ImprovingYour SleepHygiene
Tips And Tools For Improving Your Sleep Routine - With Dr. Darin Ingels, ND
ImprovingYourSleepHygiene
Areyouoneofthemany peoplestrugglingwiththe middayslump?Doyouoften finditdifficulttostay focused,orfeelyoudon’t haveenoughenergyto manageeventhesimplestof tasksthroughouttheday?Do yousometimesfindyourself reachingforanothercupof coffeewellintothe afternoon?Well,youarenot alone!
Thesedays,agoodnight’ssleepisoftenhardtocomeby.It’sbecomemore andmorefrequentforpeopletostrugglewithdaytimeexhaustion-simply duetoalackofgoodsleep.Leavinguswithanimportantquestion,isfatigue aconditionorisitmerelyasymptomofanotherunderlyingproblem?
Gettingagoodnight’ssleepisthefoundationfortheresilienceyouneedto recover,yetsomanypeoplecomplainthattheyhavetroublesleeping throughthenightorsleepingdeeply.Itshouldgowithoutsaying,whenyou aresleepdeprived,youoftenexperiencemorefatigue,brainfog,irritability andevenpoorconcentration.
Theimpactthatyourday-to-dayroutinehasonthequalityofsleepthatyou experiencecanbesurprising,rangingfromtheamountofexercisethatyou get.tothesimpletaskofturningoffyourcellphone,laptoporTVatnight.We needtoconsiderhowmanythingsareactuallyaffectingourrest,andfind betterwaystomanagedailyfatigue.
So,thequestionis,doyouhavegoodsleephygiene?
PAGE TWO | SLEEP HYGIENE
EASY TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR SLEEP HYGEINE
A Simple Guide For Better Sleep
Shutoffyourelectronics2hours beforegettingtobed.These remitbluelightwhichkeeps yourbrainawakeandalso disruptsyourbody’sabilityto makemelatonin.
Don’tconsumecaffeinatedor sugarydrinksandtreatsafter 2pm.Infact,avoidallstimulants suchasalcohol,caffeineand nicotine.
Avoideatinglargemealsright beforebed.Ifyoueatwithinan hourbeforegoingtobedyour mealwon’tbedigestedwhich makesitdifficulttosleep comfortably. Don’tgotobed starvingeither.Thiscouldalso causeinsomnia. Ifyouhad dinner4hoursbeforesleeping andarehungry,havealite snack.
Getonaregularsleepschedule. Keepingasleepjournalwhere youcanwritedownthetime thatyoufallasleepandthetime thatyouwakeup,helpsyouto createandmaintainahealthy sleepschedule.
SleepInadarkroom.Thishelps yourbodytocontinuously secretemelatoninandwillhelp getyoutofallasleepfaster.
TurnoffyourWifiwhenyougoto sleeptoreduceyourEMF exposure,whichcaninterfere withgettinggoodsleep.
Don’tgotobedangryand overwhelmed.Ifyouhavea“to do”listsoundingoffinyour head,getitonpaperbefore goingtobed.Thishelpstellthe braintostopsoundingoffand allowsittoleaveyourmindand beputsomewhereelse.Ifyou areangrytrytosettlethings beforegoingtosleep.Ifyou don’titwillonlymakethings worseandcausemoreissues withinsomnia.
Agoodnight'ssleepcanmean differentthingstodifferentpeople. GenerallyIrecommend7-8hoursa night.Gettingtheproperamountof sleepiscrucialforyourphysicaland emotionalhealth.
S L E E P H Y G I E N E C H E C K L I S T
ImprovingYourSleepHygiene
Sleepisjustasimportantasdietandexercise,ifnot,more.
Ifyourbodydoesn’tgetenoughsleep,youwillfeelgroggy, irritable,overemotional,fatiguedandyouwillalsohaveaslower reactiontime.Sleepdeprivationhasactuallybeenshowntobethe sameasbeingintoxicated. Itimpairsjudgement,clearthinking andmakesyoupronetobeingeasilydistractedandagitated.
Sleepisresponsibleforregulatinghormones,includinglibido.It helpstorestoretestosteronelevelsformenandwomen.
Metabolism:Thosewhosleeplesstendtohavemorecravingsand overeat.Youincreaseyourriskfordiabeteswhennotsleeping enoughbecauseyourabilitytocontrolbloodsugarisimpaired.
