A Fundamental Pillar of Health: Sleep
Mascari, Brooke. May 28, 2024
Many people struggle with sleep. An overwhelming 50-70 million people state they have trouble with sleep in the United States. The NCOA (National Council on Aging) states, “More than a third of Americans report getting less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. About 30% of adults have symptoms of insomnia, with 10% having insomnia that impacts their daily activities. Sleep apnea impacts 9%–38% of the general population.”
With such a large amount of people having difficulty sleeping, staying asleep, or getting good restful sleep; one has to wonder how this could be affecting our overall health.
In today’s article, I am going to share some practical tips and steps, from a holistic perspective, that have been shown to help improve sleep and cultivate a life for better sleep.
We at Havah Holistic Health know that sleep is important. In fact, we believe restful sleep provides the foundation for your mental and physical well-being. After a day of stimulating activity, our bodies are ready for and need deep sleep. Just like in nature, our physiology is dependent on cycles of activity and rest.
With that being said, we understand that most people live busy and hectic lives. Sometimes making the healthiest or most balancing choices can be challenging! However, our well-being and health are more than worth the effort we can put into feeling and being our best. We do not need to stress ourselves out thinking that we need to implement everything health-related into our lives immediately (in fact, this is the last thing we want to do because having stress in our lives is the main way we get further from health and balance!). But small consistent steps in the direction of health are wonderful and help us cultivate better habits that we can maintain.
And even better, the more we move in the direction of health and good restful sleep, the more in balance and tune with ourselves we become! This means that we will have an easier time letting go of bad habits or unhealthy addictions and introducing healthy practices into our lives instead. So do not be stressed by all the tips and information we provide; just know that any small steps to introduce health and self-love into your life will make a world of difference. You will undoubtedly benefit greatly even from so-called “small” healthy practices.
Let’s jump into the 17 tips and tricks you can implement into your life to cultivate good restful sleep every night of your life:
Tip 1: Aim for seven or eight hours of sound slumber without the aid of medication every night. Try to make seven hours the minimum and nine hours the max. Consistency is key when it comes to sleep. So whatever feels best for you, do that but make sure to maintain that to feel your best.
Tip 2: The hours of sleep before midnight are generally the most rejuvenating. Therefore, if you are sleeping eight hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., you will feel more rested than if you slept eight hours between midnight and 8 a.m.
This is because our circadian rhythms follow nature’s rhythms, and we therefore feel most invigorated by sleeping when it’s dark and rising with the sun.
Tip 3: To cultivate restful sleep, aim to be in your bed with the lights out by 10 p.m. If you are not used to getting to bed this early, try adjusting your sleep schedule in 15-minute increments.
For example, if you normally get up at 7 a.m., but want to start waking at 6 a.m., set your alarm and wake up at 6:45 a.m., then 6:30 a.m., and so on. If you need to make more immediate shifts in your sleep schedule, try 30-minute increments.
Tip 4: Avoid caffeine late in the afternoon and refrain from drinking alcohol in the evening, as this can easily disrupt your ability to enjoy restful sleep.
Tip 5: Eat a relatively light dinner no later than 7 p.m. Avoid late-night meals or snacks, and don’t go to bed with a full stomach because this interferes with sleep and your body’s nocturnal detoxification processes.
Tip 6: Wind down. Take a leisurely stroll after dinner. This not only helps you to feel more relaxed, but it also aids in digestion which also helps ensure you are getting good sleep. Having indigestion before or during sleep will keep you in a more shallow sleep state.
Tip 7: About an hour before bedtime, run a warm bath into which you place a few drops of calming essential oils, such as lavender, sandalwood, or vanilla. You can also diffuse this scent in your bedroom.
Tip 8: As your bath is running, perform a slow self-administered oil massage, using an oil that balances your dosha type. Pay special attention to your feet and scalp. After your massage, soak in the warm tub for ten to fifteen minutes.
Tip 9: Turn down the lights, burn a relaxing candle if you like, and listen to soothing music (Solfeggio or healing frequency of 432Hz, 528Hz, or 444Hz can be especially wonderful and relaxing). Doing something to help your senses feel calm can be wonderful to help your body and mind prepare for a good night’s sleep.
Tip 10: After your bath, drink something warm. It can be a cup of warm milk seasoned with cardamom and honey, chamomile tea, or valerian root tea.
Tip 11: If your mind is very active, journal for a few minutes before bed, “downloading” some of your thoughts and concerns so you don’t ruminate about them when you shut your eyes. Don’t allow your mind to get stuck thinking about a stressor from the day. Journal in an objective way, simply stating what happened and then allow the thought to pass.
Tip 12: Try a mantra meditation before bed or if you wake up in the middle of the night. Silently repeat the sleep mantra Om Agasti Shahina. The vibration is associated with calming down thoughts and helping with sleep. Even if you don't fall asleep right away, the mantra will create relaxation in the body and mind.
Tip 13: Avoid intense mental activity, emotional interactions, or overly stimulating or distressing reading material. Read inspirational or spiritual literature for a few minutes before bed.
Tip 14: Do your best not to watch television or do work in bed. Also avoid devices with self-illuminating electronic displays, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, at least two hours before bed. The blue light suppresses melatonin and can trick your brain into thinking that it’s daytime and that you need to be awake and alert. Some computer programs and apps can block the blue light of your screen display based on your location and time.
If you are tempted to stay up late surfing the internet, watching TV, or posting on social media sites, establish a set time (such as 7 p.m.) to disengage from your electronic devices, including your phone, computer, tablets, and TV.
Tip 15: Sleep in a totally dark room because darkness helps increase melatonin. For especially sensitive individuals, even dim light, such as a glowing clock display, can interfere with your circadian rhythms and melatonin secretion and disturb sleep.
In fact, research has identified 'light-sensing' proteins on our skin called opsins. The role these opsins play in circadian rhythms is currently being studied. But we know for certain that sleeping in a totally dark room will help you sleep best.
Tip 16: Once in bed, close your eyes and simply “feel your body.” This means focusing on your body and wherever you notice tension, consciously relax that area.
Tip 17: Put your attention on your breath until you fall asleep.
Blessings on your journey!
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