Managing Sleep in a no TIME for Sleep world

When it comes to better health, your sleep habits are extremely important.   The quality of sleep is as important as the quanity.  Therefore a good night sleep isn’t just about how many hours you are in bed but how long and deeply you sleep.   When your sleep patterns go off track, you become a hamster on the proverbial hamster wheel.   You get less accomplished during the day only to go to bed stressing over your fruitless day.   The next morning you wake up exhausted and ill equipped to tackle another day.   With conscious changes, I have learned to fix my sleepless nights so that my alarm clock is a back up I hardly use. When following these steps, I wake up refreshed.   Pure heaven!  When I don’t, i know exactly who and what to blame!  It’s ok, as long as i don’t make a habit of it.  Striving for perfection is way too stressful!

So what did I do that you can also do to get a better night sleep?   Although, we are all different in mind and body, there are some fundamental things that help all of us get a better night sleep.  Here are the top three shifts that I made in my day to help my nights:

1. Breath.  This was and is huge part of my new routine.  With this exercise I find my zone and fall asleep quickly. There are many different breathing exercises available to you that you can even find on the Internet.  My favorite is Andrew Weils’ 4-7-8 Breathing.    Counting my inhale by 4, holding for 7 and releasing for 8 helps clear my mind and get me into sleep readiness.   Concentrate on each stage. It works best if you can hear your exhales, although I try to be mindful of my husband next to me.  I am sure it doesn’t help him fall asleep if I am breathing too loudly.   If this is too much “thinking” just listen to your breathing in and out. Make each inhale a little deeper.
2. Get Moving.  Exercise is a great stress reducer.  When you reduce your anxiety and stress, you are preparing your body for the best sleep ever.  Just be careful to give your body time to unwind before bed.  I find I need at least two full hours to recover based on the type of exertion.
3. Listen to your body and fuel it properly.  If you are having trouble falling into slumber or waking up too often during the night consider what you are eating and drinking during the day. Consider limiting or giving up caffeine and alcohol or any liquids too close to bedtime. I know this is daunting but it may just be the key to better health.  I personally feel and function much better with limited caffeine.  In addition wine often triggers sugar production in my body around 3 am.   It’s important to journal your food and drink to find your triggers.

Good nutrition with the proper source of vitamin and minerals will also keep your body primed throughout the day. This will allow your circadian rhythm, your natural 24-hour cycle, to flow properly.   I also take a liquid malatonin supplement each evening to aid in my efforts.  Sweet dreams and let me know if these tips help!