by J. Brooke Huffman, ND

In the natural environment, part of how animals are kept in tune with nature is by being exposed to natural light and following the cues of their body for sleep. As humans and societies evolved, we have moved away from our natural sleep rhythms in many ways. We set the alarm to wake before dawn, stay up late staring at a television or computer screen and cut our sleep short simply because we don't budget enough time in the day. It doesn't take long for sleep debt to accumulate!

Here are some tips for getting both more and better quality sleep:

  1. Establish a routine: retire to bed at the same time each day (ideally no later than 10pm) and wake around the same time daily as well. Train your body with repetition.
  2. Starting 2-3 hours before bed, turn off all screens (tv, computer, smart phones). These back-lit screens are stimulating and the effects are longer lasting than many realize.
  3. Also starting 2 hours before bedtime it's a good idea to start dimming the lights of your environment, and winding down for the night.
  4. For those who wake in the night to urinate, avoid drinking fluids of any kind for 2-3 hours before bed.
  5. Exercise during the day can improve sleep, but it also increases cortisol temporarily. Many find exercise in the evening ramps them up. If you are one of these folks, exercise earlier in the day.
  6. Many underestimate the long-lasting effects of caffeine. Caffeine as late as 11am or noon may be enough to promote insomnia in some. Get to know your body and your caffeine tolerance by doing a 1 week trial without caffeine.
  7. Address interruptions. If a pet, spouse or child is impacting your sleep quality, this should be addressed. Closing the door against pets or using a fan or white noise machine may be useful depending on the situation. Setting limits for how often a child or pet can sleep with you may be necessary.
  8. Eliminate allergens in the bedroom. Get a HEPA air filter if necessary.
  9. Don't go to bed on an empty or full stomach. Have protein with dinner and nothing to eat for 3 hours prior to bedtime is about right for most people. (This is effective to avoid weight gain also!).
  10. Tackle stress. If you find yourself tossing and turning with thoughts from the day, stress management is crucial. Talk to your ND for stress management techniques. Ad-dressing what stress you have during the day will help you to sleep better at night.
  11. Sleep 8-9 hours in a completely dark room. This may mean purchasing black-out curtains, wearing an eye mask, covering a digital clock with a cloth, or even putting elec-trical take over tiny blinking lights. Light stimulates the pineal gland (which governs your sleep/wake cycle) so even the smallest amount of light can reduce the depth of your sleep.
  12. Alcohol can disrupt sleep patterns, so avoiding this will allow you deeper, more quality sleep.
  13. If you find yourself unable to fall asleep (or back to sleep) it may help to get out of bed. Walk calmly around the house, take some deep breaths, perhaps read a book. Don't turn on the tv or computer as screens can be very stimulating.
  14. Often a non-stumulating meditation can help when you find yourself awake in the wee hours. One example is the BodyScan Meditation: Focus on the sensations in one foot, then the ankle, calf, etc and you slowly move up the body. Don't "think" about that part, simply try to feel it as you slowly move toward the head. This may not be a good fit for those with body pain. Ask your ND for other meditation ideas if the BodyScan is not right.

As each person has unique needs, there may be additional factors effecting your sleep that are not addressed here. Ask your 2BWell physician for further suggestions and a personal-ized approach. We know now that the brain detoxes and you do your best healing while asleep: don't deprive yourself of this time!