Sleep is very simply a basic necessity of life, as fundamental to our physical health and well-being as air, food, and water. If we don’t sleep well, or sleep enough, almost every aspect of our lives will suffer. So tonight, choose to get a good night’s sleep. Here are a few more suggestions for developing a good bedtime routine:
- Establish a regular bedtime and ritual
- Participate in daily physical activity
- Keep the bedroom as dark as possible for melatonin production – don’t turn on a bright light if you get up at night
- Keep the bedroom at about 70 degrees year-round
- Take a soaking hot bath or sauna before bedtime – not a shower!
- At least an hour before bedtime, have a light snack that provides complex carbohydrates and protein containing tryptophan. (Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps the serotonin production; serotonin turns into melatonin when we are asleep in the dark.) Examples of good bedtime snacks are pasta with Parmesan cheese, cheese or peanut butter and crackers, hummus on pita bread, or cereal and milk. Warm milk with cinnamon or nutmeg and a little stevia or honey is great! Calcium in dairy products also aids in melatonin production.
- Drink herbal teas can sooth and relax you – chamomile, lavender, lemon balm or passionflower and herbal blends.
- Don’t forget aromatherapy! Herbal baths, sachets, or essential oils can provide the benefits from lavender, sandalwood, or sage and many other herbs.
- Stop studying an hour or two before trying to go to sleep.
- Keep a pad and pen or tape recorder by the bed, so when thoughts cross your mind that must be remembered in the morning, you can record your to-dos and go back to sleep without worrying.
- Breathe deeply and try progressive relaxation of your muscles, beginning with the feet and working your way up your body.
- When possible, let natural light wake you up in the morning. If you have to wake up before dawn, use a sunrise-simulating alarm clock; it will wake you gently rather than startle you.
Waking up
That’s right: find a way to wake up gently. One of the worst side effects of an alarm clock for some people is that it can stimulate lots of stress hormones. Waking to the sun is nature’s way to get us up – gently! When our eyes detect the increased level of light at dawn, a signal is sent to the brain where the production of serotonin causes us to slowly wake up. This natural method of waking leaves us feeling refreshed and energized. Waking up to daylight or simulated daylight helps the body’s clock. The time you wake up today by light is the time your brain and body are now programmed to wake up tomorrow. Once a pattern is established with light-stimulated waking, you’ll be more able to wake up at a regular time that has been set by serotonin.
At the other end of the circadian scale, darkness triggers the conversion of serotonin to melatonin. Easing your way into the darkness can be done by dimming the lights of the bedroom and bathroom and making use of candlelight! Since light governs our internal body clocks, it makes since to use it to make us sleepy and to wake us.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
