Are you getting enough sleep?
Sleep is your body's way of recovering, resting and recharging for the day ahead. It's so important to keep our body in a happy balance and improve anxiety, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, stress and to help regulate weight.
Even if you are getting 7-9 hours, if that sleep is interrupted, you have trouble falling asleep and/or you are not waking refreshed, your sleep quality could be improved.
Here's my top 10 tips for great sleep -
1. WIND DOWN BEFORE BED - give yourself 1-2 hours before bed to wind down from work or other daily stressors to help calm your nervous system and encourage sleep. Instead of scrolling on social media why not do some yoga, stretching, a guided meditation, read a book, do something creative, call a friend or listen to music. Another great option if you have a bath is to soak in epsom salts or take some magnesium citrate or chelate before bed.
2. SCHEDULE YOUR SLEEP - aim to have a regular sleep schedule. Going to sleep by 10pm will give you the best chance of reaching a deeper sleep. And getting in the habit of rising early with the sun is a great way to start the day - rather than being woken by an alarm! Having a regular sleep schedule is also a great way to support melatonin production - our sleep hormone but also one of our major antioxidants - protecting us from cellular damage and disease.
3. TECH FREE ROOM - keep wifi and other electrical devices out of the bedroom whenever possible, as the electrical frequencies can interfere with melatonin. A dark, cool room with some fresh air circulating can also encourage better sleep.
4. STRESS MANAGEMENT - practice reducing stress in your life as stress and cortisol can directly impair our body's ability to produce melatonin! Lack of sleep can then cause further stress, creating an unfortunate cycle of stress and insomnia! There are many ways to reduce stress including exercise, mindfulness, listening to music and working on time management.
5. BE IN NATURE - spending time or exercising in nature can help reduce stress and improve sleep. In Japan they call this Forest Bathing - and it can have so many positive effects on our wellbeing - so get outside whenever you can!
6. HERBAL AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS - can help improve sleep onset and duration by acting as hypnotics and/or helping to calm our nervous system. Some of my favourites include lavender, california poppy, lemon balm and withania. Chaste tree, which is commonly used for hormonal imbalances and PMS, has also been shown to increase melatonin. Other supplements including GABA, 5-HTP and Adenosine can also help calm our nervous system and improve sleep.
7. CAFFEINE AND SUGAR - aim to avoid these as much as possible, especially after midday, due to the stimulating effects. Try herbal teas (anything with licorice has a sweeter taste), a piece of cheese or unsweetened yoghurt with berries if you need a mid afternoon or after dinner snack.
8. DIFFUSE - calming oils such as lavender, bergamot, sandalwood and marjoram. Make sure to buy 100% pure essential oils without any synthetic ingredients.
9. SUPPORT GUT HEALTH - with a variety of vegetables, fermented vegetables (if tolerated) and/or a quality probiotic if needed. Our gut bacteria play a huge role in regulating our hormones and neurotransmitters. And poor sleep may also have a negative impact on our gut bacteria - it's a 2 way street!
10. IF YOU ARE TIRED - go to bed! A lot of parents stay up later because this is their time, but if you are tired, sleeping is the best gift you can give yourself!
I hope these tips can help you achieve more restful sleep - just pick 1 or 2 points to start implementing and set reminders in your phone or schedule them into your diary, until they become habit.
If you'd like more personalised support to improve your sleep I'd love to help you.
Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances, anxiety and fatigue. The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype. You can contact Marion here.