Giving advice for improved sleep is a normal part of any Wholistic Health practice, and I’m used to delivering. But today I am suffering the effects of a wakeful night after not ‘Walking My Talk’. Last night I sat up on the computer until well after midnight when the cold finally drove me to bed, only to then wake repeatedly through the night.
Sleep is so important, especially now as the days have shortened and we approach winter. Sufficient sleep allows our body to recover from the day and leads to improved brain function and memory.
But sleep doesn’t always come easily.
These simple actions will help you create a calm sleep-friendly environment.
De-Clutter and De- Junk
Is your bedroom a soothing sanctuary or is it also a place where you work? It is vital to establish and maintain the boundary between work and rest. Your bedroom needs to be a place where you unwind and take ‘you-time’. If the boundaries are unclear, you never get a break from the pressure and stress of work.
When you keep your bed for sleeping or other fun bedtime activities, your brain comes to associate bed with only these activities rather than work, which makes it easier for you to nod off.
Clear away clutter and mess; open the windows to refresh the energy; add fresh flowers, beautiful and meaningful ornaments, a candle or Himalayan Salt Lamp.
Create an EMF-Free Zone
If you are surrounded by electronic devices while you sleep your brain waves are affected throughout the night and you will never get good sleep.
There’s some concern that the pulsed frequencies of electronic devices interfere with the body’s own signals. These electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) affect the emotions, the organs, hormone production and the immune system. Cosequently this can then lead to poor sleep, as well as many other problems.
There are many studies that show exposure to electronic devices (even electric lights) before going to bed interferes with sleep patterns. Far from allowing you to wind-down in the evening using electronic devices actually increase your alertness and interferes with REM sleep.
Light, from any source including the low levels of light emitted by electronic devices, disrupts circadian rhythms and causes poor sleep
There have also been studies into how electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) around electronic devices affect the release of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. In 2007 this study showed melatonin production, and therefore sleep quality, may be affected in some people.
For good sleep switch off your smartphone, your tablet, your laptop, your TV, e-reader and other devices at the source. If you need an alarm to wake, find an alternative to your phone. Sleeping close to an active smartphone (or other device) is absolutely NOT worth the wide-reaching adverse effects it has on you.
If you do need to leave any devices switched on, make sure they are well away from your body, at least two metres. Even better if they are right across the room or in the en suite.
Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields and remove the responsible devices.
Create Peace
If you need entertainment before sleep place some books or magazines in your room, or perhaps a journal. Not only does journaling empty your mind of annoying thoughts that keep you awake, it’s also has many health benefits. Research even shows it strengthens the immune system and reduces the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Use your journal to establish gratitude practices to build your Happiness Bank.
Check the temperature. A moderate temperature about 20 degrees Celsius, not warmer, supports undisturbed sleep.
Darkness helps you sleep and even small amounts of light interrupt the production of the neurotransmitters needed for sound sleep. Use block-out curtains if there are lights outside your window. Don’t turn lights on suddenly during the night as they disrupt the production of the sleep-inducing hormones, melatonin and serotonin. Don’t use white light as a night light. The soft pink glow of a Himalayan Salt Lamp solves this problem, if you must have light in the bedroom. If you can’t block out light wear an eye mask.
Music is a wonderful aid to help you relax. Gentle, music, white noise or relaxation recordings will all help you unwind. The rhythmic sound of the surf washing onto the beach is one way to induce sleepiness.
No TV right before bed! Stop about thirty minutes before retiring and definitely don’t watch it in bed.
Turn your bedroom into a space you look forward to spending time in.
Create A Scent-sual Space
Our sense of smell plays an important role in mood, memory and emotions. It is linked to the limbic system, which is considered the old primitive part of the brain. As well as promoting relaxation, research shows that certain bedtime scents can even influence the type of dreams people have.
There are a number of essential oils that induce relaxation and are powerful sleep aids.
Lavender stimulates the release of feel-good hormones and is a well known relaxant to help insomnia. Sprinkle a few drops of lavender essential oil on a cotton ball beside your pillow or in your room.
Vanilla, rose, chamomile, sandalwood and surprisingly, coffee are some others that can also help insomnia by calming you. (Although homeopathic Coffea is known to have excellent calming properties, and so maybe it’s not such a surprise!)
Create A Healthy Eating Plan
Shunning caffeine should be a no-brainer. Drinking coffee, tea or hot chocolate keeps some people awake. But many other foods such as soft drinks, processed foods and even medications often contain caffeine, and you need to be wary of those.
Some foods like dairy and wheat can cause gastric disturbances that may keep you awake. Avoid them altogether or at least in the later part of the day.
L-tryptophan found in protein foods promotes the production of melatonin and serotonin to aid sleep. A small protein-rich snack such as nuts in the evening may help you sleep better.
Avoid sugar and processed grain snacks before bed to avoid the rapid spikes and drops in blood sugars that interrupt sleep.
Alcohol is a ‘no-no’ for sound sleep. Although it produces sleepiness and initially sends you to sleep, it prevents you entering the deeper, restorative, sleep cycles. Also, alcohol’s effect is short-lived. After a few hours you are likely to wake up, completely unable to return to sleep.
Chamomile tea before bed is an excellent for promoting good sleep. It has a slight homeopathic effect to relieve anxiety and promote relaxation.
Support your body with nurturing foods to create balance
Create A Sleep-Ready Body
Exercising daily for at least thirty minutes helps you fall asleep but be sure not to do it too close to bedtime. This is because exercise stimulates the release of metabolising hormones that will keep you awake.
Create A Night-Time Ritual
Setting a bed-time ritual sends cues to your brain that it is time for it to prepare to sleep. Just as you might read a bed-time story to a child to help them relax before they sleep, setting routines also reminds your mind it’s time to relax and sleep.
Develop your own night-time routine. It may include a warm bath, some yoga, reading, listening to music, writing your journal, in fact anything that soothes and relaxes you. Repeat this every evening in the thirty minutes before bed so your brain and body associate this activity with sleep.
Write down your list of whatever you need to do in the morning, earlier in the evening before. This shuts down the ideas and thoughts that normally run around your head while you’re trying to drop off to sleep. The same goes for any plans, worries or other thoughts that might keep you awake into the early hours of the morning.
Going to bed at the same time each night and rising at the same time each day allows your body clock to synchronise with these times, making both sleep and waking easier.
A hot shower or bath before bed increases your body temperature. As it falls again you will relax and fall asleep. If you have cold feet warm them with socks to prevent sleep disturbance.
If noise wakes you or keeps you awake wear ear plugs.
Take time to reflect on the day passed as well as the brand-new day ahead, so you can leave stress behind and start the new day afresh.
If you can’t sleep get up and address the cause or do some quiet activity until you feel calm and ready to return to bed.
Don’t watch the clock! If you aren’t sleeping put the clock away. Watching the hours tick away will only leave you stressed
Sleep Problems of Menopause
For some women passing through menopause, insomnia becomes a real and distressing issue. Hormonal changes causing hot flushes, palpitations, or night sweats can interrupt sleep and cause havoc. Before taking Hormonal replacement Therapy (HRT) have a talk to a Wholistic Health Practitioner about the many natural options available to balance hormones and reduce these debilitating symptoms.
Creating an environment that nurtures and supports you allows your body to release the stress from your busy life and relax into sleep at night
What are your favourite ways to ensure you get good sleep? Tell us in the comments below.
Disclaimer
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
© Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2012. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content
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