Picture this, you run around all day half asleep wondering when they took away nap time. Then you get home, get all of the errands done, feed everyone and flop onto the couch, exhausted. After watching TV/reading/playing on the computer for an hour you decide to go to bed. You crawl in bed, knowing you’re tired and then lay there awake for what seems like hours AND/OR wake throughout the night.
Does that situation sound familiar?
It is currently estimated that 20% of the Canadian population suffers from some type of insomnia (inability to fall asleep, broken sleep, or early morning waking). This is, in fact one of the most common complaints of people who show up to my office. Insomnia and poor quality sleep affects mood, work performance, safety and even things like food choices, your metabolic rate, and immune system!
How much sleep is enough?
Although we don’t want to believe it in today’s society, research shows we still need 7-8hrs of sleep to be at our best. This sleep is also the best quality when you are in bed, asleep, before 12:00am. My recommendations are for people to aim to sleep from 10:00 or 10:30pm until 6:00am.
Steps towards Sleep Success
Step 1: Consider your light exposure
The most critical aspect to sleep is making sure that your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) is working with you, not against you. Historically we had bright sun light exposure in the morning, signaling our body to wake up, and darkness at night, triggering the release of our sleep hormone melatonin. Now a days we are bombarded with fluorescent lighting (which has a different affect on our circadian rhythm), and our light lasts long into the evening hours.
Two simple ways to get your circadian rhythm back on track are by getting 20minutes of sunlight in the morning by taking a walk, or buying a full spectrum light (like HappyLight by Verilux). The other side of this coin is turning off your electronics 1-2 hours before bed, to minimized light exposure. Activities such as reading can be relaxing during this time. If this is not realistic for you then apps such as f.lux are critical! They change the colour of light from your screens to eliminate blue light exposure, which interferes with your melatonin release.
Step 2: Keep your bedroom cool and dark
As our bodies cool down, and we aren’t being exposed to stimulating light, we naturally fall into a state of sleep. This is why it can be so hard to sleep in the summer in a hot bedroom, or with a heat throwing partner. You can emulate your body losing heat by taking a hot bath and then settling into a cool dark room for a night of sleep.
Step 3: Get rid of the Caffeine after 12pm
Coffee, and other sources of caffeine, are some of the most delicious circadian rhythm disruptors on the market. In fact, to many people they cause the same stress response in our bodies as running from a bear. Limit consumption to 2 cups in the morning.
Step 4: Natural Interventions
One of my favorite simple interventions for sleep is tea. The act of drinking tea can be relaxing but whatsmore is the effect of the herbs. Specially formulated teas such as Sleepy Time Tea, Organic Nighty Night and BedTime tea are my favorites. With each of these be sure to steep them for at least 10 minutes in 1 cup of hot water and drink 1-2hours before bed.
Finally, my next favorite supplement is Magnesium due to its calming nature for the body and the mind. I prefer the powdered drink form for patients (up to 400mg/day). *Warning, magnesium can loosen the bowels so be cautious when increasing the dosage.
When to seek out a care provider
Although many sleep issues are fixed by lifestyle adjustments, many more are due to underlying medical conditions (e.g sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome), hormonal imbalances (Can we say menopause?), and neurotransmitter imbalances. It is important to speak with a medical provider if your sleep issues persist after including the above recommendations.
