Better Sleep in One Week

Tall order, I know.

But hear me out. This one will be short & sweet. My top 7 tips to improve your sleep.

Whether you struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, or just wake up never feeling rested…there’s a lot of variety in the underlying causes of sleep disturbances. So none of this is to replace a consult with your doctor (and if I’m your doctor, you know how much I value sleep in the picture of whole-person health). If you want to know more about that, check out our blog “Why Can’t I Fall Asleep or Stay Sleep?!”

In that blog ^^ we chatted potential underlying causes of poor sleep and fatigue, and now here…these top 7 tips tackle them head-on.

As you implement them, I encourage you to keep a sleep and energy journal. Add in one new sleep hygiene habit every 3-7 days…this will help you shed some light on the underlying issues affecting your sleep. If the first tip doesn’t move the needle much, but the third one really makes a difference, you’ll have better data on knowing your bio-individual health factors and how to live healthier (and happier, because poorly rested people are hardly ever the best versions of themselves).

First the tips, then we’ll circle back to the underlying factors. Why? Because I know you really just came here for the tips 😅 oh and maybe a discount on supplements (have no fear - that’s down there, too).

Top 7 Sleep Tips

0. Track your sleep.

Know thyself. Take stock of when you’re asleep and when you’re awake. Journal your energy, mood, sleep, and ladies - definitely journal this with your menstrual cycle if you still have one. Observation and documentation are key to noting what actually supports significant shifts in your sleep and health. I always encourage my patients to work on sleep hygiene (these tips) before moving into supplements and even before (or alongside) labs, in many cases. If these are off, they’re going to throw off blood glucose balance, hormone regulation, energy and the whole cascade that follows.

1. Coffee Talk (Caffeine & Sleep)

In the world of setting yourself up for a great night’s sleep…coffee, tea and caffeinated drinks have their place, and it’s inside a window of enjoyment. No caffeine at least 8 hours before your bedtime (10 hours prior is even better, 12 is rockstar sleeper status).

Many people find it easiest to just call a hard stop at 2pm (again, noon would be even better). This is because the half-life of caffeine is 5-6 hours (and of course, we all metabolize caffeine uniquely). So the goal is to let as much caffeine get processed and out of your system as possible.

We also are seeing studies now showing that delaying caffeine intake until 60-90 minutes after rising is also ideal. Letting your brain and body rev itself up and get going is kinder on your cortisol and other hormones. So, we love you, coffee…but stay in your lane.

2. Let there be LIGHT! Two part-er:

2a. Morning sunshine - in your eyeballs, no filters. Bonus points for also watching the sunset and then implementing 3b.

2b. Evening darkness. Kick the blue light before bed.

3. Exercise.

Movement is great for sleep, but again - within its bounds. Are you seeing a theme here? All things in their right time. Daily exercise regularly shows positive effects on both deep sleep and REM sleep. However, do not exercise intensely within 6 hours of bedtime. This has been shown to decrease sleep quality.

4. Keep it cool and dark,

like can’t-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face dark. Okay, but don’t trip over anything - safety first.

Your body temperature drops to sleep. Somewhere between one to three degrees - not insignificant. This is much easier if you aren’t trying to sleep in a warm environment. If you’re a bit chilly, or prone to being chilly, you can have an extra blanket (or two, hey hashi momma’s - I feel you). It’s easier to kick out a leg or throw off a blanket than to deal with the sleep disturbances coming from your body’s inability to cool down sufficiently.

When it comes to darkness - see point two 😉 if you need a light, we use the “bedtime bulb” company and like those. Keeping it in shades of red, and just enough to move about safely.

5. Pay attention to your meals. Carbs are not the enemy of rest.

Having a higher-carb dinner can support our hormones and proper rest (when we say higher-carb, that pretty much means a normal amount of carbs for most Americans). Combining carbs with healthy protein and fat, and eating them later in the meal to support steady blood sugar, we can actually support our serotonin levels as well as our

Do not eat a full meal within two hours of going to bed. But also, do not go to sleep hungry/starving - this will also prevent you from falling or staying asleep.

6. Set sleep and wake times. Get your booty in bed by 11pm at the latest. Avoid “social jetlag” from events.

Having a varying sleep and wake schedule constantly really negatively affects our sleep. Deep sleep and slow-wave sleep are important.

Your body cycles through various stages of sleep; initially, you drop into deep sleep and slow-wave sleep…but later in the night you [should] move into more REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Deep sleep is when you secrete more of your growth hormone, and your body focuses mostly on repairing itself - protein synthesis, repairing your cells, muscles, etc. REM sleep has more vivid and emotional dreams, and more of this happens during the second half of your night’s rest.

Energy is metabolized differently during the second half of the night, which is very crucial to those of us who want to optimize our blood sugar regulation (because those effects carry over into the next day…)!

Deep sleep (or slow-wave sleep) and REM sleep should be roughly balanced if you’re using a sleep tracker. Our modern sleep trackers are still educated, tech device guesses - so while it is good to use these for data, but it’s still a best guess.

7. Cut the alcohol for a week. And the cannabis (CBD & THC).

Alcohol within 8 hours of going to sleep changes our sleep architecture and can disrupt our deep sleep. There are very compelling studies

8. Sleep Stack Supplements? Do’s and Don’t’s

This is a very commonly asked something that Check that Blog out HERE:

Underlying Factors Affecting Sleep Quality & Quantity

Okay, if you made it this far…Brava!! Label me impressed 👏🏽

Hormonal Imbalances & Cortisol Dysregulation

Stress

Blood Sugar Fluctuations