I love all the contradictory people yelling sleep hygiene tips all over social media, but each of us is unique and there are a few distinct patterns that can be creating sleep issues.
Here are some ideas to explore. I gently invite you to experiment and see what works best for your own unique body and lifestyle. Blood nourishing foods One pattern can be blood deficiency. This usually looks like trouble falling asleep and can be accompanied by symptoms like anxiety, hair loss, dry eyes, blurry vision, and memory issues. Now this doesn’t mean there is literally not enough blood in your body. This is about nourishing the body when we are depleted. For blood nourishing foods think adding foods throughout the day that are deeply nourishing, iron rich, and red in colour. Foods like good quality meat if you eat it, red berries and fruits, molasses, and seaweed. Space for processing emotions So often difficulty sleeping can be connected to a nervous system that can not shift out of a sympathetic (fight or flight) state. Allowing space in your days for processing emotions and tending to the nervous system can be so helpful long term. This, of course, isn’t a quick fix and benefits from long term gentle tending without forcing This can look like journaling, meditating, and baths, but can also look like somatic work with a professional, strenuous exercise you enjoy, time in nature, acupuncture, and time in community. Nighttime routine I really invite you to play here. This whole sleep hygiene thing got really serious!! What feels good to you? What helps you feel like it is time to start winding down? For some people this might look like sleepy time tea and essential oils, but for others it might be something a little different each night with a similar intention. It also doesn’t have to be something that takes hours. It could be a 10 min dance around the bedroom. The invitation is to pick one or more things that help you feel pleasure and softening. Play with when/what you eat before bed We truly all have different needs here. Can you approach it with curiosity? How do you sleep if you stop eating a few hours before bed? How do you feel if you eat right before bed? Some people will not sleep well if they are even a little hungry at bedtime (most people actually!!) and some sleep better through the night if their digestion can take a little break. If you are someone who wakes around 1-3am and especially if you feel stressed or anxious when you do, eating a snack within an hour before bed with fat and protein might really help to keep your blood sugar stable through the night. Getting to bed and getting up at the same times We talk so much about “balanced hormones” and this can be very supported by balanced lifestyle practices. Going to bed and getting up around the same time allows the body to find a rhythm for many people. This isn’t always possible for everyone, or course, and some people may not have it as a possibility in some seasons. Stressing or shaming ourselves for not doing it isn’t helpful. Just a gentle effort to make it as close to around the same time can be very helpful. Dark cool room I love reflecting on how to make the environment and room itself more conducive to a delicious night. Can you make the room darker? This doesn’t have to be expensive. You can often use things you already have to accomplish this. Many people find a cooler room may be helpful to sleep, but what do you find? For me, plugging in my electric blanket while I brush my teeth and leaving the room itself cooler has been a game changer. Are there other things? Do you live somewhere dry? Would a humidifier help? Do you love smell? Would a diffuser feel good? Need background noise? Would an air filter, music, and or a fan make you more relaxed? This is an opportunity to really think about your own comfort and just have it built into the environment so that it takes less effort each evening. I hope you found even one little idea to try for your sleep. We all know how important it is, but approaching it from a place of enjoyment can start to unwind the stress and shame of not “getting it right” and allow us to find the things that actually support us.
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1/29/2025 02:54:15 am
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AuthorErin is a Doctor of Acupuncture practicing in Calgary, Alberta. Archives
October 2024
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