Sleep seems to be getting a lot of attention recently. As more research is done regarding dementia, heart disease, and other killers it is becoming clearer and clearer that sleep, or lack thereof, has a large impact on a person's chances of an unhappy unhealthy future.
Good sleep is needed if you're trying to lose weight. Good sleep is needed if you want to avoid dementia. Good sleep is needed if you want to move ahead in the world, pass those tests, get that promotion. Lack of sleep is one of the biggest contributors to the worst kinds of automobile accidents.
I've been working on improving my sleep for quite a while. I have alerts set up on a variety of sleep topics and am always looking for the magic bullet that will help me get more deep and REM sleep.
I am obviously not writing as an expert on how to get to sleep and stay asleep. I need Matthew Walker to fly me to Berkely and do a sleep test...some personal coaching! I am a fellow searcher for that elusive perfect night of sleep.
Most experts say 7-8 hours but there are differing opinions on that one also! Isn't that the way of the world these days?
After extensive reading, and countless podcasts, I have decided that my goals aren't necessarily just reaching a certain length of time. My goals are reaching 20-25% of REM and around 25% of deep sleep. Of course, if I only sleep 2 hours that's a crazy goal. I generally get around 5 /12 to 6 hours of sleep so those goals are a bit more reasonable. Don't get me wrong, I would love to regularly sleep 7 hours a night but that seems to be the impossible dream at this point. Working on it!
Another thing I've come to realize is that if I keep our ancient ancestors in mind I'll have a better shot at attaining my sleep goals. As we developed, as the best survived during our evolution, those with certain traits and genes thrived and procreated. We got up with the sun, were hungry for periods of time, moved a lot, went to sleep when the sun went down.
In today's world, we have bright lights around the clock. Most of us have plenty of easily available food (the quality of our food is another story!). We have tons of things to keep our minds busy and engaged well past bedtime.
We are doing things daily that are contrary to the way our bodies were designed. Sleep is one of the things that suffers.
Here is a long list of things to consider and/or try. They are not in any particular order. Links are at the end for those wanting to do more research.
- 3/22/21 - Mountain Rose Herbs (where I get the majority of my herbs) sent out a recipe for an extract combo to help with sleep. Looks interesting. https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/extract-blend-for-sleep
- 2/23/21 Practice Square Breathing:
- Inhale through your nose for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Hold your breath for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Exhale through your mouth for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Pause and hold for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Repeat until you drift off
- Try weighted blankets
- Exercise in the mornings to early afternoon; definitely not a few hours before going to bed
- Eat a healthy diet
- check into intermittent fasting, keto diets and/or a lower carb diet. I suggest you cycle any diet as, based on my reading, it seems that your body adjusts to pretty much anything over time and you lose the impact.
- consider eating whole foods, staying away from processed foods and fast-food restaurants, grass-fed beef in small portions, pastured chicken and eggs, going plant-based or some type of way of eating that doesn't have a beginning and an end like a "diet" --- the goal is to find a way of eating that you can sustain, live with, that heals and nurtures your body, and your sleep!
- stay away, far away, from all forms of sugars aside from fruit.
- organic whenever possible
- if cost is a factor stay away from the Dirty Dozen and choose from the Clean Fifteen
- Cut stress from your life. Yes, easier said than done! Work, family, other issues can be stressful and sometimes there's just nothing you can do to make things easier. However, you can train your mind and how you react. Plenty of info out there on the Internet to give you ways to deal effectively with stress (some of the other things on the extensive list may help with stress).
- Stop eating 3 hours before bed. A minimum of 3. Longer if you have any digestive issues.
- Stop drinking fluids 3 or more hours before bedtime if you have a bladder that wakes you up repeatedly at night; if you are having those issues it may be time to find a good urologist and get some help as it's not going to improve on its own and good sleep is critical!
- No caffeine after 10-11 a.m. or at the lastest 2 p.m. (varying recommendations on this one from the "experts"). Caffeine affects different people in different ways. I have a high tolerance for it but I still stop by 11 every day just to make sure every last bit is out of my system by the time my head hits the bed.
- Darken your bedroom. A pitch-black sleeping environment to include covering all of even the tiniest lights is a must-do thing on your sleep quality list. Blackout curtains are great but you may need to tape the edges to keep out any nearby lights.
- Raise the head of your bed (especially good if you have acid reflux or heartburn but it's also good for your sleep)
- Wear an eye mask
- 3/2/20 Eat plenty of fruit. I just came across this one in a sleep article. They didn't give any supporting info but I figured pretty much anything is worth a try! Let me know if it works for you.
