5 Tips for a Better Sleep
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important a good nights sleep is for a person. For me, when I don’t get enough sleep, I’m more irritable, I’m lacking in energy and it’s really hard to have a good and productive day. It even affects my parenting in a negative way. I usually get about 6 to 6.5 hours a night. But ideally, 7 hours or more makes my day amazing! Realistically, when you become a parent, the amount and quality of your sleep changes as well.
Recently I started working with Roxanne from Food For Sleep on how to make sure I get a good nights sleep. She gave me lots of tips for a better sleep and when I follow the routine, I can tell the difference the following day.
Roxanne is a nutritionist and sleep coach and she is sharing 5 Tips for a Better Sleep with us all today, without the use of any medication or pills. Instead she shares how nutrition, movement and supplementation can help people get a good nights sleep.
5 Tips for a Better Sleep
1. Avoid caffeine or stimulants 7 hours before bed
If you’re hoping to be in bed by 10pm ensure no caffeinated beverages or other stimulants are consumed past 3pm. Stimulants take an average of 7 hours to clear from our systems so if you are consuming coffee, tea or soda in the late afternoon or evening it may be harder for you to fall asleep as the stimulants are still keeping you alert.
2. Include foods that contain calcium, protein and magnesium with dinner
A lack of calcium has been linked to waking through the night. Protein in required as a building block for our bodies to make tryptophan and melatonin which help us feel sleepy and stay asleep through the night. Magnesium can be helpful in relaxing our bodies and minds.
Dinner example: Wild, local salmon topped with lemon and pumpkin seeds, brown rice, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
Dessert/Snack example: Organic, full fat, plain Greek yogurt, topped with pumpkin seeds, a few dried tart cherries and a drizzle of local, raw honey.
3. Remove electronics from the bedroom and create a space just for sleep.
EMF’s (electromagnetic fields) as well as blue light given off by smart phones, TV’s and computers have been shown to disrupt sleep by blocking melatonin production in the pineal gland in our brains.
Ensure the bedroom is only used for sleep and sex. Working in bed can lead us to associate the bedroom with stressful feelings, rather than relaxed ones.
Keep the temperature in your bedroom between 15.5 and 21 C.
4. Create a relaxing routine
Slowly transition away from the stressors of the day into sleep through relaxing activities such as taking a warm bath or shower, reading, having a cup of herbal tea etc. Do so about an hour before bed. Stress signals a release of the cortisol hormone which is responsible for alertness, making it hard for us to relax and fall asleep, so avoid stressful activities such as work or dealing with emotional issues.
5. Mind dump/Journal
Each night, about 15 minutes before you fall asleep, write in a journal in any way that you like that will allow you to release your feelings or stress. Create to do list’s for the following day and let go of the tasks running through our mind.
Take it one step further and practice gratitude by recording something that you are grateful for that day, something that made you happy or something that you were amazed by.
Those are 5 tips for a better sleep that you can try. I’ve incorporated many of these things in my routine such as shutting off electronics and not watching TV about an hour before going bed (even though it’s hard sometimes.) I try to do relaxing things like reading, writing or some self care leading to bedtime. I’ve also been adding and changing things in my daily eating to help with better sleep at night. (I will be sharing that all in a blog post soon.)
Try some of these 5 Tips for a Better Sleep from Roxanne who is a holistic nutritionist and sleep coach. And remember, different things work for different people. Roxanne mentions, that these are all guidelines to help you get a good nights sleep. If these tips don’t work, make sure to consult a Nutritionist, Sleep Coach or Physician for more guidance.
Great list! Had no idea about the calcium actually. 3:30 is my cutoff time for coffee – anytime after that and no matter how sleepy I am, the second my head touches the pillow, I’m wide awake. Decaf doesn’t qualify as coffee for me. Lol
yes, having that cutoff time can be a huge help!
Very informative list. I would like to add- listening to classical music (Moonlight Sonata is my fav) for 30 minutes before hitting the sack, is also effective for better sleep.
I’ll have to check it out.
Whoa! I never thought about #2 and now I want to figure out how to incorporate that to help out my hubby! Thanks for sharing.
Fingers crossed that you can!
Number 2 was a really interesting point. Thanks!
Glad you found it helpful!
I usually sleep well, but could definitely use these tips when I occasionally struggle!
It can’t hurt 🙂
I love that mind dump journal idea! I actually have one right next to my bed but write in it so infrequently. Must change that!
I’ve been trying to do it a few nights a week and really like it!
I absolutely need these tips now. Thanks for sharing.
Aditi
http://www.sosaree.in
Glad you found them helpful!