Six sleep secrets for sweet dreams
It’s been a tough day. There were delays on the metro…again, and you were late to work. And you were late coming home, at the end of the day, because you just couldn’t get to everything—and that includes having to skip the workout before heading home. After a semi-decent dinner (thank you, leftovers) and binge-watching your favorite show, you hit the hay, eager for your shut eye. But the eye doesn’t shut.
Why does it seem that we’re forever chasing sleep and never quite catching it? For some of us, the previous scenario might sound all too familiar. For others, it’s not that we can’t sleep once we’re in bed, it’s that we can’t quite get ourselves under the covers when we’d like to. We burn the candle at both ends and are left feeling burnt out. And some of us are young parents, for whom sleep is ever elusive thanks to a little bundle of joy!
Science shows that people who sleep fewer hours are more likely to be overweight than their counterparts who get 7+ hours each night. Most of us can tell from first-hand experience that learning and memory are sharper when we are well-rested. And a Harvard sleep study indicates that even partial sleep deprivation can negatively affect our mood, resulting in anxiety and agitation.
So, how can we improve the quality of our sleep, so that it doesn’t remain a distant dream?
Here are some healthy habits I’ve picked up along the way that help me achieve restorative sleep and that I hope will help you do the same. Here are my six SLEEP secrets for sweeter dreams and more zzzz’s:
Sunlight – It’s especially critical to expose ourselves to morning sunlight to set our circadian rhythm. I get outside within 30-45 minutes of sunrise. The morning light at that time is full of red and infrared light—no UV light is present. This light is healing for our bodies and is critical to hormonal function. In essence, getting this light first thing tells our bodies that it’s time to wake up. So, this habit sets our internal clock so we can sleep better at night. Side benefit: waking up earlier makes us sleepy earlier, so it’s easier to go to bed “on time.”
Leave the window open (yes, even in winter) – A cooler room promotes more profound sleep. The body’s core temperature needs to drop to initiate sleep. So, we need to do what we can to cool down our bedrooms. Turn your heat down at night and take it to the next level, by opening up a window in the wintertime! Side benefit: the air you breathe is less toxic (outside air is often cleaner than the air inside our homes).
Eliminate screens in the bedroom - This tip has a two-fold purpose. By having no t.v. or devices in our bedroom, we give our eyes and brains a break. It means no blue light is emanating to disrupt the release of melatonin or confuse our bodies, as to the time of day. And no screens also means less radiation which “charges” our bodies up. I suggest turning off screens an hour before bed. And to leave our phones in another space altogether, not charging by the bed. Side benefit: There’s no temptation to check our phones once we’re in bed, and we may even be less tempted to look at it first thing in the morning, too. Who knows?! We might actually go old-school and read a book before bed instead.
Eat during the day – This might seem like common sense, but too many of us are on the late-night snacking train. If we allow our digestive system to rest, our entire body rests more easily, allowing sleep to come more quickly. I recommend eating while it’s still light outside. The key is to eat dinner earlier, stopping 4 hours before bed. Side benefit: When we shrink our eating window (e.g., 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.), we get the benefit of intermittent fasting—which results in more defined muscles, without changing our diet or exercise routine at all.
Pray – I don’t mean pray to fall asleep! As we drift off, it’s powerful and peaceful to focus on what we’re grateful for. This is a contrast to replaying troubling scenarios or worries from our day, the moment our head hits the pillow. Better to take a tip from “Goodnight, moon” and review all the little things that make us smile. Side benefit: We become more grateful, positive people the next day (and the day after that, and the day after that).
Zzzz – Be zealous about sleep. Get in bed 1 hour before you want to actually fall sleep. For example, I shoot for getting in bed for 9 hours, to really get 8 full hours of sleep. And the old adage is true, every hour you get in bed before midnight “counts twice” in terms of its positive results for your sleep quality. Side benefit: There is such a thing as beauty rest. We will look well-rested…when we actually are.
The holidays are right around the corner. To feel top-notch, ready to handle unexpected guests, check things off the to-do list, and shine at the neighborhood party, we need to get serious about our sleep. This is why I am going to hold a challenge called “The 12 Days of Sleep-mas.” It’s really an opportunity for us to prioritize self-care and our sleep “hygiene” especially during this time of year when we tend to put all of that on the back burner.
If you want to jump on this, subscribe to my website newsletter or follow me on Instagram @holistichilda, as details are coming soon! There will be daily sleep tips and a chance to win a pair of Defender Shield blue-blocking glasses.
So, bring on the visions of sugarplums dancing! This could be the most fun you’ve ever had during a health challenge! Sweet dreams, my friends!
(Oh, and if you want more inspiration on sleep, listen to Wise Traditions podcast #214 “Why can’t I sleep?” with Dylan Petkus, of Optimal Circadian Health.)
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Hilda Labrada Gore is a biohacker, certified health coach, and fitness professional. She is the host and producer of the Wise Traditions podcast, on behalf of the Weston A. Price Foundation. She is a podcast coach, too, and the author of “Podcasting Made Simple.” She is a YouTuber, helping people live their best lives through experts, experiences, and epic adventures. Hilda has energy to spare thanks to her ancestral health practices and her love for sunshine and liverwurst.