- Look into blue-blocking glasses
- different ones for different times of the day as you don't want to block all blue light (it wakes your body up and gets it moving toward a good night of healthy sleep so you need it in the morning, and some through the day)
- do some research before buying. There are plenty of YouTube reviews out there, plus I'd suggest reading some posts by Dave Asprey along with other info widely available on the Internet.
- 10/24/20 - Restless legs? Leg pain at night? Wear compression socks at night OR during the day instead. Just reading about some people who have restless leg syndrome and ways they are dealing with the issue. If you have restless legs at night or get cramps be sure to see a vascular specialist. Sometimes the issue can be fixed or diminished with vein treatments. It's possible to have lymph node issues also that contribute to problems at night (and during the day, of course). If you have swollen ankles or legs a leg pump may help (Amazon has a bunch for around $100 and up --- if you're diagnosed then your insurance may cover the multi-thousand dollar Cadillac version). You may want to try drinking a bit of tonic water (with quinine) in it before bed as some say that helps with restless legs.
- Stop using all electronic media 2 hours before bed
- read a book --- with paper pages rather than a screen; in addition to the brain-waking screens, I have read they emit or pulse with waves that impact your sleep
- if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep in 15-20 minutes go to another room and read.
- if you must use your phone, tablet or computer be sure to have blue blockers on them (f.lux, Iris, Night Shift, etc.)
- wear your spiffy weird looking blue blocking glasses
- there are some who believe that you should turn off your wifi completely before going to bed and keep all electronics out of your bedroom at night
- Stop watching TV 2 hours or more before bedtime. Get the TV out of the bedroom!
- I've read numerous times that you "train" your brain regarding the purpose of your bed. If you do things other than sleep (or enjoy your partner) in your bedroom your mind doesn't clearly equate that bed with sleep. I'm not sure about that one...but it's worth a try if you're having trouble sleeping.
- Find out if you have any genes that impact your sleep. I have a "short-sleep" and "have-a-hard-time-getting-deep-sleep" gene. Sigh. But now I know what I'm combating so I can give myself a break if I don't hit those optimum sleep stats.
- Do you snore? Have sleep apnea? The easiest way to find out (if you don't have a sleep partner who can tell you...) is with an app like SnoreLab. There are others. I tried a few and liked SnoreLab the best. It listens all night, scores your snoring. If you find out you have an issue, go see a sleep specialist and do whatever you have to do to figure out what the underlying cause might be. You may want to try changing your diet, raising the head of your bed, changing your mattress, one of those inexpensive devices you can pop in your mouth, or some other remedies. Don't delay.
- Go outside in the morning for 20-30 minutes. Start that circadian clock ticking! Look into red infrared therapy as an option if you're unable to get outside. Or as an addition. Studies are ongoing regarding red infrared light and the impact on sleep and health. The few studies I've seen referenced are small. I may have missed some though.10/24/20 --- standing in front of a window doesn't work. The glass blocks some of the "good stuff". You have to get outside! (just read that one on a sleep study article)
- Drop the temperatures at bedtime. I've read that anywhere from 62 to 68 is a good range for good sleeping. You'll want to experiment with the temps. If there are a number of people sleeping in a home this one can get to be ticklish.
- Try white or pink noise machines. I have a small machine that works wonders. I didn't think it did much until I went for a few nights without it.
- 2/19/20 Don't keep hitting the snooze button. Set your alarm for the time you need to get up and then get up! If you plan to hit that snooze button you've potentially messed up a good ten minutes or more of good sleep (REM in particular). If you're hitting the snooze button often then your sleep quality may be lacking. Sometimes we just want a few minutes to plan our day...and the snooze button gives us a defined time --- I don't use the snooze button as I'm an artist and rarely have to use the alarm. However, I do like to lay in bed for a few minutes and get my head wrapped around the day so that snooze button would be great for me if I still have a 9-5 job.
- Binaural beats. There is some consensus on this one. It impacts deep sleep primarily. You can add a number of apps to your phone or tablets if you would like to try this one. Be sure to try listening at night with headphones before giving up on the effectiveness of using binaural beats to increase your deep sleep. Most of the apps allow you to set the time with 4 hours being the max as that is when your deep sleep should occur.
- Meditate
- I struggle a bit with this one as I use an app (Insight Timer) on my phone to meditate at night. Should I have electronics in my bedroom or not? I'm going to be looking into a CD of meditations or some other method (like maybe really practicing so I can do it on my own :-)) if I can't get a handle on my deep and REM sleep fairly soon; I do love some of the meditations and have yet to get all the way through one so they definitely work for me when it comes to clearing my mind of all those pesky thoughts that want to keep me stirred up at 3 in the morning!
