SLEEP WELL 19 TIPS!!!!!
In no particular order, I am listing off my favorite sleep tips and resources based off a survey showing how most of you are sleeping like shit. I am so passionate about sleep ! I can’t funciton witout a solid 8 hours, I feel as though I’m hungover. What really motivates me is the rest and repair that goes on during sleep and how important it is for longevity!!! These are tips I have found to help me along the way or are always mentioned in sleep studies. I hope this may help some of you!
Here we go
1) FRONT LOAD HYDRATION – Drink tons of fluids but drink it more so upon waking up and don’t take anything excwpt little sips after 5 or 6pm. The theory here is obviuos – Your sleep will suck if your body wakes you up to pee
2) TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY – This has helpws me – Having a ring, earrings, necklace. EWWW – I don’t know how people can sleep in necklaces? Don’t you feel like you are getting gagged at night? I am so not a jewelry person at all but I take my minimal things off. If you tend to move around while sleeping and find yourself in a weird position with jewelery somehow poking in your skin, it can wake you up! Quit it.
3) MORGUE!!! Set the air way down low! I like 62-63 deg F to avoid waking up in a sweat.
4) HOT SHOWERS AT NIGHT – There is science behind this one which activates your body to sleep via melatonin production. Click here –HOT SHOWERS
5) Cotton Sheets and PJS only – Let it breathe. Synthetics are horrible and can trap heat and make you wake up in a sweat. Check your sheets. Costco & Target has great affordable 100% cotton sheet options
6) YOGA – A restorative or Yin practice at night. I could blab forever on why yoga works and heals the body. It basically unclogs the blockages, dissolves the knots, frees up your meridian lines of energy and fascia. Moving in every plane of motion via yoga gets rid of the bad juju hiding out in your body. Try some gentle hip openers, your favorite supine twists or my personal favorite which is legs up the wall for 5 mins. There is so much in that one pose that allows your heart rate and nervous system to come into a state of true rest. I make my whole family do this one!
7) MAGNESIUM – It’s know as the sleeping and pooping mineral (and OMG, if you aren’t pooping daily on top of not sleeping a solid 8 hours of sleep – I really feel for you!!! That hell on earth) I have my kids taking Mag too. So much research out there as to why we should be taking it. Here are my favorites : Kids – Kids MAGZ Adults – ADULT MAG. I also love the Foodbabe’s Magnesium TRUVANI
8) WHITE NOISE – Or I’m hearing the next big thing is “brown noise” NY Times article here BROWN NOISE, try a fan, white noise machine or air purifier in your room at night. Here are links to the ones we use and for travel –> Homedics and AIR PURIFIER
9) KICK YOUR SNORING SIGNIFCANT OTHER OR YOURSELF TO THE GUEST ROOM – Omg, I hear from so many friends about their husbands snoring or those damn CPAP machines waking them up. Sleep away from your spouse!!! Your sex life does’t have to suffer on this account! It could save your marriage and add years back to everyone’s life. My husband is an ENT so he hears this all the time. Sinus surgery is an option
10) BLACKOUT BLINDS – Make the room as dark as possible, even for your kids. Costco has great blackout blinds and I love these blackout eye masks off Amazon Eye Masks
11) NO ELECTRONICS IN BED – Ditch the phone and remove the TV from the room. Read or journal in bed instead
12) STRESS MANAGEMENT – Figure out your mental issues. Whatever it takes. Get rid of what is toxic to rest your head better at night. Find a therapist if needed, more yoga,
13) 10,000 steps a day – When I am super consistent with 10-15K I notice I sleep much stronger
14) RESOURCES – To get your head in the game on sleep hygenine – These are some good ones
This is an aggressive 3 part series on Sleep w/ Matthew Walker PETER ATTIA
Here is a version on Goop w/ Matthew Walker goop
Matthew Walkers Book BOOK
I haven’t read this book but one of you rec’d it Harvard
15) AROMATHERAPY – Lavender Pillow Mists, Lavender Sachets, Lavender Roller Balls, get in that Lavender Haze!!! The smell in your room is proven to help you sleep 🙂 It’s worth a shot.
16) MASSAGE – Ive read on ayurvedic topics that always say massage at night should also help. Ditch the netflix shower and rub your feet, hands, face (use a facial roller like this ROLLER ) and even your ears!
17) MELATONAIL – There is debate around this one. I try to go easy on it and only take 1mg a night to force my body to make it’s on. Let me stress it is NOT good to give this to children. EVER! It’s a hormone, let’s not eff around with that in a growing child or talk to your pediatrician on this. I used to use the OLLY brand at Target but have recently switched to Vital Proteins and I am obsessed with it. Go small, even just nibble off half. Melatonin supposedly only helps you go to sleep but doesn’t maintain your sleep.
18) CHAMMOMILE – since i’m anti drinking fluids at bedtime, I skip the chammomile tea and go for the supplement at night. It’s tiny and easy to swallow. My husband takes this too. Buy here –> Cham Supplement
19) ASHWAGANDHA – This ayurvedic adoptogenic herb has research behind it on lowering cortisol levels and helping with relaxation. Worth a shot. I buy mine off of Costco but here’s the amazon link Youtheory
Legal Disclaimer – I am not a medical professional. These just happen to help me or I found useful along the way. Please consult your medical professional before trying anything. Oh, I used to pop Ambien before during international travel and it was awesome. After listening to Matthew Walkers research on it – I will not touch it with a ten foot pole unless I am in a locale witha 12 hour + time difference.
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