Rest to Restore and Repair

Getting an adequate night’s sleep is one of the most overlooked components of our overall health & well being. However it is vital that your body is regularly in a parasympathetic state, where it can rest & repair.

Melatonin is our sleep hormone that is produced largely in the gut as a downline product of serotonin, & is essential for restorative sleep. So how do we help melatonin?

As someone who tossed & turned for years the best sleep tips I’ve found to help when my head hits the pillow are:
-Set & keep a sleep schedule, go to bed & wake up within the same hour window every day (yes weekends too)
-Sleep with the sun, our sleep schedules work best when synced with our natural diurnal rhythm set to the sun, ideally in bed from 10pm-6am which also go along with natural cortisol spikes
-Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed, due to your body producing energy for digestion
-No napping, ok so I love naps so keep it short & sweet if you must (20 min or less)
-Keep it cool with temps 67-69 degrees & soft, breathable bedding
-Keep your bed for sleeping only, this means no phones, tablets or laptops in bed
-Keep it quiet, or not, use a white noise such as a fan, air purifier or a white noise machine to drown out your surroundings
-Keep it dark, black our curtains are a must if you live in the city to help produce melatonin

If all else fails while your reset your diurnal rhythm try temporarily supplementing with herbal teas like chamomile, or lavender, you can also try supplementing magnesium citrate, or valerian root or liquid melatonin (in & out of your system faster to help avoid drowsiness). Just make sure to try any of these one at a time & on a weekend first!
SwEeT DrEaMs!

​Quote of the day: "Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life--think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success." -Swami Vivekananda