Sleep Your Way Through National Sleep Month 😴

Everyone knows they don’t feel their best when you get too little sleep, but did you know poor sleep can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes? Knowing sleep is the time your body is doing its most aggressive healing, here are some ways to ensure you get the best possible ZZZs. 

Rhythm and routine.

Bodies LOVE rhythm. Establishing a routine is critical to ensuring both good energy during the day and sound sleep at night. Make sure you set aside sacred time for about 8 hours of sleep and try to get to bed well before midnight. It is important to keep the schedule up on the weekends whenever possible. Try incorporating calming activities into your nightly routine as well, such a cup of herbal tea, a warm bath, soothing music, or a relaxing sleep app.

Set the mood.

A healthy environment for sleep can make all the difference. Make sure your room is cool and quiet, so you are comfortable and undisturbed all night. It also needs to be DARK. Light is a huge disruptor of the sleep hormone melatonin. For this reason, also limit screen time before bed by turning off the TV or putting down your phone about an hour before going to bed. And if you must look at a screen, invest in some blue light blocking glasses.

Eat and drink for sleep.

Time your meals so you are not too hungry or too full before bed. Try to avoid sleep-disturbing ingredients like caffeine or chocolate late in the day. A pro-move: incorporate foods and beverages with sleep-enhancing nutrients such as collagen (glycine), turkey (tryptophan), and avocados (magnesium).

Contact your doctor. 

If you still can’t get solid sleep most nights, it might be time for professional help. Your doctor can help you Identify and treat underlying issues such as neurotransmitter imbalances, hormone problems or digestive complaints that may be contributing to your sleep disturbances.