It’s crazy to me that throughout my time writing in this blog about all things health, wellness, and the rewiring of this thing we call adulthood, that I’ve never touched on the topic of sleep. Why is that? I have no idea, but I am going to venture to guess that subconsciously I have avoided the topic because…well…sleep loves to avoid me. As it does most of us, from what I can tell!
We spend so much time sleeping as babies and young children until the day we decide to rebel against those school naps (such fools we were!) and from that point on we find ourselves on a fast track towards sleep deprivation whether we chose it or not.
As teens, our sleep cycles change and we want to stay up late much to the chagrin of our parents. In college, we begin pulling pizza filled all nighters surrounded by books, notes, and mid-term angst. As young adults, we find ourselves crawling home from the clubs at sunrise….sleep, or the lack thereof, just didn’t seem to cross our minds as much when the vigor of youth was still pumping through our veins.
Then we hit adulthood.
There’s something about the tremendous laundry list of responsibilities, commitments, stress, bills to pay, people to help, etc. that will keep our adult brains wide awake at all hours of the night. Sure, there are pills to pop that can help interrupt the dance between insomnia and your circadian rhythm, but those are just a band-aid for the root cause of sleeplessness…and you already know I’m not a fan of stop gap measures.
….and while I can’t speak for adults without kids, I can tell you with complete confidence that the minute you become a parent you lose all ability to sleep soundly and profoundly ever again….and I mean EVER. AGAIN. To be honest, it all starts during pregnancy when your body simply won’t allow you to feel comfortable, and let’s not get started on those third trimester nights when your baby is kicking you in the lungs at 3am as if preparing you for all of the sleepless nights to come. It. Is. Brutal.
Then once your babe has arrived, the colic, the middle of the night diaper explosions and feedings, the nights they get sick, or decide to wake up at 4:30 am to play LEGOS….loudly. Then there’s the fact that we, as mothers, genuinely develop bionic hearing as soon as we have kids and can hear the tiniest sniffle, snort or sneeze….even if that child of yours is halfway across the country and in college. This is how it is and it does not change.
So….what are we do to in the adulthood as we struggle for slumber and feel like a bona fide cast member of The Walking Dead? I won’t lie and tell you I have all the answers….I clearly don’t. I sit here writing this with heavy eyelids, because I woke up way too early even though I had absolutely no reason to. I do, however, have some advice, tips, and info if you may, on simple ways to rewire our sleep cycles so that we can at least get some quality sleep, even if we can’t get enough of it.
…and just in case you’re wondering WHY we need to pay attention to our sleep cycles and try to rewire it as much as we possibly can, let’s quickly discuss the importance of getting some solid slumber.
Sleep helps reduce stress. Stress can take a toll on our physical and mental health., and lack of sleep can increase stress levels, which can then cause a range of issues from skin problems to weight gain. Getting enough sleep can help reduce stress, leaving you feeling more relaxed and refreshed…and Lord knows we can ALL use a little stress reduction!
Sleep is crucial for cell repair and regeneration. While we sleep, our bodies work hard to repair and regenerate cells. This process is essential for maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails, and without enough sleep, our bodies don’t have enough time to complete these vital processes, leading to dull skin, brittle hair, and weak nails….hence, Beauty Sleep!
Sleep helps maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, because when we’re tired, we’re more likely to reach for high-calorie snacks and skip exercise. Getting enough sleep also helps regulate hormones that control appetite and metabolism, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
Sleep improves memory and cognitive function. Sleep is essential for cognitive function and memory, because while we’re catching zzz’s our brains consolidate memories and process information from the day. Lack of sleep can lead to memory problems and difficulty concentrating, but getting enough sleep can help improve these cognitive functions, leaving you feeling more alert and focused throughout the day.
Sleep boosts mood and energy. Getting enough sleep can help boost mood and energy levels, while lack of sleep can lead to irritability, fatigue, and even depression. Getting enough sleep can help regulate mood and leave you feeling more energized and ready to tackle the day…and I don’t know about you, but I need all the help I can get in the energy department!
Now that we know why we need better sleep, I want to let you in on a few ways I have found work really well to help me get either more sleep or better sleep!
-Create a bedtime routine: Remember how important it was to create bedtime routines for our kids when they were little so that their bodies could wind down and get ready for sleep? Same goes for us as adults. Create a routine that allows you to slow down towards the end of the night which can include a relaxing bath, making a cup of stress-soothing tea (chamomile is great!), and turning on some soft music.
-Start using a magnesium supplement: Magnesium is a mineral that is essential to our health and helps ease stress and anxiety while promoting good sleep, but unfortunately we don’t get enough of it in our diets to make a difference. I recommend taking a magnesium supplement before bed like Natural Calm.
-Use a white noise machine: I’ve used white noise since my kids were babies, and it has helped all of us sleep better and for longer because it cuts down on exterior noises (whether it’s loud neighbors, traffic, or our local pack of coyotes) from startling us awake in the middle of the night. Even my dog knows that when the white noise machine goes on, it’s time for sleep! You can find a white noise app on your phone or a white noise machine like this one.
-Try a weighted blanket: I find that sleeping with a weighted blanket allows me to sleep better for longer….but I like feeling tucked up. These were originally formulated for people with anxiety, and they do work really well. However, if you tend towards claustrophobia, then you might not love them lol!
-Take a calming natural supplement: Like magnesium, there are a few other all natural products you can try that haven been researched and shown to calm the alpha waves of your brain and your nervous system which, in turn, will promote a better quality of sleep. Two of my favorite supplements are L-Theanine and Valerian Root.
-Use essential oils: I love the relaxing ambiance that pure essential oils create when used in a diffuser, but not only will they make your bedroom feel like a luxurious spa, they also work at a cellular level to help you relax. I keep my diffuser on my night stand and diffuse lavender, valerian, chamomile, or frankincense. I do notice a difference in the quality of my sleep on the nights I forget to use my diffuser (or get too lazy to fill it!). Making sure you use pure oils is key though…you don’t want to fill your sleeping space with chemicals!
-Eat pistachios before bed: This is a new one for me, but it works like a charm! Pistachios have a calming effect because they contain naturally occurring melatonin, and on the nights that I have a small handful of these nuts, I find that even if I can’t get the ever elusive 8 hours, the hours I do sleep are very solid.
-Put down the phone and pick up a book: This last one is extremely important, although I will be honest, it is the one I struggle the most with myself. Enough studies have shown that looking at screens an hour before bed can disturb our sleep cycles and lessen the quality of our sleep…and yet the majority of us stare into our phones until our eyes grow heavy. I recommend putting down your phones, tablets, laptops, etc. at least 20 minutes before your head hits the pillow and pick up a good old fashioned paper book (which has beneficial effects on your cognitive function to boot!).
So, there you have it! Sleep may try to evade us in the adulthood….but we need it now more than ever….and there are a few completely realistic and simple ways to ensure that we get some good shut eye every night!
Worth trying? Absolutely!
DISCLAIMER: As an affiliate, I make a small portion of sales made via some of the links in my blog.
