Since reading ‘Why We Sleep” by Mathew Walker, I have been paying attention to both my quantity and quality of sleep. I typically sleep 8 hours each night. But based on how I feel getting up each day, I’m not sure that I always get the best quality of sleep. In this book, he suggests the 11 tips for better sleep from the National Sleep Foundation. I have seen other wellness experts posting these tips. But I needed to pause and think about how to apply these tips to my own life. So I started thinking about my sleep from the moment that I wake up! Mostly it is about planning ahead, making some changes to the environment, and placing a high value on sleep. Walker describes sleep as THE foundation of health, not just another pillar like nutrition and exercise. Since the first time that I did an “overnighter” studying for exams in college, I have known that sleep is very important to me.
Don’t be overwhelmed by this list. Take one small step at a time. You (and your body) cannot adjust to all of these changes in a week or even a month. Depending on how out of balance your sleep cycle is, you may need several months to make any significant change in your sleep. As you read the list, think about which would be the easiest to change and start there. Just don’t give up. We have this notion that 21 days is enough to create a new habit, but it really takes more like 60 days.
Just keep taking those slow and steady steps toward better sleep!
1. Create a sleep schedule and stick to the routine. Give yourself the “opportunity” to sleep 7-9 hours each night. So what does that mean for you? If you need to be up by 6am, then you need to be calm, relaxed, and ready to fall asleep by 10pm. You may need to start getting ready for bed at 9am and include some calming practices in that hour leading up to actually falling asleep.
· Take into consideration your tendencies, i.e. whether you are a night owl or a morning lark. Can you adjust anything about your day to accommodate for your tendency?
· Take into consideration your circadian rhythm. We are supposed to be awake during the day and asleep during the night. The chemicals in our body are regulated according to this rhythm whether our schedule is or not.
· I tell my kids that I’m done at 9pm. I can do anything for them up to that point but then I’m just NO GOOD! Maybe you need to let your family know your new plan.
2. Don’t use an alarm to wake up! What? In his book, Walker says that using an alarm turns on the “flight or fight” response of the nervous system. So it can be a bad way to start the day. Since all of my meditation and yoga is an attempt to stay in the “rest and digest” part of the nervous system, I don’t want to start the day with a jolt. For many years, I didn’t need to use an alarm. But recently, I occasionally need it. I almost always set it, but wake up before the alarm goes off. However, I also prioritize the 8 hours of sleep each night.
· If you need an alarm (or hit snooze a few times), then think NOW how you can start your bedtime routine earlier.
3. Drink water first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Dehydration can disrupt your sleep. And if you wait until late in the day to drink your fluids, your sleep will be disrupted by frequent trips to the bathroom.
4. Move your body!
· You need to avoid sweaty exercise 2-3 hours before you go to bed. So again, you need to plan for when you will get your physical activity. The US National Guidelines say 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise and 2 sessions of strength training are needed each week.
· If you exercise right out of bed, start with gentle movement and progress to full range of motion of your joints and spine. End with a few core exercises to wake those deep muscles up. They need to support you all day long.
· If you want to improve overall physical performance (say you’re training for a race), then try exercise in the middle of the day.
5. Stop drinking caffeinated beverages by 10 am. I know, I’m sorry! By the half-life (time the body needs to get rid of half) of caffeine is 12 hours. So if you want to go to bed at 10pm, you still have some caffeine from your morning coffee affecting you.
6. Get exposure to light early in the day. Now that our mornings and evenings are dark, you need to plan when you get exposure to natural light for 15-20 minutes. This helps keep our circadian rhythm in balance.
· Avoid exposure to bright light in the evening.
7. Take some time to create the right environment for sleep. And think of this: Your bed is only for sleep and sex!
· Get rid of the “bed desk”! You shouldn’t be taking your work to bed.
· How about the stack of books, magazines and articles that you “must read”? Replace them with a journal, book of poems or prayers. I keep non-fiction besides my bed because after a few minutes, I’m drifting away.
· Check the temperature in your room. You’re going for 68 degrees. Your core temperature needs to be cool as you go to sleep. And then it warms up through the night. So blanket layers are always good. That way you can remove them as needed to stay comfortable all night long.
· We have so many little lights on from electronic devices. Remove as many of them from your room as possible. If you have light from windows, get light blocking curtains or shades.
· Move you clock or phone away from your bedside table. I do use my phone for guided meditation at night, so I put it in a drawer or on the floor face down so that I can’t see the light.
· Make yourself comfortable! How long have you had those pillows, sheets or even your mattress? Maybe it’s time to replace a few things to make yourself more comfortable.
8. Avoid alcohol in the evening and a large meal 3 hours before you go to sleep.
· I know, you usually have the glass of wine after dinner as you relax and watch TV. But alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycles. You may fall asleep just fine, but you are not getting the quality of sleep that you need. So maybe have your wine while you are fixing dinner, rather than after you eat. Or better yet, give up wine on weekdays.
· My family could make all the “early bird specials”. My kids come home hungry, so I decided a long time ago to feed them dinner ASAP. That way they aren’t snacking on empty calories from carbohydrates before dinner (Goldfish and Cheezits are the family favorites).
9. Create a bedtime routine:
· Stop using electronic devices 2 hours before you want to be asleep
· Stop watching TV 1 hour before you want to be asleep. No more falling asleep to the Late Show! I have to tell you that I don’t watch TV that much anymore. My family gathers on the weekends to watch a couple of sit-coms or maybe a movie. But the regular evening shows just don’t appeal to me anymore. Once I started meditating and realized the benefit of this detox for my brain, I didn’t want to put images or ideas into it from random sources.
· Do what calms your nervous system! Warm bath, deep breathing, guided meditation, journaling, reading something light, gentle movement, restorative yoga, or sex. The hour before bed is time to connect to yourself and your partner.
10. If you wake up during the night earlier than you want, give yourself 20 minutes maximum to fall back asleep. If you don’t fall asleep, then get out of bed and do something that relaxes your nervous system. So this is my main problem. I wake up usually because of some noise in the house (kids cry out from a bad dream, husband snoring, etc) and I can’t get back to sleep. This used to drive me crazy! But now I stick to the 20-minute rule. Then I get up and try:
· To sleep in another bed. Sometimes I feel like Goldilocks!
· Using my Insight Timer meditation app (usually rhythmic music) to ease me back to sleep.
· If something is really on my mind, I may just complete the task (usually on the computer), write down my great idea or add to my “to-do” list for the next day. If this helps, you may want to try to journal writing or making your “to-do” list before you go to sleep. Then it is out of your head and on paper.
Again, take it slow. Start by valuing the quality and quantity of sleep that you get each night.
Namaste,
Stephanie