Better Sleep & How to Get It!

Sleep, if you ask us, is one of the most important pillars of health. Without adequate amounts of sleep each night your bodily functions are at a loss. You’ll begin to see your normal daily functions struggle, fatigue sets in, mental capacity is lessened and that pep in your step just isn’t happening - not to mention the effect it has on our stress!

Besides the known chronic illnesses such as type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, depression and metabolic disease, shorter sleep duration can also lead to elevated stress levels and energy fluctuations throughout the day. When we see fluctuations in blood sugar levels due to sleep deprivation our energy levels also fluctuate, hello 3 pm slump! (see our blog on energy to learn more!). When our sleep is compromised, cortisol, our stress hormone, can become wildly out of whack. Our bodies sympathetic nervous response, also known as our fight or flight response, goes into overdrive causing all sorts of drama in the body - fatigue, brain fog, mood fluctuations & anxiety to name a few! In short, less sleep leads to more stress, both physical and mental…not ideal!

In a perfect world, we want to aim for 8-9 hours sleep per night. When getting adequate sleep, your quality of life increases - you’ll begin to see stability in your mental health, an increase in your moods, improved immunity, weight regulation, increased motivation and productivity and increased energy levels. Sounds pretty great right!

Top Tips for Improving Sleep

• Avoid overstimulation & blue light exposure – reduce/avoid electronics at least 1 hour prior to bed e.g. phones, tv, ipads, bright lights & laptops. Blue lights affects your body’s ability to produce melatonin, your sleep hormone and therefore can increases stimulation & exacerbate any existing sleep problems. If you just can't kick the screens, at least invest in some blue light blocking glasses! You can thank me later!
  
  
• Avoid stimulants in the late afternoon & evening e.g. caffeine – coffee, black tea & energy drinks, processed food & refined sugar.
  
  
• Ensure you eat a balanced meal of protein, carbs & fats for dinner to support stable blood sugar levels throughout the night to ensure that you don’t stir or wake up due to hunger.
  
  
• Use relaxation techniques prior to sleep. Aim to implement a 10-minute routine each evening e.g. Meditation (use apps insight timer or calm), listen to an audio book to help you get to sleep,
  
  
• If feeling anxious or stressed, try laying on the ground & placing your legs up against the wall. This can help calm your nervous system, aiding in a better sleep.
  
  

Still struggling with sleep?? Book a consultation with us & lets taker a deeper look at whats going on with your health.