Sweet Sleep
The why and how of a better night’s rest
Sleep — some of us look forward to it from the second we wake up. Others wish we didn’t need it so we could spend our time doing other things (TV anyone? Just me?). Why do we both love and loathe sleep?
It may come down to a good night’s sleep versus a restless one. Perhaps, once you wake up in the middle of the night, it’s hard to fall back asleep; your mind begins racing and every few minutes you’re looking back at the clock to see what little time is left before the alarm rings. Others don’t have this problem (I know, kinda frustrating!). Keep reading to learn what makes sleep so important and how you can easily get a better night’s rest.
Why Is Sleep So Important?
On some level, we all know sleep is beneficial. We see the difference in our energy. We hear wellness experts and see experts on Instagram tout sleep as a time for repair, detoxification, restoration, and preparation. Sleeping is also important for adults because it can reset our moods and give us a feeling of “returning back to normal.” But there’s so much more! Here are some lesser-known reasons that explain why sleep is critical:
- Memories and Learning: Remember those college all-nighters? Maybe today it looks like late night preparations for an early morning presentation. If your goal is to really know the information, I don’t recommend cramming and staying up all night. Sleep is when memories and information go from short-term to long-term memory, like a file transfer, and new memories get associated with existing ones. Overnight, our brains tie everything together. In fact, there’s some evidence you actually need sleep to prepare your brain for learning.
- Mood and Mental Health: There’s a huge emotional component associated with sleeping. It’s no coincidence they say to “sleep on it” when we don’t know how to deal with something — it’s based on science. Researchers call sleep “emotional first aid.” So perhaps, given the last 18 months of ever present uncertainty and lifestyles that seem increasingly more stressful, sleep might be your brightest crayon in the box.
- Health: Did you know that a lack of sleep, or sleep challenges often present as diabetes, obesity, psychiatric challenges and immune disorders? We visit our doctors with these symptoms, seeking treatments for each, but an underlying piece of all of them could be sleep. Studies show that individuals with less than seven hours of sleep were three times more likely to be infected by the rhinovirus (AKA the common cold), compared to those who were getting eight or more hours of sleep. Another study showed that women getting less than five hours of sleep had a 70% increased risk of developing pneumonia. Want more? There’s also a study about how much sleep people got the week before their flu shot! Those who got less than eight hours at night showed less antibody activity — essentially the flu shot was less effective. It makes sense; we urge those who are sick to sleep and rest. Sleep sharpens every tool in your immune arsenal.
- Weight: Not sleeping can alone cause us to gain weight. The hormones leptin and ghrelin tell us we’re full and hungry; studies show that lack of sleep causes leptin to go down and ghrelin to go up. It’s chemical that we feel like we’re never satisfied and always hungry when our rest is off, in either quality or quantity. This is a direct, biological connection between sleep, our weight and metabolic health.
What Impacts Our Sleep?
OOF! Now there’s a loaded question. As we age, it seems like getting a full night of rest was a thing of the past. Our sleep can be interrupted when we feel the urge to use the restroom, are uncomfortable, have lots on our minds, watch TV before bed, and more. Some medical conditions can interrupt our sleep as well, including (but not limited to) chronic pain from arthritis and other medical conditions, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and premenstrual syndrome, this research explains. Medications and caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine consumption interrupt our regular sleep cycle too. Even our sleeping positions can affect our rest, believe it or not! When we have less than six hours of sleep, which is something that happens to 50% of American adults per week, it turns into a ripple effect and downward spiral of challenges. Here’s a better question…
How Do We Get a Better Night’s Sleep?
So glad you asked! A key factor is working to continue our natural sleep patterns which of course, is easier said than done. When our sleep rhythms are interrupted, it makes falling asleep and staying asleep much harder but there’s WAY more available to you than pills, whether pharmaceutical or nutraceutical, to remedy your unrest.
- Establish Consistency: Consistency is key for most aspects of wellness (I preach it often!), and sleep is no exception. So, Dr. Satchin Panda found that a portion of gene expression in mammals is under circadian control, including genes in the brain, the liver, and muscles. As such, circadian rhythms may have profound implications for human health span, so sleeping and following a healthful rhythm of sleeping is critical. When we have consistency in our sleep schedules, it leads to a more productive and happier day.
You can also create a consistent bedtime routine. It works like Pavlov! (you know, the drooling dogs?) When we start to do the same things, in the same order, all the time, before bed, eventually we can get to the point where even just starting those activities triggers us to mentally slow down and shift those neurotransmitters for rest. Maybe your routine includes reading, listening to relaxing music, or a guided meditation. - Set the Clock: Aim for seven hours of sleep each night. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to start your wind-down routine so you’re in bed with enough time to get those precious seven hours. The more you can go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, the better off you’ll be (more consistency!).
- Blue Light: Reduce blue light by limiting time spent looking at a screen before bed, or purchasing blue light glasses. Blue light has been shown to suppress melatonin for more than twice as long as the light of other wavelengths, making it harder to fall asleep. Or at the very least, dim your phone and turn off the tv with enough time to wind down before bedtime.
- Minimize Distractions: Lower constant inputs. Whether it’s looking at the computer and an email pops up, then our phone buzzes with a text we need to respond to or sometimes it’s just a news alert, or even scrolling through social media, playing a game on the phone — that’s constant input — constant activity, challenging our body clocks. It’s like we’re always triggering our bodies to be on and highly functioning, for those excitatory neurotransmitters to be firing. Remember, neurotransmitters are like a seesaw in the body; they can’t all be up at the same time. So when excitatory neurotransmitters are high (the ones that keep us awake), inhibitory neurotransmitters are low (the ones that help us relax and rest). What can you do to increase those inhibitory neurotransmitters? Everything in this section, of course!
- Reduce Stress Before Sleep: Sometimes when you finally stop for the day and you lay down, your mind can start ruminating on what you have to do the next day or what stressed you that day (just me again?). This constant running mind can keep us awake, tossing and turning. Perhaps start a gratitude journal and before going to bed, write 5 things you’re grateful for that day. This shifts our focus and can help us relax.
- Lower Your Body Temp: Before bed, take a hot shower or bath. When we get out of the water, our blood is drawn to the surface of our body, which lowers the core body temperature. This drop in temperature is associated with sleep. On a similar note, be sure to keep your room cool at night to help promote deep, restful sleep.
- Night Time Eats: When it comes to nighttime munchies or late dinners, avoid heavy meals and sugary foods. The rule of thumb I always give my clients is: the later you eat, the lighter you eat. If you’re hungry at night, it could be that you’re actually thirsty or even tired! Remember, food is fuel. If the body thinks we’re trying to stay awake (because we’re ignoring the signs that are telling us to go to sleep), the body will signal hunger to get the fuel needed to stay awake. Maybe your nighttime munchies are telling you it’s time for bed.
To sum it up, sleep is not only important for your physical health, but for your mental health, mood, memories, and learning! If you want to get a better night’s sleep, aim for seven hours, establish a nightly routine, preferably doing something that reduces stress, minimizes distractions and blue light. You CAN do this and with time, you’ll notice the difference. Now, that’s a wrap on sweet sleep!
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