How to Sleep Better
Why Sleep Health Matters
Difficulty with sleep is so commonplace that it’s easy to just accept it and find other ways to compensate. Oftentimes the ways we compensate only lead to more sleep dysregulation. Luckily, there are ways to fall asleep easier, stay asleep longer and feel more rested. Our bodies need time to rest and digest. During sleep our brains and bodies can repair and restore, allowing time and space for processing information and emotions. Without proper sleep, our physical and mental bodies can suffer. Our immune systems can become weakened and we can suffer from anxiety or depression. In addition, our emotional bodies need time to decompress and allow the parasympathetic nervous system to take over so we can feel rested and restored.
Stress Management for Better Sleep
One of the best ways to help yourself sleep better is to focus on your habits during your waking hours. You could have the best sleep hygiene in the world, but chances are if you are overworked, stressed, in an unfulfilling job, or an unhealthy relationship, your sleep is still going to suffer. Dealing with these stressors directly will have positive effects on your overall quality of life and your health, including your sleep. So don’t forget to examine your whole life when considering ways to improve your sleep.
Meditation
In general, a regular meditation practice can help with stress reduction, and reducing mental chatter. When you have developed an awareness of the “monkey mind,” you can realize when your mind is racing and are able to name your thoughts as such. You might say to yourself, “Okay, mind, that’s a thought. I’m going to allow that thought to pass over me like a cloud moving across the sky.” Meditation allows you to gain an understanding of when your thoughts are moving like a tornado and also allows you to feel some control over when that is happening. Simply by acknowledging your thoughts as thoughts, you have expanded your witness consciousness. This translates into a tool that you can use to support shutting down that monkey mind at night, when it starts to interfere with sleep, and feeling more present. If you fall asleep, but then wake early in the morning, instead of fighting it by tossing and turning for the next few hours until your alarm goes off, try an early morning meditation practice. And yes, I mean 4:00 am!
Yoga Nidra
Yoga nidra, or yogic sleep, is a powerful guided meditation practice I like to recommend for those suffering from insomnia. If you have trouble falling asleep, yoga nidra could be supportive to allowing the muscles and brain to relax enough to transition into sleep. It is a great practice for those who not only have a racing mind, but who toss and turn, or have trouble relaxing their physical bodies when it’s time to fall asleep. I usually recommend clients add this practice into their sleep “toolbox” before using herbs or pharmaceuticals. You can access guided meditations on music streaming apps, meditation apps, or YouTube. It is safe and accessible since it is a guided meditation. There are several other benefits of yoga nidra.
3 Drinks to Ease Into Sleep
Drinking warmed milk and spices is an ancient Ayurvedic practice to help induce sleep. Below are two examples of warmed milks, but feel free to experiment as there are numerous adaptations you can make. In fact, here’s three additional versions from Mountain Rose Herbs: “3 Magic Moon Milk Recipes for Restful Sleep”. Herbal tea is another alternative to prescription sleep aids. This tea consists of commonly used herbs (lavender, chamomile and lemon balm) that are generally safe and can promote rest and relaxation, leading to better sleep.
Rose Moon Milk
1 cup of milk of your choice
1 tsp rose powder
dash of cinnamon (optional)
Honey to taste (optional)
Warm the milk (do not overheat as this will cause the rose powder to lose its color). Add the rose powder, cinnamon and honey and whisk to combine. Enjoy!
Golden Milk (adapted from Rosalee de la Foret)
1 cup of milk of your choice
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp ginger powder
pinch of black pepper
raw honey to taste (optional)
Add the ghee to a pan and heat on medium until melted. Add the spices and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the milk, continuing to stir until hot. Remove from heat, add honey. Add to a blender. Blend for 30 seconds until frothy (be sure to allow steam to escape). Pour into a cup and enjoy before bed!
Herbal Sleepy Tea
1 part lavender
1 part chamomile
1 part lemon balm
Combine equal parts dried lavender, chamomile, and lemon balm. Store in a glass jar. When ready to make a single serving, use 2 tsp of herbal tea per 8 oz of boiling water. Allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy. Drink between 1-4 cups throughout the day, discontinuing a half hour before bed.
Cheers to a more restful sleep!