9 tips for deep, blissed-out sleep…
Marta Cordell here, offering you some sweet pillow talk about dreamland where we (ideally) spend about one third of every day of our lives…
But first, why am I even talking about sleep when it’s something our bodies do naturally?
Actually, the truth is that sleep is not something that just happens.
Our brains are hardwired to be vigilant, and only to rest when we are in the right environment.
This is for our protection (thank you brain!), but this mechanism also evolved before electric lights. And deadlines. And social media.
Even babies need to learn to fall asleep and sleep well, and that’s before they develop chronic stress and poor sleep habits!
And in today’s fast-paced world, it is becoming harder and harder for people to get enough sleep, and to get good quality sleep.
What’s important about getting good sleep?
Good sleep is one of the most basic, foundational requirements for good health. Sleep deprivation can lead to a multitude of health issues:
- It escalates the hunger hormone called ghrelin, which increases food cravings.
- It escalates the stress hormone called cortisol, which can cause weight gain, diabetes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, depression, osteoporosis and depressed immunity.
- It causes elevated blood pressure in people with hypertension, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and stroke.
- It inhibits the flushing of toxins from the brain.
- It affects mental clarity, mood and ability to cope with stress.
In short, learning how to improve your sleep is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity!
How do I get better sleep?
Follow these 9 tips to improve your sleep, and soon, you will feel more rejuvenated and energized than you even knew was possible:
1. Go to bed. Yup, seems simple, but how many times have you found yourself staying up for no real reason, not even getting in bed until it’s really too late to get a full night’s sleep?
And then, dragging through the next day, struggling to focus, just wanting to crawl back in bed.
Go to bed already. And if your schedule doesn’t permit you getting a full 8 hours (or something close to that), perhaps you need to examine what you are giving your energies to, and what you can let go of for now.
Yes, it’s that important, and the activities you choose to keep will be easier to manage and more enjoyable, and you will be better at them!
2. Practice regular sleep rhythms by going to bed and waking up around the same time each day.
Doing so will help the body know it’s time to prepare for sleep, and trigger the proper internal mechanisms to help you do so.
3. Create total quiet and darkness in your bedroom. This means no television, blinking devices, or digital clocks! I know, I know, we love our technology, but bedtime is not the time!
In fact, you should shoot for shutting down any screens an hour before bedtime.
Blue light from screens stimulates the body to think it’s still daytime, and not release the hormones you need to trigger sleep in the body, and the content on that screen can stimulate the mind too much to shut down.
4. Avoid caffeine or reduce your intake afternoon as it affects your sleep dramatically.
And for some people who process caffeine really slowly, even a cup of green tea in the morning can affect their sleep that night.
Pay attention to how much caffeine you’re getting, and when, and you might even try a few days without caffeine to see if it makes a difference.
Then, slowly try it later and later in the day to see where your threshold is – first thing in the morning on the first day, then later in the morning on the second, noon on the 3rd, etc., to see if the time of day makes a difference.
5. Get regular exposure to daylight for at least 20 minutes a day, preferably first thing in the morning, because the sunlight triggers your brain to release more melatonin at night, which is vital for healthy sleep.
6. Eat no later than two hours before you go to bed because eating a heavy meal before bedtime will impede your body’s natural overnight detoxification process.
If we work in rhythm with the body, our digestion is strongest in the middle of the day, but the night is the time for our bodies to break down nutrients and send them where the body needs them for repair and rejuvenation, and to remove toxins.
Adding the burden of digestion keeps it from doing any of these things well!
7. Write down your worrying thoughts before bedtime so you can free your mind and drop into a deep and restful sleep.
For a double-shot of sleep power, do some deep breathing while writing down anything you need to let go of for the night!
The breathing will shut off the stress response (sympathetic nervous system), and turn on the resting response (parasympathetic nervous system).
8. Take a hot salt or aromatherapy bath because raising your body temperature before bed helps to induce sleep.
Alternately, placing a heating pad or hot water bottle over your middle while lying in bed accomplishes the same thing.
9. Make sure you’re getting enough Magnesium – it’s the body’s natural calmative! We all tend to be deficient in Magnesium, which can lead to sleep disruption (and a host of other issues).
Taking Magnesium in capsule form 30-45 minutes before bed, or in liquid or spray form just before bed can help the body to wind down.
What if I still need more?
I’m so glad you asked!
The Thermography Center of Dallas is also pleased to be able to provide a wonderfully calming and relaxing treatment called JIN SHIN JYUTSU. This ancient healing practice releases tensions that can cause various symptoms in the body (including sleep issues), and allows our energy pathways to flow!
These treatments over time can lead to more ease in falling asleep, as well as deeper, more restful sleep!
Want to know more? Just call Raquel at 214-352-8758 to ask questions or schedule an appointment!
Another option we offer is the Brain Light Pro. This amazing tool uses infrared light to stimulate the creation of new blood vessels, neurons and synapses in the brain.
This leads to a calmer, more relaxed state, better sleep and an increase in the output of the mitochondria that are the energy powerhouses of our body, so you get more out of your waking hours as well!
We highly recommend putting it on your lower back since that is when your adrenals are.
Treatments only take 20 minutes, and done daily, give all of these benefits and many more.
Call us today at 214-352-8758 to schedule a complimentary consultation!