Wellness Wednesday: Sleep Hygiene & Nighttime Routine

Helloooo 2020!

Hallelujah, we made it through January… and what a damn year that was.

A few weeks ago, a friend sent me a meme that said: “January went by pretty slow, but February’s doing 75 mph in a 35 mph zone,” and I’ve never read anything more truthful. And now suddenly it’s March, so all I have to say is: WTF IS HAPPENING.

You guys know how it works. Starting in mid-November or so, you hear a lot of: “let’s make plans after the holidays!”. Everyone is busy, the holidays are stressful and no one wants to overload themselves with plans — anymore than they already have, at least.

At work, this sounds more like: “let’s wait until after the new year for that”. So we spend most of November and all of December putting off all the low priority tasks that can wait until after January 1st to be tackled.

…and then January 2nd rolls around, and shit hits the fan. Figuratively, of course.

Needless to say, sleep has been at a premium for the past few months.

January brought long hours, way too much screen time and not enough movement — the usual suspects. I blinked and February was over, so not too sure what happened there. And if I’m being honest, I’m gonna say that December was the start of this struggle. I’m pretty sure chocolate and cookies were my primary food groups (see: Cookie Week), which left me with a consistent stomachache and steady stream of energy… all. damn. day. I was probably averaging 5-6 hours of sleep each night over the holidays, waking up around 6am every morning — wide awake and marginally ready to take on the day.

If you know anything about me, it’s that I am NOT a morning person. and I may have been able to pull off 5-6 hours of sleep in my twenties, but I’m mere weeks away from my MID-THIRTIES, people (!!). That shit ain’t gonna fly anymore.

#thisis33

What makes this really fun is that I have a long history of sleep issues, so an inkling of PTSD starts to set in when insomnia rears its ugly head. Tossing and turning, lying awake for hours staring into the darkness — starting to drift off just as the first rays of sun peek out over the horizon. Exhaustion setting in each afternoon like clockwork, followed by a burst of energy just as bedtime rolls around. When I go through these periods, it almost feels like my circadian rhythm has gotten itself completely backwards. It can be kinda miserable, if I’m being truthful.

Sometimes this insomnia pops up for only a few days. I tire myself out, and my body is able to regulate rather quickly. However, there are times where insomnia shows up at my doorstep, unwelcome, with enough luggage for a month-long stay. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to tell right off the bat whether or not I’m in for the long haul, so it’s somewhat of a crap shoot.

The real issue is that a sleep deprived Talia is no fun at all. I’ve never been good at sleeping, but as a human, I clearly need sleep to function. Sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory and learning — among other things. I don’t know about you, but I can tell almost immediately when lack of sleep starts to affect my daily life. I have trouble remembering things and problem solving, words don’t come as easily and my patience starts to wear a little thin. Lack of sleep is also a major trigger for my anxiety, so having good sleep hygiene is vitally important for my day-to-day success as a human.

But as I said, I’ve been battling these sleep demons for years. My silver lining is that I’ve had plenty of time to experiment with different methods to help promote good sleep — and avoid insomnia at all costs. Even if I’m not always great at taking my own advice, I have a arsenal of tools in my back pocket, ready to go at the first sign of sleeplessness.

I’m curious… do you guys have as much trouble sleeping as I do? Do you occasionally suffer from insomnia? Does it start to affect your daily life after awhile?

If so, read on. I gotchu covered ;)

So I’ve found that the “getting ready for bed” process starts a couple of hours before I actually plan on going to sleep. I’ve developed a pretty solid routine that, when followed regularly, helps me get to sleep faster and sleep more soundly. I’m sure you you all understand why having good sleep hygiene is such a necessity — but if not, let me fill you in.

Per the Sleep Foundation, sleep hygiene is “a variety of different practices and habits that are necessary to have good nighttime sleep quality and full daytime alertness.” I’ve aptly dubbed sleep hygiene as my “nighttime routine” — that is, the steps I take leading up to and getting into bed, which help me to achieve optimal sleep and function at my highest level during the day. Read on for my tried and true suggestions.

