At Relish Health, sleep is my favorite “medication” to prescribe. Adequate, restorative sleep is foundational to our physical, mental and social well-being. It is as important as balanced meals and regular exercise.
In honor of the upcoming International Sleep Day, I encourage you to embrace a regular sleep routine. Creating daily habits give our days structure which helps regulate our internal clock.
Consider adapting the following routine to your needs:
(adapted from the book Younger You):
Noon: Stop drinking caffeinated drinks (or sooner if you are caffeine sensitive). The half-life of caffeine is six hours and it may take as long as 10 hours for caffeine to be completely eliminated from you system.
7 PM: Finish eating and exercising for the day. Digestion and exercise are stimulating activities. Now is the time to let our bodies unwind and start the “rest” process.
Four hours before bed: Finish your alcohol. Drinking alcohol before bed can suppress REM sleep. Since alcohol is a sedative, you may fall asleep easier, however as the night progresses, alcohol can create an imbalance between slow-wave sleep and REM sleep, resulting in poor overall sleep quality.
Three hours before bed: Start to power down your screens. Blue-light emitted from our devices suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that influences circadian rhythms. Even dim light can interfere with a person's circadian rhythm and melatonin secretion. Blue-light blocking glasses can decrease this light exposure, but they are not a free pass for prolonged screens use.
Two hours before bed: Have your last glass of liquid so you can minimize getting up at night.
One hour before bed: Turn off all screens. Indulge in a pre-bed ritual like a bath, stretch or light yoga routine.
Thirty minutes before bed: Do your relaxation practice. Meditation and deep breathing are wonderful for sleep.
Fifteen minutes before bed: Complete your personal care routine. Brushing your teeth, washing your face and other care activities completed in the same order every night can create a cue to the brain that sleep is coming.
Ten minutes before bed: Consider turning on a white noice machine or essential oil diffuser with lavender oil. Regular use may again cue the body that it is time to sleep. Read, take deep breaths or give yourself a gentle massage to promote relaxation as you are turning out the lights.
If sleep is problematic despite embracing a sleep promoting routine, I encourage you to schedule an appointment with Relish Health. Occasionally other factors like mood disorders, sleep apnea, blood sugar imbalances or cortisol concerns may hold you back from high quality sleep.
The International World Sleep Day 2023 will take place on Friday, March 17. Let’s celebrate by going to bed early that night!