Improve Your Sleep
Change your mattress
Many people who don’t sleep well are allergic to dust, and they don’t realize it. Your mattress and pillows have allergens that get trapped in them and are difficult to ever wash out. Many people who have sleep apnea or wake up exhausted every day sleep far better after they changed out their mattress and pillows and then got allergy barrier encasements. Change out your pillow every two years. A mattress can last up to 10 years.
Shut off or remove all electronic devices
Shut off all electronic devices, especially wireless/ cordless devices, at least two hours prior to bedtime. The electromagnetic frequencies can interfere with sleep patterns. This includes digital clock radios. If you can’t part with your clock radio, put it at least 10 feet from your bed.
Maintain a bedroom temperature that is slightly cold
Both a bedroom that is too hot or too cold can impair sleep quality. The ideal temperature for your bedroom is 18°C. Cooler temperatures can be healthier for air borne bacteria and help stimulate metabolism to lose weight. Set your thermostat for 60 to 69 degrees.
Put on socks
Since your feet naturally dilate as your body begins to relax, it is good to put on a pair of socks before you go to bed. This helps the blood vessels dilate further and help you sleep
Use pink noise
Pink noise is better than white noise. Many sound machines use white noise (static noise) to block out noises that may keep you awake, but pink noise is designed to cancel out low-frequency and medium-frequency noises, like snoring and traffic. Pink noise has been shown to improve our memories the following day, and potentially even long-term. Look for a pink noise machine or download it for a MP3 player.
Establish a consistent bedtime
The body likes routine. When you establish a sleep and wake routine, the circadian rhythm of cortisol and melatonin release is consistent. If you are having difficulty sleeping, ensure that you are going to bed and waking up at the same time throughout the week, even on weekends. Ideally try to get to bed within 30 minutes of the same time every night, and try to wake up about the same time each day. Eventually your body will create a rhythm that will wake you naturally without need for an alarm.
Exercise
Daily exercise promotes sleep at night. The key is to not exercise too late in the day to get the sleep-promoting benefits. Aim for at least 20 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise in the morning or early evening.
Use earplugs
Get ear plugs to keep outside noises from interfering with sleep.
Dim the lights in your house an hour before bed
Melatonin, the sleep hormone made in your brain, is secreted in response to light cues. As it gets darker, melatonin levels start to rise to make us sleepy. This process can be inhibited by bright lighting in your home. To ensure proper melatonin secretion, use dim “night-time” lighting in the last hour before bed.
Avoid napping
Naps during the day can impede your ability to fall asleep at night. That insomnia, in turn, can cause you to want to nap the following day. Break that insomnia-nap cycle by refraining from napping, even when you feel tired. Bring the energy back into your body by going for a brisk walk in the fresh air. Your body will thank you later when it comes time to sleep at night.
No screen time 30 minutes to 2 hours before bed
Electronics should be avoided for up to 2 hours before bed, depending on how sensitive you are. The blue light emitted by electronics suppresses melatonin production and negatively interferes with circadian rhythms more strongly than any other wavelength.
Do not eat or drink anything 2 hours before bed
It is important to give the body time to finish digesting food and to settle down. Avoiding water prior to bed is especially important for those of us who wake frequently to use the washroom. Many people find that alcohol helps them fall asleep. However, it is also the cause of sleep maintenance insomnia, or frequent waking through the night. If you have a hard time staying asleep at night, try avoiding alcohol in the three hours before sleep. Avoid caffeine after 9 AM if you are sensitive. Caffeine can persist for up to 24 hours in the body for certain people.
Use halogen or incandescent light bulbs
Don’t replace your light bulbs in our homes, especially your bedroom, with LED or fluorescent bulbs because they mimic daylight colors and stimulate your brain. Regular, old-fashioned halogen or incandescent light bulbs with that soft, warm light are better for our sleep/wake cycles.
Reduce light in your room
Get rid of your alarm clock or cover it up with a cover because if you have your alarm clock within eyesight, the light disrupts your sleep.
Don’t force sleep
If you can’t get to bed, get up and read a non-stimulating book.
Make your bed comfortable
Make the bed when you wake up, and when you come home at the end of the day, your bed will be more inviting, and you will not be tempted to sleep in an unmade, uncomfortable bed.
Keep the pets out of the bedroom
Change your sheets at least once a week especially if your pets sleep with you. Dust mites or other insects can disrupt your sleep.
Create a restful environment
Use soft, soothing colors in your room. Also make sure there is no clutter or messiness that can cause you anxiety.
Don’t keep your phone by your bed
Phones and other electronics in the bedroom can be disruptive to people for many reasons. The first being that if you get constant notifications, this frequent buzzing or ringing will constantly stir you from sleep. Secondly, the frequencies emitted by the phones can interfere with the brain’s ability to get a restful sleep. Either keep your phone out of the bedroom or, at the very least, turn it onto airplane mode each night.
Find an effective way to deal with stress and anxiety
Rhodiola is a good daytime sleep herb. For more resources on how to reduce stress click here.
Lab work
Testing is available to test neurotransmitters, adrenal hormones, and melatonin levels at nighttime. Hormones including estrogen and progesterone may also contribute to imbalances that can cause sleep disturbance.
