By Derek Henry, Holistic Health Coach for Healing the Body
We all crave that special place where we could sleep through almost anything and wake up feeling happy and rejuvenated. Unfortunately, those days for some of us are long gone and we haven’t had a good night’s rest for what seems like forever. Incorporate these five things and you may very well see that all change for the better.
Go to Bed Before 11 PM
In order to be able to get into a proper sleep routine, we need to respect the body’s natural circadian rhythms and melatonin production.
Melatonin production starts in response to impending darkness, and continues into the early hours of the night. Circumventing or not obeying this natural production cycle will throw off the entire sleep cycle and be extremely disruptive to a good night’s sleep.
Likewise, not obeying the body’s natural biological clock, or circadian rhythm, leads to abnormal secretions of the hormones, melatonin and serotonin, which leads to erratic biological rhythms and disrupts the harmonious functioning of your body.
Since the pineal gland starts to secrete melatonin between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m., and your sleep drive is at it’s highest around 10:30 p.m., it makes sense to take advantage of both natural processes in order to get your proper rest.
Going to bed by 11 p.m. will also ensure that you are getting your best bang for your buck by being fast asleep in between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., which is the best period for regeneration.
Eliminate EMF’s
Electromagnetic frequencies have been shown to be very disruptive to our own energy field, and combining that with our now distant relationship with being grounded (connected to the Earth’s energy field, through bare feet on soil, grass, or sand), we find ourselves ‘over charged’ and out of sync.
These EMF’s, which are constantly present through popular conveniences such as computers, phones, appliances, electronics, WiFi signals and electrical outlets, have been directly linked to melatonin depletion and sleep disorders.
Get rid of any alarm clocks, TV’s, and any other electrical devices in your bedroom, and look into grounding equipment to offset the harm of these sleep depriving EMF’s.
Relax Your Muscles and Mind
A common cause of sleep deprivation is an overactive mind at bedtime, as well as tight and contracted muscles, both of which are indicative of higher stress levels.
In order to calm the mind, try taking a magnesium bath while drinking a chamomile tea. Both have been shown to reduce stress and have a calming effect on the body that facilitates a more restful sleep.
You may also try taking a magnesium supplement internally, as it has been found to decrease sympathetic nervous activity, which helps reduce stress and allows you to relax.
Other sleep remedies include passion flower, skullcap, and valerian root.
Optimize Melatonin Production
As we age, melatonin production decreases. This has a direct effect on sleep patterns and the ability to get a good night’s rest.
In order to increase the secretion of melatonin and achieve a better sleep, try an ounce or two of coconut kefir before bed or a tablespoon of fermented vegetables. Fermented products that are loaded with beneficial bacteria have been shown to help with the secretion of melatonin, which will ultimately aid you in achieving a sound sleep.
Avoid Eating Just Before Bed
Eating anything significant before bed inevitably results in poor sleep, often accompanied by nightmares.
Digestion is not an active process during sleep; as during this time, we are not taking in food for our digestive system to handle. So any food intake shortly before sleep results in poor digestion and poor sleep quality during the optimum period between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. This is a common cause of poor sleep.
*Image of “woman” via Shutterstock
