by It’s the 19th of March and it’s observed as World Sleep Day. In an increasingly chaotic and crowded online and offline world that we live now, one of the critical aspects that we have ignored is Sleep.
Deepa is a Functional Nutritionist, Author and a Yoga Acharya with decades of experience in the wellness field.Deepa has twenty years of experience in wellness, where she has focus on sleep nutrition, women’s health,detoxification, skin health and adrenal function.
Deepa shares with Mums and Stories a few tips for a good night sleep.
During a good night’s sleep, you pass through different stages of sleep, known as 1,2,3,4 and REM. You keep moving from 1 towards REM, and the cycle repeats. A majority of sleeping time is spent in Stage 2, while the rest of the time is spent between the other stages and REM. All deep sleep stages are critical for repair, brain healing, memory formation, hormone optimisation and detoxification. It is not how much you sleep, but how much you stay in deep sleep that matters. Typically Stages 1 and 2 should be around 60%, stages 3 and 4 around 20% and REM 20%. There are some ways which are very powerful in helping you to fall asleep, stay asleep and get good quality of sleep.
- The magical sleep plate should begin at breakfast
For stable blood sugar balance and adrenal function, which are critical to sleep, you need optimal protein at every single meal, but the most important meal that decides how your sleep will be is breakfast. When your breakfast is rich in fat, fibre, protein and color, you create stable blood sugar the whole day, reduce any potential cravings and make better food choices at other meals. Eventually when your nighttime meal is balanced, then you allow nighttime cortisol to be low and that is what you need to sleep.
- Get your sleep nutrients
You need vitamins such as magnesium, B6, D, B12, iron, zinc, selenium and Omega-3. The best way to ensure a wide range of nutrients is to eat a diet that is not restrictive or processed. Include a wide range of colorful fruits and vegetables, in combination with clean proteins and healthy fats. Including several portions of colorful fruits and vegetables increases your intake of phytonutrients that are antioxidant rich.
- Relax your muscles with a nighttime routine
If you do have the luxury of a bathtub, soak for half an hour in a warm bath with Epsom salt and essential oil of lavender. Let your tight muscles relax from deep within and allow it to decompress the stress of your busy day. Take time to nurture and pamper yourself!
- Set the right temperature
One other thing to consider is the temperature, as you want to feel comfortable and many people end up uncomfortable because the space is either too warm or too cold. In a sleeping space, the temperature should be between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit or 16-21 degrees celsius.
- Maintain a consistent rhythm
Set an EMF curfew every night. Set a two to three hour window before bedtime with no exposure to blue light. Go to bed at the same time every day to set your circadian rhythm. Wake up at the same time every day, even the weekend. Most people who have sleep challenges have varied rhythms on different days.
Sleep is not something that can be neglected, and poor sleep should never be ignored. It is a core basic and a foundation upon which all recovery and healing depends on!
For more information check here:
Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sleep-whisperer-podcast/id1522078363
Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5aj71drksRhvwJV9X41QQX?si=5JTCpxu2Sfe2jnkQNMSAww&nd=1
