Bio-hack Your Way to Your Best Night's Sleep!
Sleep is, for many, the ultimate bio-hack, how to track it and how to hack it. Getting a good night’s sleep requires timing and precision of what hormones to release and when to release it. It is a complex dynamic process, that is dependent on circadian rhythms, and our behaviours, thoughts and our environment.
So how can you bio-hack your sleep? Well, first things first we need to understand that not all sleep is created equal...8 hours doesn’t always cut it.
The good news is, is that sleep is a regulated system. It is essential for our survival and reproduction, controlled by a small part of the brain, called the hypothalamus. Sleep is a time of work. While we are asleep, and are unconsciously aware of our surroundings, our brain and body clean up, detoxify, regenerate and repair. Hence why sleep is important in recovery from day-to-day stresses, illness and injury.
The average healthy adult will have 3-5 sleep cycles per night. Within those sleep cycles there are 4 stages: light sleep, deep/slow sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) and wake.
Light sleep allows the body to be aware of its surroundings and wake quickly in the event of a threat. It is also the physiological process taken to transition to deep sleep.
Deep slow sleep is where your muscles repair and grows and produces 95% of its daily growth hormone.
REM sleep is when your brain is being cleanup and restored. It is the time when ideas and skills that were acquired or learnt throughout the day are consolidated and stored into your long-term memory.
Wake is included as a sleep stage as it is natural for you to be awake for brief moments throughout the night. Usually only last a few moments and you are not conscious of them. Did you know you can lose up to an hours' worth of sleep to the moments or disturbances.
Now let's get bio-hacking. Below I have listed my top 6 tips for a better night’s sleep:
Having a regular bedtime routine each night e.g. brushing your teeth having a warm shower, stretching and/or meditating. This signals to your hypothalamus that it is time to sleep.
Regular sleep and wake times. Irregular sleep and wake times can disrupt your sleep and your brain's ability to produce hormones at the right time.
Your bed is for sleeping. Are you guilty of finishing off work, emails and spreadsheets in bed, your brain makes a link with bed, work and stress. Leave work out of the bedroom to make it a more relaxing environment.
Limit screen time. Turn off technology 1-2 hours before bed. Our phones, iPad, laptops and tv emits a blue light that interrupts your circadian rhythm. Impacting on your mood, sleep and energy levels.
Gratitude journaling. Keep a gratitude journal each night, write 3 per night. This helps you reflect on the positive moments of each day and ensures a relaxed and positive mindset before falling asleep.
Meditation. Just 5-10 minutes of meditation or deep breathing can help you relax your mind and body, reduces stress and calms a racing mind.
Final note:
If you are experiencing sleepiness during the day when you are expected to be alert and awake, prolonged insomnia, difficulty breathing or snoring, or any other symptom that is preventing you from sleeping well, I recommend you go and consult an integrative health professional to determine the underlying cause.
Start implementing some of these healthy sleep tips into your daily routines and let me know how you go... if you would like some help, give us a call or book an appointment. I would love to chat about it.
If you like to nerd out like myself, read and analyse data, then WHOOP may be for you! The WHOOP is the lates fitness and sleep tracking device. It tracks your sleep cycles, and whether your new habits are working. Here is my link to receive 1-month Free and a FREE band HERE. Start tracking your sleep and habits to improve your recovery with WHOOP.
Cheers to your best night’s sleep yet!
Tarsha