Good Sleep

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

✅ Action Item: Focus on one thing to improve your sleep this week.

Starting from about the age of 3, I've had a bad habit of staying up until the middle of the night reading books that captivate me. My parents encouraged this habit (probably the right choice given my rapt love of reading). Over time, sleep has become one of my most important tools for brain functioning, so I've worked to reduce the wee hours reading.

My solution to improving sleep is not to fix ALL THE THINGS, but to re-commit to at least one small sleep improvement for a week. I have a shortlist of sleep improvements:

PREPARATION FOR BED:

• Better Wind Down Activities: Recognize that different brains might need different wind-down routines. For some active brains, it might be about finding that activity that makes them pass out (I'm looking at you, nature documentaries and PBS). For me, it's typically reading a book that is set in a time and place that doesn't have modern technology. I can also work out at night personally and it improves my sleep.
• Screen Time: I'll probably never be able to stick to no screens at night. (But if you can... do it!)
• Brain Dump: end of night either gratitude (what went well today?) or anxiety dump in a journal if need be. If feeling inspired, I'll also set up the top 3 things I'd like to do the next day.
• Bed Time Rituals: Establishing a consistent bedtime ritual can signal to your body that it's time to wind down. (I'm... not great at this. My dog however, is usually somewhat insistent upon being put to bed.) We give toddlers bed times because it WORKS.
• Stress Management Activities: Find techniques to better manage stress at night, be it through meditation, deep breathing, etc. I find that meditation when I'm anxious at night isn't typically as helpful as a sleep story, audio book, or a nature documentary.

✅ Action Item: Pick a Wind-Down Activity. Choose one wind-down activity (like reading a historical novel or watching a nature doc) and stick to it for the week. Note how it affects your sleep quality.

SLEEP ENVIRONMENT:

• Sound: Some people benefit from white noise or calming sounds, while others need complete silence. I like the soft snoozles of my Frenchie, but generally prefer quiet.
• Sleep Stories: Narrated stories or meditative tracks can lull me to sleep - I like Headspace's sleep stories personally, and I'm always up for rain sounds or beach waves to get me in a quiet place. (These also can help if I wake in the night.)
• Ambiance: Darkness is crucial. Consider using an eye mask (I have five, and it's my favorite fancy conference swag). Check your blanket situation—is it comfy enough? Is it large enough? If you sleep with a partner, do you each have sufficient blanket? You might need two. Can you pop one foot out to stay cool?
• Temperature: Ensure your room is at a comfortable temperature for sleep. This is so person dependent. I remember sleeping over at my best friend's house in elementary school and the water on our bedside tables FROZE. I like 68 degrees.

✅ Action Item: Test Your Sleep Soundscapes: Try playing white noise or a sleep story from Headspace or Calm for a week. Analyze how soundscapes affect your quality of sleep. Did you fall asleep faster? Did you stay asleep?

STAYING ASLEEP:

• Limit Caffeine Before Bed Be mindful of your caffeine intake, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime. My reliable cut-off is 1pm-ish, even though I love the occasional afternoon iced tea. (My one exception is the occasional night time Turkish coffee which doesn't impact my sleep. I do NOT get a Thai Iced Tea at dinner any more even though they are delicious because they destroy my sleep.)

✅ Action Item: Adjust Your Caffeine Cut-Off Time. Experiment by moving your caffeine cut-off time an hour earlier for a week. Notice if it has any impact on your sleep quality or ability to stay asleep. For me, that's 1pm, but you might find another sweet spot. ☕

ENHANCING SLEEP QUALITY:

• Ompractice Classes: Classes like iRest, meditation, and yang to yin can promote relaxation! We've added some late night classes recently as well, but I'm just as likely to listen to an iRest from our video library at night.
• Monitor Sleep: Measuring sleep quality can give insights into patterns and areas of improvement. I have an Apple Watch and an Oura. This can backfire if you are sleeping very poorly - do not use to make you feel worse. (I do love data though.) I find that the Oura helps me make positive choices to take it easy the next day when I sleep poorly.

DIET & NUTRITION:

• Dinner Timing: Try not to eat heavy meals too close to bedtime. Digesting can keep you awake, and/or reduce your actual sleep quality. Similarly, working with a dietician and making different food choices at night can support better sleep. This is also person dependent. I find that late night protein (cottage cheese usually) before bed is helpful for me to stay sleeping. Big desserts or super carb heavy meals spike my blood sugar and usually keep it elevated through the night, so I try to avoid on most days.
• Sleep-Inducing Foods: I'm not a personal fan of sleep supplements for regular use, but I do love herbal teas like Verbena.
• Limit Alcohol: While it might make you feel sleepy initially, alcohol can really interfere with the sleep cycle later in the night. These days I don't drink (not out of sobriety, or some moral high horse, I just prefer not to.)

✅ Action Item: Experiment with Meal Timing Avoid heavy meals two hours before bedtime. If you need a late-night snack, try to stick to protein like cottage cheese (I like a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper) and assess how that impacts your sleep.