Sleep – Part 2 – The tips

7 – Avoid tobacco.

Nicotine stimulates your brain and your heart, making it harder to fall asleep.(14) Avoid tobacco products, including regular cigarettes and nicotine-containing e-cigs.(3,12) If you have a very difficult time quitting, avoid it for at least two hours before you want to go to sleep.(14)

8 – Nix the nightcaps.

You should avoid alcohol before bed because it negatively impacts sleep quality by reducing REM sleep.(14) Having alcohol before bed may seem okay because it can make you feel tired, but you don’t get quality sleep.(3,12,14)

9 – Stomach issues?

Having a large meal before bed can disrupt sleep. This is especially true if you experience acid reflux.(12) Try eating regular meals throughout the day so you’re not too hungry when it’s time to sleep. Save half of your huge amazing restaurant meal as leftovers. Even a portion of it added to a salad will make a fine leftover lunch and save $ too!

10 – Nighttime bathroom breaks?

Drinking a lot of liquids before bed can wake you up to go to the bathroom.  Try to hydrate throughout the day so that you’re not thirsty before bed.(12)  If I haven’t had enough water that day, I try to catch up at least an hour before sleeping so that I have time to go to the bathroom again right before bed.

If you do get up to go to the bathroom, remember that your body woke you up to use the facilities, not to stress about the day and lose sleep. Accepting that and not getting stressed that you might be up for good will help you go back to sleep more quickly. I used to get so stressed that I would be up for good!

If you are having multiple wake-ups in the night, you may benefit from seeing a practitioner to help sort that out.

11 – Are you a clock watcher?

Watching your clock when you can’t sleep prevents you from falling asleep. This is because it increases your mental activity (worry), rather than decreases it. This can make falling back asleep more difficult. If you’re lying in bed awake for 20 minutes, try getting up and reading (with low or red/yellow-tinted light) or listening to soft music until you feel tired.(3,11,12)

12 – Naps: yes or no?

Naps are necessary for small children, but if you have trouble falling asleep, try avoiding them. There is one exception, though. A study in the British Medical Journal suggests that if you’re a college athlete, napping may improve your performance.(12)

If you think you can make it through the day and nearly to bedtime then it’s best to try to skip the nap.

Take a small nap if needed but set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes.

Lay down for 5 minutes to meditate (but set an alarm just in case!)

If you feel super tired, try to get that nap in before noon. And go back to number 3 and get some daylight on your eyes!

13 – Stop multi-purposing your bed.

Your bed should be used for two things only: sleep and sex. If you’re lying in bed awake, try getting out for a short time and trying again. There is strong evidence that this can help prevent insomnia and, over time, can improve the quality of your sleep.(12)

14 – Calm your mind.

Along with the growing public interest in mindfulness and meditation, there is a growing body of research as well. A recent review of several studies showed that mindfulness and meditation significantly improved sleep quality.(17) You can also try breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation.(18)

Anything you like to do that relaxes you can be a meditation. Gardening, playing a musical instrument, coloring, journaling, gratitude, etc.

Sometimes if you wake in the night, you can do a simple meditation and that will help you calm enough to go back to sleep. There are plenty of options on Youtube. Headspace and Insight Timer are 2 apps out there.

15 – Be social.

Feelings of loneliness can affect your sleep. If you feel isolated and have little social support, you are more likely to suffer from the effects of stress and have more difficulty falling asleep and maintaining sleep. If your partner feels lonely and has poor quality sleep, you’re more likely to be affected, too. Loneliness is associated with many sleep disorders, including insomnia, nightmares, and anxiety.(1)

Try things to help you feel more connected like thanking people who help you in day-to-day life, reaching out to someone by email or social media, or signing up to volunteer in your community.

16 – Try to sleep along with your natural chronotype.

If you’re an “early bird,” go to bed and wake up early. If you are a “night owl,” then try to create a schedule where you can wake up later in the mornings.

How do you need to shift your schedule to make this work for you?

17 – Sleep “supplements”?

Before turning to something like melatonin (see below) you might want to try adding a tea or other calming herbal remedy into your bedtime routine. Tea can have you up going to the bathroom so if that would be a problem for you make sure to have that early enough in the evening after dinner. My current tea is Nighty Nite by Traditional Medicinals. Other favorites are chamomile, lavender or lemon balm.

Nearly everyone has heard of CBD oil by now and you can practically find a store on every corner (in our town at least). If your trouble with sleeping is anxiety or pain this may be something for you to look into. But, before you try this, note that CBD oil quality is important, and you should check with your healthcare professional to be sure it’s right for you. I’m currently using this local brand: https://peakcitycbd.com/products/natural-cbd-oil/

Melatonin supplements might help you feel sleepy and there is some evidence that it helps with jet lag. But, before you try these, note that they’re not recommended for everyone and have many known interactions. Be sure to read the warnings and cautions on the label and check with your healthcare professional to be sure they’re ok for you.(19)

If you suspect your circadian rhythm is off and your melatonin and cortisol levels are not right, let me know and we can talk about this.