- 3/1/20 --- since I first posted this blog on sleep a number of people have chimed in about using meditation as a great way to get better sleep! It needs to be a serious addition to anyone's life if they're trying for better life per many, many who commented (I posted a link on another forum). I plan to try to add meditation into my daytime regime and keep it as a part of my nighttime ritual.
- 3/1/20 - Yoga, Tai Chi, and other similar practices. I heard loud and clear --- adding these to your daily regimen works. And not just for sleep. They are great for balance, stamina, and de-stressing.
- Herbs and supplements (please do your own research before deciding to try any combination of the following...and go slowly):
- valerian,
- passionflower
- chamomile
- skullcap
- hops (flower)
- Ginkgo biloba
- glycine
- lemon balm
- lavender
- L-theanine (also found in green tea)
- Magnesium (I use CALM but am probably going to switch to a chewable so I can cut back on my fluids at night; start with a low amount/dose as this one can cause you some digestive issues --- think Milk of Magnesia and Epsom Salt...)
- Shankpushpi
- Turmeric
- 5-HTP
- GABA
- 3/1/20 - Fish oil (has been suggested that you take it in the evening)
- melatonin -- loads of back and forth on whether to take this one or not, how much, etc. Do your research, experiment. (2/20/20 - I posted a blog on melatonin yesterday: https://ramblingjan.blogspot.com/2020/02/melatoninits-good-for-more-than-sleep.html)
- CBD --- again, this is fairly new in the scheme of things to try that are purported to help with sleep. I am currently trying Alive By Nature's Cenergy CBD/NAD sublingual spray. I haven't noticed any changes to my sleep patterns yet but as I'm big into things like NAD, NMN, Resveratrol, etc. I'm good either way with this product!
- Experiment with low doses of melatonin. There is a lot of back and forth on how much, whether it's needed and doses are age and health determined. Start low, maybe a 1 mg time-release and see how you react, if it impacts your sleep
- Have your hormones checked (male or female). Women should definitely have their hormones checked if you are menopausal or post-menopausal and are having sleep issues.
- 3/1/20 - Essential Oils. From one of the suggestions shared with me on another forum: jojoba as the carrier oil, along with two drops each of lavender, bergamot, and ylang-ylang. The essential oils should be therapeutic grade.
- 3/1/20 - Annie Hopper's Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS)
- Tart Cherry Juice
- 3-5-20 - Probiotics (see link at end for more on this one)
- Get some sort of sleep tracker to monitor your sleep habits. None of them have the accuracy of a sleep test but they do give you a good way to see if you are improving your sleep, in particular deep and REM. There are watches, rings, additions to your bed, and apps that all do various things to give you tools to track your downtime. Some experts dislike sleep trackers as they are not accurate and can cause anxiety over the results. Personally, I don't stress. I look at my Charge 3 Fitbit as a tool. I don't think the results are perfect but over time they have allowed me to see the ups and downs of my sleep patterns.
- Do you grind your teeth at night? Try one of the under $30 mouth guards that you can pick up at almost any store or, better yet, talk to your dentist. Other tooth issues can impact your sleep also, plus there is growing evidence that gingivitis may affect your brain health and definitely plays a role in heart disease.
- Get a new mattress. I'm currently on the hunt for a new mattress and the choices are overwhelming. Money can be a factor in your selection. Along those same lines, look at your pillows. Having your head supported correctly is imperative.
- Wear comfortable clothes to bed. Toss that bra if it binds, keep it if you sleep more comfortably with your tatas safely ensconced :-). Comfy, soft t-shirts, baggy pants, no pants, no shirt, naked, whatever makes it easy for you to relax.
- Socks. Yep, there are some who say to wear socks and you'll sleep better. I end up kicking mine off in the middle of the night so that's a no-go for yours truly.
- Figure out your personal circadian rhythm. Some of us are night owls, some are early birds. Your age also makes a difference in your sleep cycles. Your occupation, work hours and eating habits can mess with your circadian rhythm. Forcing yourself to go sleep in opposition to your circadian rhythm can lead to disruptive sleep, lesser REM and deep sleep times or a lot of tossing and turning.
- Don't drink any adult beverages before bedtime. They may knock you out but they truly hurt your deep and REM sleep. Plus, for many, once the alcohol wears off your brain may wake up...and stay awake.