Mentalhealth:Ifyougettherightamountofsleepyouwillbe happier,havelessdepressionandanxiety.Ifyounoticewhenyou don’tsleep,youtendtooverreacttothesmallestofthings.
Trymeditation.Severalstudiesshowthatregularmeditationcan:
•Relievetheeffectsofstress
•Reducebloodpressureandheartrate
•Reduceanxiety
•Promotebettersleep
•Relievepain
Ofcourse,meditationtakessomepractice,butyou’llfindthatit canhelpyourelaxyourmindandgetitreadyforbed.Aslittleas fiveortenminutesduringanytimeofthedaycanbeenoughto getthesehealthybenefits.
Agoodnight’ssleepissobeneficialtoyouroverallwellness, thereforemakingsleepaprioritywillresultinabettermood,leave youmoreattentiveandkeepyouhealthierandmorecapableof achievingyourdailytasksandroutines.
Pleaseenjoythisdaily, printablesleepjournalto helpyoukeeptrackofyour sleeproutine!
PAGE FIVE | SLEEP HYGIENE
BedTime:
Whattimedidyougetinbed?
WakeTime:
Whattimedidyoufallasleep?
Didyouwakeupduringthenight?
Ifso,howmanytimes,andhowlongwereyouawake?
Whattimedidyouwakeup?
Didyoufeelawakeandrefreshed?
Asleepjournalshouldbefilledoutasearlyinthe morningaspossible,whileyournighttimeroutine isfreshonyourmind.
DarinIngels
SleepJournal
Sunday
BedTime:
Whattimedidyougetinbed?
WakeTime:
Whattimedidyoufallasleep?
Didyouwakeupduringthenight?
Ifso,howmanytimes,andhowlongwereyouawake?
Whattimedidyouwakeup?
Didyoufeelawakeandrefreshed?
Asleepjournalshouldbefilledoutasearlyinthe morningaspossible,whileyournighttimeroutine isfreshonyourmind.
DarinIngels
SleepJournal
Monday
BedTime:
Whattimedidyougetinbed?
WakeTime:
Whattimedidyoufallasleep?
Didyouwakeupduringthenight?
Ifso,howmanytimes,andhowlongwereyouawake?
Whattimedidyouwakeup?
Didyoufeelawakeandrefreshed?
Asleepjournalshouldbefilledoutasearlyinthe morningaspossible,whileyournighttimeroutine isfreshonyourmind.
DarinIngels
SleepJournal
Tuesday
BedTime:
Whattimedidyougetinbed?
WakeTime:
Whattimedidyoufallasleep?
Didyouwakeupduringthenight?
Ifso,howmanytimes,andhowlongwereyouawake?
Whattimedidyouwakeup?
Didyoufeelawakeandrefreshed? Asleepjournalshouldbefilledoutasearlyinthe morningaspossible,whileyournighttimeroutine
DarinIngels
SleepJournal
Wednesday
isfreshonyourmind.
BedTime:
Whattimedidyougetinbed?
WakeTime:
Whattimedidyoufallasleep?
Didyouwakeupduringthenight?
Ifso,howmanytimes,andhowlongwereyouawake?
Whattimedidyouwakeup?
Didyoufeelawakeandrefreshed? Asleepjournalshouldbefilledoutasearlyinthe morningaspossible,whileyournighttimeroutine
DarinIngels
SleepJournal
Thursday
isfreshonyourmind.
BedTime:
Whattimedidyougetinbed?
WakeTime:
Whattimedidyoufallasleep?
Didyouwakeupduringthenight?
Ifso,howmanytimes,andhowlongwereyouawake?
Whattimedidyouwakeup?
Didyoufeelawakeandrefreshed?
Asleepjournalshouldbefilledoutasearlyinthe morningaspossible,whileyournighttimeroutine isfreshonyourmind.
DarinIngels
SleepJournal
Friday
BedTime:
Whattimedidyougetinbed?
WakeTime:
Whattimedidyoufallasleep?
Didyouwakeupduringthenight?
Ifso,howmanytimes,andhowlongwereyouawake?
Whattimedidyouwakeup?
Didyoufeelawakeandrefreshed?
Asleepjournalshouldbefilledoutasearlyinthe morningaspossible,whileyournighttimeroutine isfreshonyourmind.
DarinIngels
SleepJournal
Saturday