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SOUND SLEEP

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WAKE-UP CALL

Our Sleep Crisis

  • Lights are Always On
  • Everyone is Stuck Indoors
  • Work Hours have Extended

Sleep Like a Baby

  • Let There Be (Less) Light
  • Soak up the Sun
  • Bring on the Boundaries

There isn’t one facet of your mental, emotional or physical health that’s not impacted by your sleep. 60% of people in the U.S. experience difficulties sleeping every night. Sleep is not a tradeable commodity, remove the badge of honor and get to bed.

Lack of sleep increases cortisol, appetite, fat storage and decreases thyroid. The master hormone insulin doesn’t work as well when an individual is sleeping poorly. One night of sleep deprivation can make you as insulin resistant as a person with type 2 diabetes.

CRITICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Sun Exposure: signals the hypothalamus, controls the release of pertinent hormones
    • Get sunlight between 6am and 830am, direct sunlight for at least 30 minutes/day
  • Screen Time: triggers your body to produce daytime hormones and cravings
    • Turn off all screens 90 minutes before bed

SIX SAVING STRATEGIES

1. Bedroom Basics

  • Light suppresses melatonin, buy “blackout” curtains available at most retail stores
  • Get electronics out of your bedroom or at the very least six feet away
  • World Health Organization lists Cellphones as a Group 2B Carcinogen

2. Temperature Control

  • HPA Axis (hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis) deals with overall stress load
  • Keep home 60 - 68 degrees, aim for a warm bath 1 to 2 hours prior to bedtime

3. Beverage Curfews

  • Caffeine has a half life of around 5 to 8 hours, provokes anti-sleep hormones
  • Cut caffeine off by 2pm or think about cycling it: 2 days on 3 days off
  • Alcohol significantly disrupts REM sleep, throws off body’s balance of wakefulness
  • Wrap up drinks 3 hours before hitting the sack and drink more water

4. Tight on Timing

  • Humans get the most beneficial hormonal secretions and recovery between 10pm - 2am
  • Best to be in bed within a few hours of being dark, aim for 7 ½ or 9 hours (90min cycles)

5. Quality Exercise

  • Muscle is a reservoir for anti-aging hormones, focus on a superset strength training style
  • Morning or afternoon workouts are ideal, evening workouts problematic

6. Connect Practice

  • Breathing is a secret key to unlocking your parasympathetic (rest-digest) nervous system
  • Massage increases delta brain waves (deep sleep and relaxation)
  • Create a practice 5-10 minutes prior to bedtime

SLEEP RESOURCES

PRODUCTS

MEDITATIONS

  • Tuck Me In: Relaxing Yourself to Sleep Martha Ringer (click here)
  • Yoga Nidra: Intro to Yogic Sleep Skyterra At Home (click here)
  • Mudra Meditation: Radiant Brahma Skyterra At Home (click here)

SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS

  • Meditations for Restful Sleep iSleep Easy Apple Store - $4.99 & Google Play - $2.99
  • Short meditations by Buddhist Monk Headspace FREE Apple Store/Google Play -
  • $7.99/mo
  • 7 Days of Sleep, 11-Minute Meditations Calm FREE Apple Store/Google Play -$3.33/mo

NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENTS

  • Organic Chamomile Tea, Yogi (click here)
  • Sleep Remedy - 30 Packets Doc Parsley’s (click here)
  • Magnesium Supplement: Topical Spray EASE (click here)

RECOMMENDED READING

  • Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson
  • The Sleep Revolution by Ariana Huffington
  • Power of When by Michale J. Breus, PhD
  • Lights Out by T.S. Wiley