Sleep deprivation is a widespread problem in America.

I can only imagine it is even more significant of a problem here in the Bay Area. Sleep depr1vation has a variety of effects on the human body, none of them good. Some say they can get by on four or six hours of sleep per night. I think it’s more likely they have just gotten habituated to the deprivation.  Pain is one side effect; everything just tends to hurt a bit more the longer you go without proper sleep. Your body needs eight hours to repair and recover. If you get less than that you will get increasingly stiff and sore.  In addition, lack of sleep has been shown to increase cravings for sugary, fatty, and salty foods—just like emotional stress does.

Here are three tips to help you sleep better and more:

Go for at least a 20-minute walk at lunchtime or after dinner. This will help lower your blood sugar, making you more sensitive to insulin. 20 minutes of walking can also moderate stress hormones enough to prevent them from interfering with your sleep. 60 minutes of Zumba works well too! However, 20 minutes of moderate exercise will make a positive change with minimal interruption to your daily routine.

Sleep debt can be contributing to your pain

Speaking of routine, you should sleep on a set schedule. Set a time to go to bed every night. Work back from the “Zzz” hour and give yourself a little wind-down time before turning out the light. Of course, it’s not always possible, but having a schedule or ritual will start to condition your body to relax and get ready to go to sleep.

The third idea is to treat your bed as a place for sleeping and intimacy only. Don’t watch TV, work, or discuss important issues in bed. Busy people can often watch TV until they lull themselves to sleep, or save up discussions of important (and sometimes stress-inducing) issues until they get in bed. Both of these choices have an activating effect on the brain and will interfere with a person’s ability to fall asleep. Beyond the mental stimulation of a TV show, the exposure to the light given off by a TV also affects our ability to nod off.

One last thing…

There are many ways to improve your sleep.

It is good to nap. When you have an acute need and can squeeze it in, taking a nap during the day can be a great help. Provided it is okay to do so and it is not too long. Note to employers—a 20-30 minute nap can be restorative, and bring back productivity to a sleepy head. Napping has been shown to boost creativity and efficacy on the job.

Sleep is part of the DREAM Regime (Diet, Rest, Exercise, Alignment, and Mindfulness) and is something that you can better manage using the tips above.  Have questions or want to make an appointment  contact us here.

Additional resource:

Want to know more about improving your sleep click here to watch a video by Matthew Walker author of the book Why we Sleep. This was a great read!