Sleep is an extremely important part of human health. Negative effects of sleep delays or interruptions include sluggishness, low attention span, decreased sociability, depressed mood, decreased deep sleep, decreased caloric burn during the day, increased hunger and decreased feeling of fullness, insulin resistance, and decreased performance.
Sleep disruptors
-
Too much food or drink close to sleep time
-
Blue light from devices
-
Caffeine and alcohol use
-
Stress, anxiety & worry
-
Noises or sounds
-
Temperature (too hot or cold)
-
Lack of daytime sunlight exposure
-
Medications and medical conditions
-
Bed partners and/or pets
Resources for kids, teens & Parents
tips for restorative sleep from @rayshealthyways
-
Rise with the sun, and your body produces cortisol naturally throughout the day.
-
In the evening, reduce all lighting in your home and avoid artificial light, especially if you already have low melatonin.
-
Dry brush your body, take a hot bath or shower, and apply magnesium oil. Click here to learn more about magnesium and how you can use it to get more restorative sleep.
-
Trade your alarm clock for a sunrise alarm clock with timed exposure to light can reset the sleep-wake cycle.
-
Eat a light, early dinner (6-7pm) to create time for digestion before sleep (9-10pm). This allows your energy at night to be spent detoxing and healing rather than digesting food.
-
Use mouth tape to learn how to breath through your nose. Many people breath through their mouth, even during the day, but especially at night. Mouth breathing leads to snoring, apnea and loss of oxygen that can lead to a toxic buildup of nitric oxide in the body. It can also lead to other issues like a recessed jaw, facial deformities, postural changes, dental issues, sinusitis, mood disorders and even hormone imbalances and cardiac and vascular problems.
-
Drink an evening elixir, such as warm ginger-lemon tea. It helps with digestion, give you the warm-and-fuzzies, and alkalizes the body. Click here do download a few helpful evening elixir and mommy mocktail recipes.
