bedtime doesn’t typically impact sleep. Eating closer to bedtime can increase the likelihood of gastric reflux (heartburn) and impair sleep in some individuals. Again, this is highly individual. If you do, make it a smaller snack or meal, but also don’t try to sleep while overly hungry. Most people can’t.
Avoid excessive fluid consumption before bedtime to reduce the likelihood of waking up throughout the night.
Caffeine - Caffeine does not reduce the need for sleep; it only temporarily masks sleepiness. Once caffeine wears off, a buildup of adenosine, a chemical that promotes sleepiness, causes a "caffeine crash," which usually occurs in the early afternoon.
Caffeine timing is crucial for sleep quality. So, if you have trouble sleeping, don’t reach for a late afternoon cup of coffee. Instead, consume caffeine early in the day and not within 8-10 hours of bedtime.
Note: some people can sleep fine after ingesting caffeine in the afternoon or evening. This is likely due to tolerance and/or differences in how they metabolize caffeine. Do what works for you, but know that it can negatively affect sleep structure, including REM duration, in any case.
Alcohol – is a sedative not a sleep aid. It may help you pass out but it causes fragmented sleep and impairs the natural sleep structure.
3. TEMPERATURE
To fall asleep, core body temperature must decrease by approximately 2-3°F (1°C). You want your bedroom to be cool.
Keep your bedroom cool (~67°F or ~19.4°C), or consider using a temperature-controlled mattress cover.
Stick your hands or feet out from underneath the covers to help cool down.
Taking a warm bath or shower before bedtime is a science-supported method to improve your ability to fall asleep and sleep deeply. Initially, the warm water raises core body temperature, but the subsequent cooling of your core body temperature that occurs after a hot bath or shower helps facilitate falling asleep.
4. HORMONES
Melatonin – Supplements are available and also, I would highly recommend getting your levels tested first. I wasn’t getting sleepy tired and I was sure it was my melatonin levels… BUT when I got tested, they were fine. I had high cortisol and dopamine levels which were cancelling out the effects of the melatonin. If you take supplements that you do not need you may affect the correct functioning of these levels and your body’s ability to regulate.
The DUTCH test is a great comprehensive test – you might be lucky and it might be available through your GP. I paid for mine, about £150. Money well spent.
HRT – sooner rather than later
Menopause is a natural process which we should cope with quite well & also this modern life thing has mucked it all up. Stress levels are through the roof, many of us working way too hard and our environment is full of toxins, making it super hard for our bodies to sort things out… If our oestrogen or progesterone levels are low, out cortisol levels may rise, making sleeping super hard.
Cortisol will keep you awake. It is a key hormone released when our sympathetic nervous system is stimulated – our fight & flight response… & of course when we are in danger, it is best not to sleep. It is rising morning cortisol levels that wakes us in the morning… So, if you are suffering from stress and anxiety and your cortisol levels are high, you will find is hard to sleep… Another thing that can cause cortisol to rise is an imbalance of hormones in situations like the menopause & when you are fighting an infection – covid or Lyme for example.
What to do about it?
This is why all these soothing and calming protocols are so effective. The effect is accumulative. It is definitely worth having a regular, daily practice…
Meditation, yoga nidra, breathwork, yoga – especially gentle rhythmic movements, tapping, self-expression techniques, walking, getting out in nature, EMDR, mantras, positive reinforcement… etc
What calms you?
Identify and remove stressors – Your nervous system needs to know you are going to listen to it and keep it safe. So often people ignore all the little signs and in the end your body will make sure you listen
Maybe take a moment now to identify what things are stressful for you and what helps to calm you down…
“Listen to your body when it whispers and you won’t have to hear it scream.”
5. YOGA NIDRA
1 hour of yoga nidra is the equivalent of 4 hours deep sleep – if in doubt do a nidra…
Yoga nidra supports beneficial brainwave function…
Alpha – relaxed, calm states
Theta – creative, visuals
Delta – body state repair
“2 weeks of yoga nidra (20min sessions) resulted in a significantly increased sleep efficiency and percentage of delta-waves in deep sleep”
6. WEIGHT
When we are stressed, we hold tension in our bodies, we are ready for action. This holding brings a sense of lightness. The more we cultivate a sense of weight, being heavy and grounded, the better we feel…
You can weigh yourself down. I have found a weighted blanket very helpful.
Sleep studies show if you can bring weight to your tongue and lower jaw, it can help to relax the whole body…
Do Nothing: After one poor night's sleep, avoid compensatory behaviours such as sleeping later, going to bed early, increasing caffeine intake, or excessively long or late-day napping.
Walk It Out: If it’s taking longer than 20-25 minutes to fall asleep or back asleep, leave your bed and go elsewhere in the house to engage in a relaxing activity. The goal is to prevent an association between a state of wakefulness and your bed, as this can lead to future difficulties falling asleep. Only return to bed when you are truly sleepy and be mindful not to fall asleep in another location; you want to relearn the association of sleep with the bedroom.
Limit Daytime Naps: Keep naps short, 20-30mins and no later than the early to mid-afternoon to avoid impacting your nighttime sleep.
7. SUGGESTED SUPPLEMENTS
Please check with your healthcare professional before taking supplements. Always check if supplements may affect existing medication.
Magnesium L-threonate
L theanine – calming, can help keep us asleep
Ashwanga – reduces cortisol
CBD oil
Mushrooms – Go to the www.tinyfingi.co.uk
Reishi mushrooms – Fatigue Reduction and Sleep Improvement: Traditionally used to alleviate fatigue and enhance sleep quality through its energizing and nervous system calming properties.
www.Patchworksuk.com – for a quality sleep patch.
8. BALANCE
You are looking to find balance, if all your systems are in balance, they work optimally. Each system effects the other. Endocrine, nervous system, digestive, immune, lymphatic and circulatory, respiratory etc… We are a glorious intricate web…
Never underestimate the impact of trauma, even with a seemingly small t, even if it happened years ago… Never underestimate the impact of chronic stress. In my experience it is the root of many people’s insomnia.
You are not alone 1/8 people experience sleep issues.
These tips ought to greatly help optimize your sleep.
If you try these protocols and don’t notice a difference, you might be suffering from a sleep disorder. Seek professional help if you experience persistent problems, which might be due to sleep apnea or true insomnia.