Minimize screen time

By now, we’ve all heard how blue light wreaks havoc on our ability to sleep. All of our electronics produce blue light — our cell phones, computers, televisions. Blue wavelengths are beneficial during daylight hours because they help us to stay alert, while improving both performance and mood. As it gets later (and darker), we are naturally exposed to fewer blue wavelengths. Our body produces the hormone melatonin, which preps you for sleep. However, when we are exposed to too much blue light at night, this process is interrupted and our internal body clocks are thrown off.

I have a couple of suggestions on how to avoid this disruption. The first and most obvious is to avoid blue light before bed. I’ve read studies that suggest turning off all blue light producing electronics at least 2-3 hours before you go to sleep. If that feels impossible, I would suggest starting with at least 30-45 minutes before bed at a minimum.

If you, like me, have a job that requires 8-10 hours of screen time per day, I would also suggest investing in a pair of blue light blocking glasses. You can wear these all day long to help reduce eye strain caused from prolonged blue light exposure. Peter has a pair that he swears by. His days sometimes last as long as 16 hours (or more!), so these glasses really help reduce his exposure to blue light, especially when worn in the hours before bed.

Dim the lights

I feel like this isn’t something we often think about, but is actually quite an obvious suggestion. Since the dawn of time, the human body has understood that light = daytime and dark = nighttime. Even in the year 2020, this still holds true. It’s not only the light from our electronics that affects us, but also the artificial light in our homes.

As you’re winding down for the evening, turn off those bright, white overhead lights. Make use of dimmer switches if you have them! We have softer, incandescent bulbs in lamps around the house that we turn on at night, rather than using the harsher, bright-white bulbs that we’re all so fond of. Let your body know it’s nighttime by actually allowing your home to be darker.

Magnesium supplement

I talk about magnesium a little in the post about my favorite supplements. Many of us are magnesium-deficient, which can lead to issues like muscle cramps, fatigue, poor memory and increased anxiety. The human body doesn’t naturally produce magnesium, so we need to get it from either our diet (leafy greens, seeds & nuts, legumes, dark chocolate, coffee) or through supplements. I take a magnesium supplement pretty regularly, but fell off that wagon over the holidays. Coincidence? I think not. In addition to all my sleep struggles, I also started getting severe cramps in my calves, which was… fun. NOT.

Magnesium is a powerhouse of a mineral, and when it comes to the quality of your sleep, it could make a world of difference. One of my favorite ways to get a little extra magnesium into my body is by using Natural Vitality Calm. I toss a tablespoon or so of the powder into my final glass of water at night, and it really makes a huge difference in the quality of my sleep. My current favorite is the orange flavor, but the raspberry lemon is wonderful as well. Magnesium also helps to keep things… regular, if you know what I mean. But that’s another story for a different post!

Wind down

It goes without saying (though don’t worry, I’m going to say it anyway) that you probably shouldn’t try to run a marathon or pick a fight before bed. I constantly find myself telling Peter to “STOP RAISING MY CORTISOL SO LATE AT NIGHT” when he wants to show me the development spreadsheet he’s been working on for hours or have a serious conversation at midnight.

Cortisol is a stress hormone released by the adrenal glands. It’s really important in those “fight or flight” situations we used to find ourselves in regularly, ohhh ten thousand years ago when we had to outrun a saber-toothed tiger or we’d become his dinner. In today’s world, cortisol is released when a client calls at 4pm on a Friday about that report you were supposed to provide earlier in the week, and the adrenaline kicks in as you pull it together in forty-five minutes flat.

…before heading to the bar for a tall beverage.

My point is that cortisol is released in stressful situations in order to help the body react quickly and avoid whatever ‘danger’ you feel you might be in. As the body prepares for sleep, cortisol levels should naturally be decreasing and melatonin levels increasing. However, it’s the norm in today’s society to deal with some form of stress at all times. You know what that looks like… make it to your doctor’s appointment on time! Pass your final! Give a presentation to a client! Drop all three kids off at their respective after-school activities, go grocery shopping, pick everyone up and get dinner on the table by 6pm! Life is stressful, you guys. We all have cortisol coursing through our veins nearly 24/7, so it’s no surprise that our bodies are confused about when to stop making it, and when to amp up the melatonin production.

That said, we really have to force ourselves to slow down at night. Honestly, some days I feel like I have to trick my body into being ready for sleep! There are plenty of relaxing activities that can help slow our brain from its constantly whirring:

→ Read a book: preferably something tame, and not a page-turner that will have you up until 2am trying to finish just one more chapter.

