Sleep - Is it Underrated?

Children seem to get it ... we need sleep to function so they take every opportunity to sleep regardless of where they are. Ever notice how a full meltdown can happen when a child has not had a good night's sleep or has not had a long overdue nap? Crisis central! This meltdown affects not only the child but everyone around him or her. Well, believe it or not, adults too can experience meltdowns. While adult meltdowns usually do not end with someone crying his or herself to sleep, they can affect everyone around us. Sleep is critical...

Why is Sleep Important? 

Sleep is one of the foundations of good health. Sleep allows the body the time and resources to restore, rejuvenate, repair tissue, grow muscle, and create life sustaining hormones. Good sleep can:

• Improve cognitive function
• Restore and repair body system functions 
• Improve mood
• Regulate hormones

Not enough or disrupted sleep can cause many dysfunctions and dysregulation including: 

• Cognitive impairment
• Foggy thinking
• Poor will  power
• Bad decision making
• Bad moods / irritability 
• Hormonal imbalance
• Body system / organ dysfunction
• Immune system dysfunction - opening the door for chronic disease
• Increased pain
• Increased inflammation

While some people claim they get by on 5 hours of sleep, we all really need 7-9 hours to allow our bodies to fully restore, repair, and rejuvenate. 

Why Do I Wake Up at the Same Time Every Night?

Ever wonder why you always wake up around the same time every night or every morning? Perhaps the acupuncture meridian chart can shed some light on this question. According to the acupuncture meridian there are body functions/organs that are tied to waking up at specific times. It is believed that if  you wake at the same time every night it could be related to dysfunction / disease with a correlated body part. See the quick list below: 

Wake Time        Acupuncture Meridian        Emotion Related to that Meridian
11pm-1am        Gall Bladder                         Frustration
1-3am                Liver                                      Anger
3-5am                Lung                                     Grief
5-7am                Large Intestine                    Not Able to Let Go
7-9am                Stomach                               Worry and Nervousness

Circadian rhythm also affects when we wake and sleep. Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour biological clock that governs human wake and sleep cycles. We were designed to wake and sleep by the sun and moon. When light hits our skin and eyes (even if they are closed) our bodies respond by waking from sleep. When the body perceives light the circadian rhythm of the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and serotonin is disrupted, thereby negatively impacting our sleep quality. It is also best to reduce Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) in your environment especially in your sleeping environment. Some research indicates EMF negatively impacts our sleep and other health factors.

Yet another possibility is that you may have parasites. It is known that parasites can disrupt sleep. Typically,  parasites wake their hosts between the hours of 2-3am. Parasites are usually more active during those hours. That is when they eat, defecate, and procreate raising the host's stress hormones and thereby waking the host from restful slumber. Another sign that you might have a parasite is if you start to sweat upon waking or are drench with sweat when you wake up. If you find yourself waking during these hours, you should have your doctor order a stool test to check for parasites and fungal / bacterial infections.  You may also work with an FDN for stool testing. 

What are Good Sleep Habits?

Design your sleeping space to support good rest

• Light - make sure your bedroom is completely devoid of light when it's time for sleep 
  • Bathroom light should be adjusted to as low as necessary in case you get up in the middle of the night to 'go'
  • Use incandescent lighting - it emits the lowest EMF 
  • Nightlights should not be used
  • Light from your TV, computer, tablet, phone,  or other electronic device my also cause you to  stay awake - avoid these at least 30 minutes before bed*
• Electromagnetic energy (EMF) 
  • No wireless devices in the room (yes this means your TVs, computers, tablets, and phones) 
  • Turn off power (at the circuit breaker) to the room if possible (dirty power can cause issues with sleep)
  • Use a battery powered alarm clock with no light - it's best to have an alarm with a soothing sound as harsh sounds can be a very disruptive way to greet the day.
• Temperature and sound
  • Room temp should be below 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees Celsius because body temperature impacts sleep quality.
  • Try sleeping with socks on - our feet are the first to become cold which  can cause us to wake up and disrupt our sleep cycle.
  • Many of us wake up because of sounds, a partner snoring, something outside, etc. One recommendation is to use earplugs to enable you to sleep more 'soundly.'

 
Prepare the mind for sleep

• Avoid television and/or computer activity at least 30 minutes before sleep*
• Read something inspirational and/or calming before sleep
• Meditation is also a good way to relax the mind in preparation for good rest

Food and Drinks

• Eat a light snack about 30 minutes before bedtime 
  • We are not talking about cookies and milk. :-) The goal is to stabilize your blood sugar before you fast for hopefully 8 hours of restorative rest. ​You need to experiment with different foods to find a light snack that works for you - the right level of fat, protein, and carbs. Some people have had a slice of avocado with some protein and that has worked. According to FDN, having a snack before bed time: "not only stabilizes blood sugar levels, it will help balance your sleep and repair hormone levels as well as important neurotransmitters. Starchy, carb-heavy snacks or meals during the late hours of the day can dramatically inhibit quality sleep. The high-carb snack will raise blood sugar, which will trigger an insulin response. Insulin may shuttle the sugar out of the blood while you sleep, but if blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you may wake up and not be able to fall back to sleep with ease."
• Avoid caffeine
  • Remember that caffeine stimulates your stress hormones and can be active for as many as 6 hours. So be sure to avoid caffeine after 3pm.
• Avoid alcohol
  • There are hundreds of studies which have proven that even though drinking can help some people fall asleep quickly, it disrupts sleep cycles. Therefore, if you are to get good solid rest throughout the night, you should avoid drinking alcohol before bed.

Consult your doctor
Find out If your medications could be disrupting your sleep. Some medications, prescription and over-the-counter, may have negative effects on sleep. You can also visit drugs.com to get a full listing of the potential side effects of medications you are taking. 

Sweet Dreams! 

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*Not ready to give up TV or your electronic device before bed? These glasses will help block the effect light from those electronics have on your sleep. 

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