The Importance of Sleep by Aviva Romm:
1.Turn Your Lights Down Low
While some lucky girls can fall asleep with a jackhammer going outside their bedroom window (actually, it’s mostly the men that can do this, eh?), the rest of us need a somewhat quieter ambiance. Unfortunately, if you have sleep problems, you may have begun to equate your bedroom with a place of misery rather than rest.
Here’s how to create a sleep-promoting environment.
Make your bedroom your sanctuary – your place of peace and respite.
Use your bed for sleep (and sex) only.
Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable or even slightly on the cooler side. Make your bedroom an electronics-free zone: no TV, computers, or other electronics
in there – ever. (Small apartment? Get a room divider to separate your sleep and desk area.)
Reduce ambient noise and light; a flax eye pillow or an eye mask and earplugs can work wonders!
Paint and decorate your bedroom in restful colors (apparently purple and grey are very bad choices, blue is the best, and neutrals and yellows pretty good).
Make sure you have a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bedding.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, don’t lay in bed tossing and turning. That will only make you hate your bedroom! Get up and read something relaxing on your sofa until you’re ready to try sleep again.
Good sleep starts long before you hit the pillow. In fact, your daytime and evening habits can have a major impact on your ability to get to sleep at night. Start planning for a good night’s sleep hours before bed by:
Avoiding caffeinated beverages after lunch (if you’re super sensitive, this includes green tea – and chocolate, too)
Avoiding alcohol, especially near bedtime
Avoiding smoking or other nicotine intake, especially during the evening
Exercising regularly for at least 20 minutes daily, but preferably more than four hours prior to bedtime
Eating no later than three hours before bed and avoid foods that cause acid reflux (heartburn) if you suffer from it
And don’t go to bed until you are sleepy.
Many of us live “tired and wired” – we’re dragging all day and then can’t sleep at night. Being “plugged in” to computers, email, and Iphones all day and evening exposes us to electromagnetic waves that potentially interfere with sleep, and also keeps us plugged into our endless “to-do’s” that prevent us from ever turning it all off and getting rest.
This same tired and wired phenomenon puts stress on our adrenal glands, the hormones that pump out stress hormones, leading to some of the medical problems associated with insomnia.
If you are going to improve your sleep, this means powering down for a designated couple of stress-free hours before bed. Relaxation skills practiced once you get into bed can increase your chances of getting to sleep – and having it be restful. Audio materials to support meditation and guided visualization are available for free on the Internet and on downloadable IPhone apps (listening to these is the one exception to the ‘no electronics in the bedroom’ rule).
Additionally, there are a number of yoga sequences that can help you unwind your body and your mind prior to bed. YogaGlo, a fantastic website with a wealth of recorded yoga classes with well-known teachers, offers a selection of yoga classes to help you relax. Do a class an hour before bed, then take an aromatherapy bath to help you decompress before you sleep.
Human beings evolved with natural day and night cycles – also called circadian rhythms. These rhythms control the hormones, for example, melatonin, which influence our sleep-wake cycles. Getting up at the same time each morning, followed by physical activity with exposure to outdoor light (e.g., a walk outside) or even just sitting next to a window with the shades and curtains open, may be beneficial, even on a cloudy day. If you have severe insomnia, using a light box for 30-40 minutes upon waking each morning might help. A completely dark environment is recommended at night for sleep. Benefits usually take 2-3 weeks to become apparent and the practice may need to be maintained indefinitely.
5. Do Your Worrying BEFORE Bed
I have my patients start a pro-sleep journal – any blank notebook will do. One hour before bed they write out all of their worries and concerns, including their to-do list for the next day. Doing this allows you go to sleep with a clearer head. Oh, and did I say vent in there, too? Never go to sleep angry. Even if you do sleep you’ll have rough dreams. After you’ve done your writing, read something inspirational for a few minutes. I highly recommend Tara Bennet Goleman’s Mind Whispering as a start. My patients tell me this whole practice works wonders. [Just don’t do it in your bedroom!]
A hot aromatherapy bath before bed can relax your mind and your muscles. Add 1 cup of Epsom salts and 5-7 drops of pure lavender essential oil to your tub of hot water. SOAK away your day’s troubles. Lavender promotes relaxation and sleep. This can be done nightly just prior to going to bed and is safe for pregnant and nursing mothers, too.
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