Sleep

The Benefits of Being Well Rested

The Little Book of Sleep tells us that:

"When we sleep deeply, rejuvenation takes place on many levels

Physical: We Wake up with the energy and vitality we need to go about our day's tasks. The body is repaired and the immune system is strengthened.
Emotional: We are able to engage fully in our relationships with courage and open-heartedness and deal with life's inevitable ups and downs.
Mental: The brain is cleaned up and reorganized and we feel creative and focused, even in the face of overflowing inboxes and constant demands from technology.
Spiritual: We can live with meaning, passion and inspiration, finding time for those things that we truly care about."

"We need to relax our attitude about sleep. Remeber, sleep is about relinquishing control. It's about letting go and trusting in our resourcefulness" - Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan, Author of 'The Little Book of Sleep'

Did You Know...

"It's entirely normal to wake up during the night
It's possible to sleep with your eyes open. Yes, you might be getting more sleeo than you think (or measure) while you're reading a book or watching TV.
It's normal not to sleep well sometimes"

Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan, The Little Book Of Sleep

Sleep Difficulties

Some people struggle with falling asleep. Leslie Korn, author of Eat Right, Feel Right: Simple Recipes and Tips to Improve Mood, Sleep, Attention & Focus suggests that "eating carbohydrates and fats tend to relax and aid sleep onset". For a more in depth look at improving your sleep routine see the section below.

Sleep difficulties don't just have to do with falling asleep. Many times people struggle with waking throughout the night. Leslie Korn suggests that this can be caused by a drop in blood sugar. She states that if you are finding yourself waking up in the night, you would benefit from "a little protein and a grain or fruit just before bed to sustain an even blood sugar".

Sleep Routine

Creating a healthy sleep routine is important to maintaining good sleep hygiene. If your current routine is in need of a reset, try the following as suggested by Leslie Korn (The Good Mood Kitchen: Simple Recipes and Nutritional Tips for Emotional Balance).

"Enhance your sleeping with 4 easy steps

An hour before bed,

Take an Epsom salt bath, add a cup of epsom salts to a warm (not hot) bath and soak for 20 minutes, about an hour before bed.
place "blue light blocking glasses" over your eyes (or stay off the screen completely).
Eat a small bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with a tablespoon containing walnuts, raisins, and pumpkin seeds. If you drink cow's milk, add 1/2 cup of warm milk to the bowl: otherwise use hemp milk.
Drink a cup of warm chamomile tea."

Wondering why?

Here are the reasons behind her suggestions:

Epsom Salts: Provides magnesium to the body. Korn suggests that "magnesium is a gentle approach to reduce anxiety, insomnia, and muscle tension" and also states that sleep disorders can be a "tell tale sign of a magnesium deficiency. See the whole article here.
Blue light blocking glasses: Blue light that we are exposed to when we are reading at night, watching TV, or scrolling on a phone, computer, or other device is stimulating and suppresses melatonin, therefore contributing to insomnia. See the book excerpt here.
Oatmeal: The oats are anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) and the nuts provide some fat and protein to keep blood sugar stable through the night. This could keep you from waking up during the night.
Chamomile tea helps induce sleep.

Sleep Dos and Don'ts

Do...

exercise everyday.
drink chamomile tea.
use "Equal breathing" or "relaxing breath" techniques.
create a schedule where you wake and fall asleep at similar times each day.
hide the clock (staring at the clock can stress you out and make it even harder to fall asleep).

Don't...

watch TV or use your phone right before bed. Ideally turn all electronics (TV, phone, computers, etc) 2 hours before going to sleep. If this seem like eternity, try starting with a 30 minute tech detox before heading to bed.
take naps, especially since long naps can alter your sleep patterns. If you must nap keep it to a 20 minute cat nap.
consume caffeine after lunch time as this stimulant can stay in your body for up to 8 hours.
do homework in bed as this could potentially stress you out in the space that is meant for sleep and coziness.

Books about Sleep - Available in the Dover Bay Library

Eat Right, Feel Right: Simple Recipes and Tips to Improve Mood, Sleep, Attention & Focus, Leslie Korn.

Project You, Aubre Andrus and Karen Bluth

Sleep Sense: Improve Your Sleep, Improve Your Health, Dt. Katherine Lederle

Good Night Mind: Turn off Your Noisy Thoughts & Get a Good Night's Sleep, Coleen C. Carney, PHD and Rachel Manber, PHD

The Little Book of Sleep: The Art of Natural Sleep, Dr. Nerin Ramlakhan

Improve Sleep: 20 Quick Techniques (5-minute First Aid for the Mind), Katrin Schubert, M.D.

The Insomnia Workbook for Teens: Skills to Help You Stop Stressing and Start Sleeping Better, Michael A. Tompkins, PHD & Monique A Thompson, PsyD

The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, Maik Wiking

The Danish Secrets of Happiness: Hygge: How to be Happy and Healthy in Your Daily Life, Maya Thoresen

Other Resources

How to Calm Your Worries and Sleep Better (Youtube)

Wind Down Yoga - 12 Minute Bedtime Yoga - Yoga with Adriene (Youtube)

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