One of my favorite things in the world – sleep!
How are you sleeping?
What’s keeping you up?
Research reveals that a sleep deficit has a negative impact on our hormones, our exercise performance, and our brain function. In order to optimize our health and maintain a desirable weight, getting a good night’s sleep is critical. So how do we achieve this restful slumber? Let’s look at four proven techniques for falling asleep quicker and staying asleep longer so that we wake refreshed and ready to tackle another industrious day.
1. Establish a routine: First, give yourself a bedtime. Pick a time when you typically start feeling tired and go to bed religiously at that time – even on the weekend. Shortly before lights out, institute a relaxing routine like listening to soft music, taking a warm bath, or doing word puzzles in a toasty room. Warmth raises your body temperature and prompts a slight dip in blood pressure. Decreased blood pressure results in less blood and oxygen to the brain and causes you to tire as your body and brain struggle to maintain the same level of activity, but with less fuel. What’s more, there’s a strong psychological link between being physically warm and feeling cozy, snug, and ready for bed.
Reading a good book is another great way to prepare yourself for a peaceful night’s rest, and I have the perfect pick. I am so pleased to offer you my latest book, Fierce Vulnerability: A Colored Girl’s Truths, Trials, and Triumphs. It’s a raw exploration of four women living the dream of black affluence in our nation’s capital. From their raging battles to prove self-worth and maintain perfect appearances to their relentless drive to play superwoman, we come to know each of these women at an intimate level. It is through their collective perspective, friendship and sisterhood that we learn who they are and develop a sense of what it takes to claim freedom, strength, and fierce vulnerability for ourselves. This book has been such a joy and a blessing to me. As you learn to live your truths, conquer your trials, and triumph with fierce vulnerability you too will be blessed!
Finally, some people find it calming to manage the next day’s schedule before turning in each night. Planning provides a sense of control and abates the 2:00 a.m. to-do list tasks that jar their brains and jolt them from bed.
2. Exercise and stretch: Moderate aerobic exercise has been shown to improve both the quality and quantity of your ZZs. It increases the duration of sleep by reducing stress and anxiety so that you fall asleep faster. It also increases deep, slow-wave sleep, the most physically rejuvenating phase. Moreover, your body welcomes rest to renew the energy you expended during physical activity. Just enjoy your jaunt at the gym well before bedtime. A brisk trek on the treadmill (a.k.a. dreadmill if a mechanized sweat session is not your thing) releases stimulating hormones such as epinephrine and adrenaline. So relegate your cardio kick to earlier in the day and incorporate slow, gentle stretches into your bedtime routine. Stretching can release muscle tension, lower cortisol levels, and decrease blood pressure, prepping you for sweet repose.
3. Watch what you drink: Drinking tart cherry juice in the morning and two hours before bedtime can help regulate your sleep cycle. Likewise, coconut water, a good source of potassium and magnesium, can lower stress levels and relax your muscles. As for imbibing a warm glass of milk before bed, any effects may be predominately psychological as its tryptophan content is insufficient to beckon the Sandman. Finally, as a general rule, limit your caffeine intake four to six hours before bed. Caffeine directly blocks adenosine, a brain chemical that accumulates during our waking hours and triggers an increasingly intense drive to sleep the longer we are awake.
4. Get your light right: Expose yourself to bright light during the day. Your body has a built-in clock known as your circadian rhythm. It helps regulate when you wake and when you sleep. Soaking in natural sunlight or bright artificial light during the day helps maintain a healthy rhythm. Equally important, reduce exposure to blue light in the evening. While TVs emit blue light, smartphones and computers are the serious culprits. Blue lights disrupt your circadian rhythm, thereby leading your brain to believe it’s still daytime. Duped into thinking it is daytime, the body limits production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. To counter the menacing effects of blue lights at night, try these tips:
- Wear blue-light-blocking glasses.
- Activate the night light on your computer and on your smartphone.
- Forgo TV and bright lights two hours before bedtime.
Leading a happy, productive lifestyle means greeting each day energized and alert. You’ll feel better, live longer, and accomplish more when you adopt a healthy sleep regimen. To discover other ways to lead your best life, both personally and professionally, connect with me at sophiacasey.net.
Love,
Sophia
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