Lifestyle Habits and Herbs for a Restful Night Sleep
SLEEP
Most people have been asked at some point in life, “Are you getting enough sleep?” Though some people sleep consistently well, for others a good night’s sleep may be a distant memory. No matter where you fit on the scale of good sleep, it is important to consider both the quantity, but also the quality of your sleep. Sleep can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, interact with others, heal and restore, so it is important to everyone.
Nearly 50% of New Zealand adults experience two or more sleep-related problems, including difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep and daytime sleepiness.
While the occasional night of poor sleep is annoying, ongoing sleep disturbances can lead to bigger issues including emotional difficulties, brain fog, poor job performance, and even accidents or injury. Even more alarming, long-standing insomnia is associated with many chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and mood disorders.
Improve Your Sleep Hygiene for a Great Night’s Sleep
The good news is, catching more z’s may be as simple as changing your habits. For many people, bad habits in the lead-up to bedtime, also known as poor sleep hygiene, are a major contributor to a restless night. A sleep hygiene overhaul may help you secure a blissful date with your pillow, and a solid night’s sleep.
Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Unfortunately, modern life predisposes us to poor sleep hygiene. A busy social calendar may keep you out late, high-stake stress at work can cause sleepless worry, and a burning desire to stay up late watching your favourite TV show (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, anyone?) may keep you on the couch into the wee hours. The occasional blowout is okay, but when these pastimes become regular patterns, it becomes harder to cement a consistent sleep schedule, making it difficult to sleep well.
If you spend every night struggling to sleep, you probably already know that your sleep habits need attention. However, if your issue is more subtle, or less frequent, you may be wondering whether it’s worth taking action. Using the checklist below may help you decide.
Regularly experiencing one or more of the following may be a sign of a disrupted sleeping pattern:
It takes over 30 minutes to fall asleep after getting into bed
You wake up more than once per night
You are awake for longer than 20 minutes during the night
You spend less than 85% of your time spent in bed asleep
You wake most mornings feeling unrefreshed
You rely on caffeinated beverages to get you through the day
When Counting Sheep Doesn’t Work, Try This
If you are fed up with moving through life like a character from ‘The Walking Dead’, these simple tweaks to your sleep hygiene may help you shake off sleepless misery. Incorporate the following habits to help you fall asleep faster, sleep soundly through the night, and wake feeling refreshed and rested:
Go to bed when you feel sleepy - While this may seem like a no-brainer, climbing into bed when you feel alert can create a negative association between being in bed and struggling to sleep, making it harder for you to relax.
Use a blue light blocker or blue light blocker glasses - Flux is a great app to download on your computer. The blue light makes our circadian clock think it is daytime still so turning on this app helps to restore our natural rhythm, without having to ditch the movies during the winter months.
Establish a sleep routine - which will help condition your body to feel sleepy at a regular time. This may be difficult initially, particularly if you don’t feel tired at the same time each night. However, you can help your body synchronize to a consistent schedule by going to bed at roughly the same time each night and waking at the same time each morning.
Steer clear of electronic devices - for at least 30 minutes before sleep and avoid using these in bed. Night-time exposure to blue light from digital screens is stimulating and can interfere with your brain’s production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for making you feel sleepy.
Do not use your bed as an activity center - Your bed is for sleeping and sexual activity only. Avoid other pursuits, such as watching TV or working from bed, to train your brain to associate bed with sleep.
Avoid stimulants - such as caffeine and cigarettes, which can keep you awake or disrupt your sleep during the night.
Create a pre-sleep ritual - Relaxing activities can help you unwind before hitting the sack and gradually transition your body from a wakeful state into a state of sleep. Your ritual may include stretches, breathing exercises, a hot bath, or sipping on a cup of caffeine-free tea.
Ditch the alcohol - Many people use alcohol to help them fall asleep faster. However, drinking alcohol inhibits restorative sleep and increases the likelihood that you will feel groggy the next morning.
Get up - If you do not fall asleep within 20 minutes of lying down, get out of bed and perform a mundane activity until you feel sleepy enough to return to bed. There is nothing like a spot of ironing to bore you to sleep. Boredom is key; avoid activities that may stimulate you, such as watching TV, and avoid the use of bright lights, which suppress melatonin production.
Herbal Solutions for Counting Sheep
Lack of sleep does not have to be a fact of life. There are natural medicines that can help promote a restful, nurturing night’s sleep, without leaving you feeling groggy.
Passionflower – herbal passionflower extracts are made from the aerial parts, such as leaves and flowers. These extracts are rich in flavonoids and have been traditionally used in Western herbal medicine for insomnia and nervous conditions.
Kava - Kava is a smooth muscle relaxant. This combined with its calming nervous system effects makes it a great choice at night to feel a whole body relaxation. If your someone that has tense muscles from physical exertion or stress this may be the herb for you.
Jamaica dogwood – traditionally used in South America and the West Indies for nerve pain, anxiety and nervous tension. This herb helps you relax, while reducing any pain that may be disturbing your sleep.
Zizyphus – With a long history of use for insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine, this herb is said to “nourish the heart and calm the spirit”. Zizyphus is widely used when insomnia is due to nervous tension or anxiety.
Lavender – helps improve both the quality and duration of sleep, without causing unwanted sedative effects. It is a particularly beneficial herb for those kept awake by worrying thoughts.
Aren’t herbs amazing?! The great thing is they are non habit forming meaning you don’t become reliant on these to sleep, you can come off them at anytime without the side effects. Get in touch with me if you would like your own personalised herbal formula that can help you to get a good night’s sleep.
Magne-Zzzz-ium -Magnesium is valuable for countless actions in the body, including supporting healthy nervous system function so you are less affected by stress; or relaxing sore, tense muscles that may be disturbing your sleep. Magnesium levels may be low in those suffering from insomnia, so addressing this insufficiency can help improve sleep. I have recommend high quality, highly absorbable forms of magnesium to help my clients re-establish a healthy sleep cycle and it has been a game changer.
Sweet Dreams
I hope these tips and tricks help you find more rest tonight as you sleep. A restful and restorative night’s sleep prepares you for the day ahead. For more support a Naturopath can help identify the underlying causes of disturbed sleep, and offer quality natural medicines to help you overcome your sleepless nights.
