My children are now old enough that they regularly sleep through the night…finally! Sure there are occasional bad dreams that require comfort in the wee hours of the morning, and the rare drama of my youngest falling out of bed, but on the whole those years of being a sleep-deprived mama are behind me. Phew!
So now if I lack sleep it’s aallll because of me and my monkey brain! I’ve learned a lot about sleep over the years and tried all the hacks. Here are the key ones that make the biggest differences in the lives of myself and my patients. Essentially: care for your inner toddler as an adult.
- Create a bedtime routine
For little ones we tend to be good about (even dependent upon!) creating a regular evening routine to signal impending sleep. Teeth, face, pyjamas, story, song, lights out…
I’m often amazed at how many adults who struggle with falling or staying asleep report that they watch the news or check emails right before bed. Adding insult to an already stimulated mind is to do those things in bed immediately before closing our eyes and expecting sleep.
Give yourself some time to prepare body and mind for sleep. Put away the screens for the night and then… stretch, bathe, meditate, journal, read (a book or magazine by the light of a lamp), have some herbal tea, take your evening supplements, spritz some aromatherapy around the room. Pick and choose the ones that appeal to you and do your best to be consistent so that the pathway to deep sleep becomes predictable and worn and always there for you.
- Stick to a regular bedtime and wake time
This is often easier said than done, and yet, once established, is easy to maintain and makes a HUGE difference. The desire for many is to stay up late and then sleep in on weekends as a treat to oneself for being so disciplined during the work week. Many of us have a regular wake up time thanks to an alarm, but fewer people that I speak with keep to a regular bedtime as well.
- Dark, quiet room
For those of us living and sleeping in areas of light pollution this may require black out blinds and/or curtains, eye masks, ear plugs (I like the silicone ones meant for swimming as they don’t add uncomfortable pressure that prevents sleep), and/or a white noise machine.
- Cool sleeping environment
Our body temperature drops while we sleep mirroring the drop in ambient temperature outside. Shelter and central heating are AMAZING but at night sleep is enhanced by cooler temperatures so do what you can there with respect to your sleeping space.
- Blood sugar balance
This one can be a bit tricky. A blood sugar drop overnight helps to stimulate the release of human growth hormone and other healing compounds that we need to thrive – so we want it to dip somewhat while we sleep, but if it’s too dramatic a change then there may be an inappropriate night-waking from crazy hunger. Steady blood sugar during the day, as indicated by the ability to eat 2-4 meals that are preceded by “appetite” rather than “hanger”, makes low sugar an unlikely culprit behind night-wakings.
A high carb meal or sweet snack right before bed may backfire. Ensure adequate protein, fat, and complex carbs at dinner, and if you like to have dessert then have it after the meal rather than a few hours later right before bed so that the sugar is absorbed more slowly.
[When our eldest kid was a toddler my husband and I agreed that whoever gave him sugar was in charge of bedtime! He’d get so ornery and wired and it was simply unpleasant to try to settle him, so any sweets (and they were few) came after lunch when he had time to burn off the energy before bed. If my kids have dessert after dinner these days it’s fruit, either plain or with some unsweetened whipped cream, and if I’m feeling generous then a pinch of sprinkles on top to make it seem more decadent.]
- Magnesium
There are many nutrients and herbs that can support sleep but magnesium is a good place to start. It helps to relax muscles, ease spasms, and calm the mind through neurotransmitter balance.
I like a warm, drinkable magnesium after dinner as it feels like more of a calming ritual to engage in along with my gratitude journal and wind-down routine. If you prefer capsules that’s good too. Start low and go slow as too much magnesium at once can have a laxative effect. Build as tolerated to find the dose that works best for you. Starting at 100 or 200mg in the evening is generally very well tolerated. I have some patients find that that’s enough and others whose daily dose is closer to 800mg (in divided doses). You’ll know if you’ve had too much and it will be in a way that interferes with sleep so really – easy does it!
Once the basics above are in place, if sleeps continues to be elusive then it’s time to dig deeper. Digestive issues, hormone imbalances (adrenal, thyroid, sex hormones, blood sugar hormones), pain and inflammation, sleep apnea, excess weight, and allergies are all potential contributors to restless nights. Ironically, treating and healing all of the above are enhanced by good sleep so there’s often a vicious circle or two to break for overall health and wellness.
