Sleep. Sleep is SO important, in fact, I can’t stress it enough how important sleep is. Sleep in number one in my book, more important than diet, than exercise, it can make you or break you. But let’s face it, getting enough sleep and getting restful sleep can be difficult. Whether you have trouble falling asleep or trouble staying asleep, I have rounded up some of my favorite tips to help you get a great nights rest. After all, you’re at your best when you’ve had enough rest!
Magnesium.
This is probably my favorite tip and something I do nightly to ensure a good sleep. Magnesium is able to activate your parasympathetic nervous system so that the “fight or flight” part of you winds down. It does this by binding to GABA to decrease nerve activity in the body. Not only that but magnesium is a great natural muscle relaxant meaning your whole body will have less tension, meaning a more restful sleep. Lastly, magnesium helps to regulate melatonin, which if out of whack, could be the reason you are waking up during the night. No wonder magnesium is one of my favorite things for sleep!
Lavender.
An oldie but a goodie. Whether the lavender is in capsules, as an essential oil diffusion or a pillow spray, it is great for helping you get a good night’s sleep. It calms down the amygdala which is your emotional warehouse and decreases restlessness so you get a more restful and less disturbed sleep.
Sleepy Tea.
I love this because it also symbolizes part of a nightly ritual. It can become part of your routine which also signals to your body that its time for bed, which will help you sleep too. But in particular, this tea that I love has passionflower and valerian root which are fantastic at helping you stay asleep and quiets your mind when sleeping.
Glycine.
This is a more recent addition to my nighttime routine but I have been loving it. It is an amino acid that helps you wake more refreshed, even with the same hours of sleep. Pretty crazy eh? It also tastes slightly sweet, so it would be great to add to the magnesium drink or the sleepy tea for one good sleeping potion.
Blue Light.
Now, this is something I avoid, rather than do, for sleep. Blue light interferes with melatonin so it is important to avoid it 2-3 hours before bed. I like to set my phone to do this automatically, so I don’t have to worry. It is in your settings if you have an iPhone. If you are someone who works late at the computer they have special glasses you can wear or screen covers so that it doesn’t mess up your sleep.
4-7-8 Breathing.
If you can fall asleep, or have woken up and can’t get back to sleep, this breathing technique is for you. This is how you do it: you inhale for 4 seconds, hold it for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. Doing this for a couple minutes shifts your body into the parasympathetic state so it can fall asleep quicker.
Tryptophan.
Drinking some warm golden milk is a comforting way to release tryptophan which is the same reason you feel sleepy after eating turkey. Make sure you use full fat coconut milk to keep blood sugar levels stable and a pinch of black pepper to enhance absorption. These golden milk cups are the perfect treat. Or if you’re looking for a bedtime snack, reach for a handful of almonds, they are also high in tryptophan which will help you fall asleep quick.
What are your top tips for sleeping? Comment them below!
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