4 Tips to Get Sleep

Posted on Jul 24, 2014 | 0 comments

It is hard to get the sleep your body requires with today’s fast paced life-style. Studies are showing that sleep is super important for our bodies yet most of us do not get enough of it.

Whether you struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep or carving out enough time for sleep – it simply cannot be ignored.

Lack of Sleep = Stress on the Body = Physical Problems

Physical Problems Caused by Not Getting Enough Sleep

By not letting your body rest it cannot heal itself. This may result in weight gain/loss, premature aging, hair loss, hormone imbalances, infertility, lowered immune system, overall irritability… shall I go on?

What happens while I sleep?

Amazing things! You gain incredible mental clarity by letting your body rest.

1. Your memory enhances.
2. Nerves and muscles rest providing you with the ability for your maximum performance, your happiest mood and your highest amount of energy when you wake up.
3. The body goes through a complicated regulation of the immune system functions.
4. The body produces more growth hormone, which is important in burning fat and developing lean muscles.
5. The body gains strength to handle stress better.

Cool, huh? All this while you are far away in dream land! But if you are not getting the sleep you need, your body can not build up its defenses, therefore becoming quite weak.

What happens when my body becomes weak from not enough sleep?

Any number of things can occur when we do not get enough sleep. Heart disease, hypertension, weight gain/loss, diabetes, a wide range of psychiatric disorders including depression and anxiety, hair loss, premature aging and hormonal imbalances.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

Studies suggest a healthy adult needs between 6 ½ to 7 hours of sleep a night. That is a good baseline to gauge from however I think you should listen to your body. You may need more or slightly less. Each of our bodies are unique so it is important to listen to what your body is telling you.

Why do I have a hard time falling or staying asleep?

Sleep is a hormone dependent process so there are many factors that could be affecting your sleep. By identifying and correcting the lifestyle factors that are causing the problem, better sleep could be just around the corner for you!

4 Tips to help you sleep better:

Tip 1: Enhance Sleep While You Are Awake.

Proper sleep hormone production depends on proper hormone function during waking hours. This means you need to use your body during the day!

• Exercise, both mentally and physically, breathe clean air, keep your body and your surroundings clean – it all factors in!
• Eat a well-balanced diet. Your evening meal should mainly focus on proteins, vegetables and healthy fats. Eating enough of that at this meal will help your body prepare to enter the sleep cycle. Always try to eat by 6pm, and no more after that.
• Here are some healthy foods that deliver the necessary building blocks for your body to manufacture sleep hormones:

Coconut Oil * Free-Range Eggs * Avocados * Pasture Raised Meats * Organic Butter * Vegetables * High Nutrient Fruits * Green Teas early in day *

• There are a few foods to avoid as well. Sugars, grains for dinner, vegetable oil (this one did surprise me to find out but it has been suggested that vegetable oil gives the body the wrong type of fats to produce the necessary hormones thus causing problems with hormone production).

Tip 2: Check With Your Doctor About Supplements That May Help You Sleep.

Supplements are becoming increasingly more important as the quality of our soil declines and food continues to be picked before it is ripe. Some options are coconut oil, fermented Cod Liver oil, or magnesium.

Tip 3: Adopt A Healthy Daily Routine.

You will have to experiment to find out what works best for you. Here are my general guidelines:

• Do your best to wake up and go to sleep at the same time each day, even weekends. This will help your hormones stay on a regular cycle.
• Avoid caffeine after 1pm.
• Get at least 30 minutes of natural sunlight each day – this will do wonders for you. The sun exposure during the day boosts serotonin levels, which will help improve melatonin levels at night.
• Drink plenty of fresh, clean water during the day. Make sure to stop drinking anything at least 2 hours before bed so as not to have to wake up in the middle of the night.
• I have read that spending 30 minutes a day barefoot outside in the grass, sand or dirt reduces your exposure to EMFs by taking the negative electrons from the earth into your body. Try it – it can’t hurt!
• Eat high protein/high fat dinner by 6 pm.
• Avoid artificial light as much as possible after the sun goes down.
• Take a soothing bath by candlelight about an hour before bed with some relaxing music or a good fiction book.
• Do some light stretching before bed.
• Meditate or pray for at least 5 minutes before bed, take time to appreciate.
• Try to be in bed by 10 pm. There are studies that show this will greatly impact your body’s ability to heal as there are supposed to be additional benefits to sleep before midnight.

Tip 4: Create Your Ideal Sleep Environment.

The temperature, the lights, the EMF’s all effect your sleep quality so it is important to find out what works best for you. I suggest you remove all artificial lighting and electronic equipment from your bedroom and keep the temperature under 70 for optimal sleeping. Also try using some white noise to block out any distracting sounds and keep your alarm clock set to a peaceful wake-up sound. When decorating, use softer more comforting colors and allow for open spaces in your room.

Sleep is important. If you continue to struggle with it, please call your doctor and get a referral into a sleep program near you. They are popping up everywhere now. People are finally starting to understand the importance of sleep and that so many people struggle with it, myself included.

What are your sleep tips?

Cheers and Happy Snoozing!
Malibu Mama Loves Xx

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