3 Tips for Better Sleep

Everyday, we are inundated with lights, tasks, and foods that keep us from getting our best night of sleep. Have you ever noticed that after a grueling workout, or a full day out in the sun, you are able to sleep like a baby? There is a reason for that! Let’s get into three tips for a better night sleep.

1. Light

There are many different types of light that we are exposed to throughout the day. One of the most common types of light that has been flooding the mouths of those in the health and wellness industry is blue light. Blue light is in every screen you look at.

Blue light has a bad rap in the health world but it can actually be used for good! The sun is a natural source of blue light that we need each and every day to keep our circadian rhythm working properly. The circadian rhythm is  your body’s internal clock that tells you when it’s time to sleep, and when it’s time to rise.

Simply put, we need light in the morning to wake up our bodies, but we need to protect our bodies from this same light at night. Consider shutting down your screens and tv time at least two hours before bed. Begin dimming the lights in your home as the sun goes down.

2. Eat the right foods at the right time 

Certain foods can help your sleep and others can hurt it. Consider some of the foods you reach for when you are tired. Sugar, caffeine, and processed carbohydrates are some of the top contenders.

Try to abstain from caffeine after 4:00 pm on a normal day, or after 2:00 pm if you are struggling with sleep. Caffeine not only affects your ability to sleep, but also your cortisol levels. Similar to light, cortisol should be higher in the morning, and lower at night.

Limiting sugar and processed foods is important for a number of reasons, sleep being one of them. Processed foods and sugar hijack your blood sugar and can play a role in overall inflammation in the body.

3. Move your body

Do you think the cavemen ever had a hard time sleeping? Most likely not. They moved around day in and day out looking for food and keeping their families safe. By the end of the day, they were ready for sleep.

How can you mimic the lifestyle of the cavemen? Get up and move! Set a timer to get up and move every hour. The CDC recommends getting in 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days a week. This may seem like a lot at first, but once you start, you won’t miss your sedentary days.

Speak with your health coach about ways you can incorporate movement throughout your day!