When was the last time you woke up feeling refreshed and excited for the day ahead? Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health. We are more aware of the neurological dimensions of sleep, since we understand its importance in maintaining our ability to think clearly, react quickly, create memories and function physically at our best. Below are some of the things you can try to perfect your sleep.
Try Chiropractic
Misalignments compress the nerves causing lack of communication between the spine and the brain. This can lead to a stress response which puts the body out of balance and sleeping well becomes challenging. Correcting misalignments allows your spine to release tension that naturally builds up and thus helps you to sleep better and improve the quality of your daily life.
Exercise does help
Research shows that moderate aerobic exercise help to improve overall quality of sleep. Exercise can help to stabilize your mood and decompress the mind. Try at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise to see if that helps you in your quality of sleep.
Clear of Stimulants
Give yourself a break and try to clear stimulants out of your body for 2 to 4 weeks. If you must have, cut it off around lunchtime. Remember coffee is not the only stimulants. There are energy drinks, nicotine substances, guarana, ginseng, etc can cause disrupted sleep.
Take timeout
Electronics (blue light) have effects on our sleep patterns. There is enough evidence that blue light ceases release of melatonin in the brain. Turn it off at least 2 hours before bedtime. You can use the time out to meditate, stretch, read a book or some deep-breathing exercises.
Plant medicine
Explore the potential of plant medicine. There are dozens of plants that can help improve sleep. Experiment to find out what works for you. Some examples are chamomile, lavender, passionflower, poppy,etc.
Environmental changes
We tend to sleep better in cool, dark and relatively quiet places. Invest in heavy, light-blocking curtains. Turn your thermostat down several degrees or leaving an open window. If you like to sleep with a sound machine, favor the sound that would naturally be heard at night instead of sound that is heard in the morning. For example, crickets as opposed to birds singing.
Bi- or polyphasic
Biphasic sleep refers to 2 sleep sessions. One large chunk at night and a mid day nap. Polyphasic sleep refers more than 2 sessions. Usually segmented nightly sessions or multiple naps. Try sleeping in smaller increments either throughout the night and/or include naps to see if these changes help you feel healthier and more alert.
