Sleep habits
Why is sleep vital?
Did you know that we can’t survive for more than two weeks without sleep? Sleep is third only to nourishment and the very air we breathe, on the shortlist of what’s truly critical to the survival of our species.
Regaining your natural sleep cycle is one of the key focus areas that will bring you back to your optimal vitality. So how does this amazing benefit develop? Quite naturally, once you remove the dietary and environmental stresses that keep the body inflamed and agitated.
7 Helpful tips for healthy sleep habits:
Establish a schedule and stick to it. Just like putting the kids to bed at the same time every night, set a pattern with your sleeping and waking times. The body really responds to consistency, so try to wake and turn-in within 20 mins of the same time every day and night.
Consider a bedtime snack. One reason for night waking is dips in blood sugar. Consider a safe starch snack like sweet potato warmed with ghee and salt or a banana with nut butter before bed.
Drink a calming tea. Include a tablespoon of gelatin, a food-based powder, naturally high in calming glycine which has been studied for insomnia.
Take an Epsom salt bath. For the calming effects of magnesium, the relaxation mineral. Use frankincense oil on your pillow—anti-inflammatory and soothing.
Remove all electronics from your room and turn off your Wi-Fi. Put your phone on airplane mode at night and sleep with your cell phone more than six feet from your bed. All electronic devices emit artificial “blue light” that can affect your body’s production of melatonin and, in turn, your quality and quantity of sleep.
Develop a ritual of relaxation. This is perhaps the most important aspect of retraining your brain. Figure out what works best for you, but as a rule the last hour before bed should be one of winding down the inputs and going inward. Establish this as “quiet time.” Lights are dimmed and electronics are turned off, creating the critical element of darkness that speaks to our biological clock, signaling sleep is near
Clean out the clutter. The old saying “A cluttered space is a cluttered mind” is so true! When you have lots of clutter in your bedroom (exercise equipment, office work, piles of unfolded laundry, etc.), you often feel the energy of the clutter in the form of stress in your mind. Something as simple as making your bed may help you feel mentally clearer – and we all know how much easier it is to sleep when your mind is still.
Photo by Christian Domingues from Pexels
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