→ Crochet or knit: focusing on the repetitive nature of each stitch will clear your mind and help your body to relax.

→ Stretching: coupled with deep breathing, this will loosen those joints and and relax your muscles.

→ Journal: get all those thoughts out of your mind and onto the page! The less you have swimming in your brain, the less stressed and/or anxious you will be upon getting into bed.

→ Make a list: it’s the same concept as journaling; if you get it out of your brain, you’ll won’t spend the time stressing about it and will fall asleep faster.

→ Meditation: again, this is another way to quiet your mind before bed. If meditation is something you struggle with (hand raised!), there are plenty of apps that provide guided meditations or ‘sleep stories’. I’ve tried Calm and Headspace, and have found both to be useful.

No, I’m not done yet. Here are a couple more suggestions on ways you can wind down, and prepare both your mind & body for sleep:

→ CBD! I having been using Medterra for years, and love the positive overall effects of CBD in my life. In addition to helping with my sleep, I find that it is great for my anxiety. Maybe one day I’ll share my thoughts on CBD in a post… in the meantime, let me know if you want $10 off your first Medterra order! Always happy to refer a friend :)

→ Warm bath. I don’t subscribe to the bath situation, but the warm water seems to be calming and sleep-inducing for many.

→ Melatonin supplement. We talked about how melatonin is naturally produced by the body at nighttime, but sometimes we need a little help supplementing our own melatonin production. I would suggest starting with a small dosage at first, like 3 mg.

→ Essential oil. I get it; either you’re on the essential oil train or you’re not. I don’t judge! You do you. If you’re into this sort of thing, lavender and chamomile are great oils to use before bedtime. We actually keep a diffuser in our bedroom, and sometimes I defuse lavender an hour or two before we go to bed. If nothing else, it smells delightful!

→ Limit afternoon caffeine. I tend to drink matcha instead of coffee, so caffeine now affects me way more than the regular human. If you, like most humans, are an avid coffee drinker, try to nix the caffeine intake after noon — 2PM at the latest. You may no longer feel the tangible effects of your afternoon coffee at 9PM, but that caffeine is still in your system and will certainly affect your ability to fall asleep. Unless you’re Peter, who can drink a double espresso 15 minutes before his head hits the pillow and is still out cold. Go figure.

Also, another obvious suggestion that we all tend to ignore is to keep to a regular sleep schedule as much as possible. As humans, we are creatures of habit; our bodies crave routine. I know we all want to stay up late and then sleep in on the weekends, but there’s something to be said about your body knowing exactly what time to wind down and wake up each day. That routine will help you achieve regular, effective sleep patterns.

I have just one last train of thought that I want to leave you all with (and then I’m done, I promise!). Once you determine which of these activities helps YOU wind down at night, you want to make sure you’re then stepping into an environment that will actually promote good sleep. I know, I know. First I tell you that it takes 2-3 hours and 45 activities to help wind down each night, and NOW I have the audacity to demand that your room be in tip top sleeping shape?!

Gosh, I’m a monster.

For real though, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure your bedroom is free from distractions and ready to invite you in for a good night’s sleep. Think: cool, dark and quiet.

1. The ideal nighttime temperature for your bedroom is between 60-67 degrees.
2. Keep your room dark! This goes along with the idea that artificial and blue light stimulates the receptors in the back of the retina, disrupting sleep patterns. Cover any erroneous light sources and move nightlights to another room. Also, remember that blackout shades and eye masks are your friend.
3. White noise machines or a loud fan help to mask environmental sounds that would otherwise disrupt your sleep. In our case, it’s the music bumping and horn beeping at 1AM (I wish I were joking).

I hope you guys found a couple of useful tips in this nearly 2700 word (!!) novela. and if for some reason you find yourself lying awake at 3AM on a Tuesday morning.. call me. I’m probably up ;)

I feel like this is stating the obvious but please let the record show that I am in no way, shape or form a doctor or nutritionist (in fact, I hate blood, hospitals and needles… and there are multiple nurses in my family, go figure). All opinions and recommendations provided are my own; I’ve worked closely with my PCP and functional medicine doctor to determine what practices & supplements work best for me and my body. I encourage you to do the same!