- Stay far away from sleeping pills. They sedate you, may allow you to stay asleep, but they mess up your deep and REM sleep. Many are addictive. Some cause some really interesting and potentially dangerous side effects. Talk to your doctor if you're taking over-the-counter sleep aids and do some major research if you're taking prescription sleep meds. Light sleep is not good sleep. Again, I'm just a person who's doing a lot of reading and searching --- you know your body, you know your doctor and you are responsible for doing your own research, making the decisions you feel are best for your brain and health.
- Keep a pad of paper and a pen or pencil by your bed. If you wake up in the middle of the night and your brain is whirling, make a list. Often times just writing a to-do list will allow your brain to quiet down. Or keep a journal by the bed, write down those thoughts and get them out of your head.
- Nap. Don't nap. You got it --- another area of contention with sleep "experts". Some say that naps take the pressure off, stop your circadian clock from ticking down to good sleep. Others say that naps make you more productive. I have found that I do better without any naps. I slog through those times when I feel the need to sleep during the day. If I nap then I'm not tired at bedtime and fight to go to sleep. I'd suggest that this one be another personal choice.
- Be grateful. Keep a gratitude journal. Before going to bed write down at least three things you are grateful for, and then when you wake up, read them to start your day on a positive foot.
- Work with your partner. If your partner has a different sleep schedule and they wake you up when they come to bed you may want to think about sleeping in different rooms. Better yet, try to work out some sort of compromise. Maybe your partner can come to bed and read with a book light while you wear your eyeshades and listen with headphones to a meditation.
- Take care of your partner. If your partner snores, tosses and turns and otherwise disturbs your sleep do your best to get them to understand what they are doing to their health --- and yours!
- Animals? Sometimes they are great to have snuggling with you at night. Sometimes not. If they are waking you up then it may be a good idea to wean them from your bed and teach them to sleep elsewhere.
- Stop smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant. When you sleep your body goes through a form of withdrawal and there goes your good sleep...
- Develop a bedtime routine and stick with it! Go to bed at roughly the same time (even on the weekends). Wind down at roughly the same time. Read a book every night or meditate.
- Take a warm bath. Dropping your internal temperature and relaxing are great ways to improve your sleep. I like to add some Epsom salt to my bathwater. Another suggestion I have read about is to get into the sauna. If you're like me the closest sauna is at the gym...and if I'm going to my gym I'm working out.
- Sleep on your left side. Loads of information on this one if you doubt! Sleeping on your back is probably second best (and it's better for those wrinkles that develop).
- 3/2/20 Allergies. Allergies can cause you to snore. They can impact your sleep. If you have a known allergy talk with your doctor. If none of the things on this extensive list work you may want to consider having your doctor check to see if you have any hidden allergies --- especially if they're talking about putting you on a CPAP machine!
- If nothing works go see a sleep specialist. Your sleep is too important to skimp on or to ignore.
Some sleep-talkin' people to follow:
- Matthew Walker
- Satchidananda Panda
- Dave Asprey
- Michael Breus
- James Wilson - I just came across James Wilson. I have not really looked at anything he has written or done. He was mentioned in a few articles and has some worth-looking-into links.
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200303155658.htm (probiotics help sleep)
- https://www.studyfinds.org/self-medication-study-finds-deep-sleep-rewires-the-brain-zaps-away-anxiety/
- https://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/a30981827/how-to-sleep/
- https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-sleep-clears-brain
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deep-sleep-gives-your-brain-a-deep-clean1/
- https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/04/460620606/lack-of-deep-sleep-may-set-the-stage-for-alzheimers
- The Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651462/
- https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep
- https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/12/18/can-intermittent-fasting-help-sleep/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201912/the-connection-between-sugar-and-your-sleep
- Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz#_=_
- https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2017/april/pink-noise-sound-enhance-deep-sleep-memory/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201710/better-sleep-5-htp
- https://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/matthew-p-walker
- https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/evening-screen-time-can-sabotage-sleep
- https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/feb/17/shut-eye-and-sleep-hygiene-the-truth-about-why-you-keep-waking-up-at-3am
- https://www.studyfinds.org/deep-sleep-memory-heart-disease/
- https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/13/people-nap-productive-says-study-12231065/
- https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/stages-of-sleep/deep-sleep/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/deep-sleep#diagnosis
- Had a sleep study? Here's some good info that'll help you understand the results: https://www.sleepapnea.org/treat/getting-sleep-apnea-diagnosis/sleep-study-details/
American Sleep Association - https://www.sleepassociation.org/
National Sleep Foundation - https://www.sleepfoundation.org/
American Academy of Sleep Medicine - https://aasm.org/
World Sleep Society - https://worldsleepsociety.org/
National Center on Sleep Disorders Research - https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/divisions/division-lung-diseases/national-center-sleep-disorders-research
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