Beyond mattresses and pillows and sleep positions, there are many strategies you can employ for better sleep?
Did you know that lack of sleep has reached epidemic proportions in western culture and it is now estimated that insomnia is the #1 health-related problem in the US?
It’s not just checking facebook or binge watching our favorite TV show that has interfered with us getting to sleep. Many people can’t fall asleep at a reasonable hour. Many wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. And then there are those who consistently wake up too early.
Get a handle on your sleep routine by following these tips for going to sleep and staying asleep.
6 STRATEGIES FOR BETTER SLEEP
- Get to sleep by 10:30pm. Most cellular repair in your body is done between 11pm and 2am. If you need to get up at 7am, you should be asleep by 10:30pm.
- Keep your bedroom cool. Your body temperature decreases when you sleep. If your room is too warm, it can interfere with this process and your sleep suffers.
- Avoid blue light at night. The blue light from our ‘screens’ causes stress hormones to increase and sleep regulation to be suppressed. An app like f.lux on your devices you can automatically reduce how much blue light is emitted at night. Or, better yet, make your bedroom an “electronic free” zone. Turn off all your devices 1 to 2 hours before bed. You will get better sleep.
- Get plenty of sunlight during the day. The most important factor regulating the circadian rhythm (the process that dictates your sleep cycle) is light entering the eye. It’s important to let your body know that it’s daytime by getting plenty of bright day light.
- Go natural. There are several supplements that can be helpful for relieving insomnia and better sleep. These include Magnesium, L-theanine, Taurine, 5-HTP, and Melatonin.
- Manage your stress during the day. People are always complaining to me that they can’t get to sleep because they can’t ‘turn off their brain’. It’s no wonder with how busy our lives are these days. If your sympathetic (fight or flight) system is running at top speed all day, it’s unrealistic that you’ll be able to switch to your parasympathetic (rest and digest) system as soon as you jump in bed. Managing stress during the day through exercise, yoga, or medication makes it easier to get to sleep and stay asleep.
When it comes to health, make time for yourself and make sleep a priority.
NEED HELP?
When it comes to sleep, a lot of people don’t know where to turn for advice.
But did you know people report sleeping better when under chiropractic care?
There’s one strategy that stands out above the others because it seems to get people to their goals faster…
That strategy is Neuro-Structural Restoration™…
Achieving better sleep has several requirements and the most important is a healthy and functioning nervous system. When someone’s nervous system begins to function better, everything improves… it’s the driver that gets everything working properly again… and the results can be incredible.
Click HERE if you’d like to know more about how problems with your spine and nervous system may be affecting your sleep and in other ways you may not even be aware of.
Dr. Derek Gallant
Dr. Derek Gallant has committed himself to helping others live the best life possible. After graduating from Wesleyan University, he received his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Life Chiropractic College West where he finished 2nd in his class. He is the owner of Beverly Family Chiropractic and co-founder of The Well Family Foundation. Dr. Gallant is certified through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) in the Webster technique, an analysis focused on assisting pregnant women in a healthy pregnancy and natural birth. He has inspired thousands of people to take control of their own health using the Life By Design method. Apart from full time practice you can find Derek at the parks and coffee shops around Beverly with his family, training hard at the gym, or at the beach surfing.
