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GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE AND HOW TO ACHIEVE IT

by | Mar 26, 2024

CLEAN SLEEPING: HEAL YOUR BODY WHILE YOU SLEEP! 

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most powerful ways you can enhance the impact on your health! Research shows that sleeping influences cellular and biochemistry processes throughout the body.  

We average a third of our lives sleeping. The nightly hours of inactivity provide us the opportunity to regenerate physically and mentally. This is when the subconscious mind solves our problems and your muscles rest and grow stronger through the increased protein production. During Sleep the inflammation in the brain is flushed away by a recently discovered glymphatic system which appears to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, other brain disorders and overall aging of the brain.   

SLEEPING 6 ½ -8 HOURS EACH NIGHT APPEARS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART ATTACKS BY REDUCING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. THERE IS ALSO EVIDENCE THAT GETTING A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING CANCER VIA MULTIPLE MECHANISMS INCLUDING HIGHER MELATONIN LEVELS, REDUCED INFLAMMATION AND CELLULAR REPAIR AS PROTEIN DIGESTING ENZYMES GET TO WORK WHILE WE SLUMBER. 

35% OF AMERICANS REPORTED BY THE CDC THAT THEY GET FEWER THAN 7 HOURS OF SLEEP PER NIGHT. THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED SLEEP DEBT. THIS IS WHEN WE DON’T GET THE RECOMMENDED SLEEP 7-8 HOURS A NIGHT SO WE MISS ONE NIGHT AT 5-6 HOURS THEN THE NEXT NIGHT WE MIGHT GET 4-5 AND IF THIS CONTINUES BY THE END OF THE WEEK WE HAVE LOST A WHOLE NIGHTS SLEEP. AN HOUR HERE, AN HOUR THERE CAN QUICKLY ADD UP.  YOU KNOW HOW SHARP AND FOCUSED YOU FEEL AFTER A PARTICULARLY RESTFUL SLEEP.  EVERYDAY THERE IS A NEW STUDY THAT SCIENTIFICALLY DOCUMENTING THE BENEFITS OF A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP ITSELF: 

  • SLEEP REDUCES STRESS 
  • SLEEP REDUCES INFLAMMATION 
  • SLEEP SPEEDS HEALING 
  • SLEEP ENHANCES COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND MEMORY MAKING YOU SHARP AND ALERT 
  • SLEEP ENHANCES YOUR SEX DRIVE 
  • SLEEP HAS SHOWN TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT 

 A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP: 

  • STOP EATING SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE BEDTIME SO THAT YOUR BODY CAN COMPLETE THE FIRST PART OF DIGESTION 
  • AVOID ACIDIC FOODS AT DINNER WHICH CAN IRRITATE THE THROAT LINING AND LEAD TO ACID REFLUX 
  • AVOID ALCOHOL IT IS NOT A SLEEP AID IT ACTUALLY DOES THE OPPOSITE 
  • AVOID ELECTRONIC DEVICES BEFORE BEDTIME 
  • TRY TO GO TO SLEEP AT THE SAME TIME EACH NITE TO RESET THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM 
  • THERE ARE A FEW SUPPLEMENTS THAT CAN FOR SOME PEOPLE IMPROVE SLEEP HEALTH SUCH AS MELATONIN, VALERIAN ROOT, HOPS AND PASSIONFLOWER 

good night's sleep

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