If you’re starting from zero with your health or wanting to get back on track, prioritize two things:
Simplifying things this way can help you avoid confusion and overwhelm and get you to focus on things that’ll give you the most bang for your buck.
We’ll discuss blood sugar regulation in future articles but today I want to focus on sleep! By the way these two are connected and they directly impact one another. Meaning if your blood sugar levels are balanced throughout the day then you have a better chance of sleeping well and deep through the night AND sleeping well helps with regulating your blood sugar AND cravings throughout the day.
And now onto sleep…
There’s a reason why sleep deprivation is a form of torture!
There isn’t a system or function in your body not impacted by good sleep or lack thereof. Of course nutrition, movement, hydration and all the rest of lifestyle pillars matter but sleep REALLY REALLY matters.
And here’s the good news… once you begin to prioritize your sleep then many other aspects of your health will also fall into place.
Here are a few lifestyle strategies you can use today to help you sleep better and deeper!
Pay attention to how much coffee you drink and WHEN you drink your last cup. For some of you 11am should be your cut off, and your intense mid-afternoon energy crash is not because of caffeine deficiency. In fact it may be related to a dip in your blood sugar levels. So, having one or more espresso shots at 4pm is not a good solution!
And then there is alcohol… Alcohol, especially excessive consumption of it, acts as a source of stress for your body and I'm a BIG fan of getting rid of all the unnecessary sources of stress, including this one!
Alcohol is NOT a friend of your hormones and you need your hormones for sound sleep (amongst other things)! Alcohol is also NOT a friend of your waistline!
Although alcohol might help you fall asleep more quickly, it can negatively impact your sleep quality, leading to fragmented and less restful sleep.
But instead of taking my word for it, experiment and see for yourself! See how your sleep is affected after a period of no alcohol consumption.
Have a sleep ritual, do NOT expect to just go to bed and fall asleep! Our bodies are not light switches that we can just turn off. One of THE best things you can do is to set aside a few minutes (I’m talking 2 to 5 minutes) before sleep and breathe. Breathing slowly and intentionally.
Morning light exposure… As soon as you wake up in the morning, get out there and get sunlight into your eyes.
Natural sunlight exposure will increase your production of serotonin which is a hormone that helps to regulate your sleep-wake cycle (i.e. your circadian rhythm).
Serotonin is also a precursor to melatonin -- which is your sleep hormone.
All you need is 10 mins. If you can do more, even better. And if not then even 5 minutes is better than nothing. You can just sit outside your home for a few minutes while you’re sipping on your warm morning beverage or go for a walk to also get some movement in.
EVERYTHING about your health will improve once you begin to sleep better!!