The Importance of Adequate Sleep ~
Sleep is a restorative process that impacts every body system. By improving immune function, regulating metabolism, and removing free radicals from our tissues, sleep is a natural healing process that requires little from our conscious efforts. However, many of us struggle to achieve enough good quality sleep. As a result, insufficient sleep leaves us feeling tired, struggling with concentration and memory, and experiencing significant stress and mood changes.
Additionally, poor sleep is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes (1), as well as decreased immune function which means more illnesses and infections (2).
Improving sleep habits requires a holistic approach. Sleep improves when we establish determinants of health, identify obstacles to wellness, and support our bodies with natural sleep promoting factors.
1. Determinants of Health - Sleep hygiene
Ensuring an environment conducive to restful sleep is the first step to improving sleep quality. A good sleeping environment is one that is dark, cool, quiet, safe, and comfortable. Consider your sleep setting:
Is there any light that comes into your space?
Are there are electronics in your room?
What is the temperature?
Are there are noises, children, pets, or bed partners causing disturbances?
Do you feel safe and peaceful in your space?
Is your bed and pillow comfortable and suited to your preferences?
Our daily routines impact our nighttime habits as well. So, try to create a relaxing bedtime routine and stick to a consistent schedule of sleep and waking time by establishing a regular time for meals, exercise, and primary activity. Don’t forget physical activity because regular exercise is associated with improved sleep and decreased daytime sleepiness (3).
2. Obstacles to Wellness - Sleep disruptors
Alcohol - Alcohol may help initiate sleep by causing drowsiness. However, its effects wear off as you sleep causing light, interrupted sleep.
Caffeine - Depending on metabolism variations, caffeine can stay in the system for up to 10 hours. Avoid caffeine if you are sensitive to it, particularly in the afternoon and evening closer to bed time.
Nicotine - Similarly to caffeine, nicotine can cause stimulating effects for several hours after use.
Medications and supplements - There are many medications and supplements that may interfere with sleep. For example, medication classes including alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, corticosteroids, SSRI antidepressants, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, cholinesterase inhibitors, H1 antagonists, and statins may affect sleep (4). Additionally, energizing supplements, herbs, and certain vitamins (such as B vitamins) may have stimulating effects that can disrupt sleep. If you are taking one of these medications or supplements, talk to your healthcare provider about the sleep disturbances you are experiencing. Your doctor may be able to mitigate this side effect by changing your medication type, dosages or dosing time, or by supporting your current regimen with other recommendations.
Eating habits - Consuming foods later in the evening can be disruptive to sleep. Large quantities of food stimulate the digestive process and detract from sleep. Try to avoid going to bed on a full stomach, aiming to finish eating at least 3 hours prior to bedtime.
3. Sleep Promoting Strategies
If you are struggling to achieve adequate sleep, consider the following approaches (5):
Avoid tossing and turning: Get up if you're not sleeping. Do something boring in low light and refrain from looking at the clock. When you are tired, go back to bed.
Journaling: Take time before bed to write down thoughts and come up with a phrase to stop the thoughts as they arise during the night. Consider, "you already thought about this earlier," or "this is a valid thought, but not for now.”
Meditation & Visualization: Imagine falling asleep somewhere relaxing. Or, imagine going down an elevator to achieve a heavy sleeping feeling.
Breathing practices: Try slowing the breathing to 8 or 9 breaths per minute. Practice pace during the day so that you are confident doing it at night.
Progressive muscle relaxation: Relax each part of the body, one muscle group at a time, starting in your feet and ankles, moving up to your neck and head. Allow yourself to release all of the muscle tension that may be keeping you awake.
Gratitude prayer: Say a prayer or create a list of things for which you are grateful. Gratitude creates a sense of contentment, therefore promoting sleep and offsetting anxiety and stress.
Go back into dream: If awakening in the night, try to return into a dream that you can remember. The desire to experience the dream again will promote sleep re-initiation.
Involve a trained practitioner if considering further supplemental sleep support:
Botanical medicine: Valerian, Hops, Lemon balm, Chamomile, Passionflower, Kava kava.
Nutraceuticals: Glycine, GABA, L-theanine, 5-HTP, Melatonin (6)
In conclusion, talk to your healthcare provider about any difficulties you are having with sleep. Disrupted sleep can be a sign of or contribute to another health condition and should always be thoroughly addressed.
References:
1. PMID: 28477772
2. PMID: 19139325
3. PMID: 30617012
4. Neel Jr., A. B. (2013) 10 Types of Meds That Can Cause Insomnia. AARP. https://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-04-2013/medications-that-can-cause-insomnia.html
5. PMID: 23423416
6. PMID: 18035236
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