I haven’t slept a wink
“I haven’t slept a wink” does this sound familiar to you?
If the answer was “yes” you are not alone. Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most common health ambitions in the UK with a staggering two thirds (67%) of adults suffering from disrupted sleep and nearly a quarter (23%) manage no more than five hours a night. Almost half (48%) of UK adults admit they do not get the right amount of sleep and more than one in ten take sleeping tablets (13%) or drink alcohol (13%) to aid sleep.
While you were sleeping
Sleep may feel like a period of inactivity but during this time our body is busy regenerating tissue and muscle growth, replenishing energy stores and producing proteins. Our immune system is also strengthened during our sleep cycle helping us to fight off infection and our brain repairs and reinforces important connections from the memories we have experienced throughout the day.
Sleep is a restorative process supporting the body and mind. It is a carefully orchestrated time where the brain and body pretty much go about a housekeeping routine preparing you for the day ahead.
So why is sleep so important?
Everyone has a bad night of sleep once in a while however research has shown that chronic poor sleep due to insomnia, a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea or simply because you keep late hours, may increase the risk of developing dementia, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression obesity and can alter the microbiota balance in the intestines. It can even age your brain by up to 5 years and you are 3 times more likely to catch a cold.
It is not surprising that a good night’s sleep is proven to benefit;
Energy levels
Memory and concentration
The immune system
Stress relief , blood pressure and resistance to cardiovascular disease
Type 2 diabetes and weight control
How much sleep do we need?
Sleep duration varies across our lifespan and from person to person. Quality of sleep is often more important than the quantity. For healthy individuals the number of hours sleep is within the ranges below, give or take an hour either side. When we are young, we require a lot more sleep and this coincides with our natural growth stages.
New-born (up to 3 months) is between 14 and 17 hours (in between feeding, nappy changes and nursing!!)
Infants (4-11 months) between 12 and 15 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years) between 11 and 14 hours
Pre-schoolers (3-5 years) between 10 and 13 hours
School-aged children (6-13 years) between 9 and 11 hours
Teenagers (14-17 years) 8 to 10 hours
Young Adults (18-25 years) 7 to 9 hours
Adults (26-64 years) 7 to 9 hours
Older adults (65+) 7 to 8 hours
What regulates the sleep cycle?
There are two processes that regulate our sleep cycle, circadian rhythms and homeostatic sleep drive. These processes are controlled by two vital components, melatonin and adenosine.
Circadian rhythms follow a 24 hour cycle and are controlled by the master clock in the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This master clock is reset daily when exposed to incoming light entering the optic nerve in the eyes. During the day as our eyes perceive light, the master clock responds, our body temperature rises and cortisol is released keeping us alert. As night falls and there is less light it signals to the body to start producing the sleep inducing hormone melatonin from the pineal gland in the brain causing us to become drowsy. The circadian clock undergoes significant change over our lifespan and influences the production of melatonin as we age.
Sleep drive is that undeniable feeling to sleep, it is often referred to as homeostatic sleep drive. The homeostatic drive prompts sleep by boosting levels of adenosine a sleep inducing chemical that builds up in the brain during the day to promote sleep each hour we are awake. It effectively reminds the body that it needs sleep after a certain period of time.
The stages of the sleep
There are 2 basic types of sleep N-REM (Non rapid eye movement ) and REM (Rapid eye movement) sleep. We go through several cycles of these sleep types, with each sleep cycle usually lasting between 90 and 120 minutes
Stage 1 N-REM - This is the first stage of sleep and lasts several minutes, transitioning between wakefulness and sleep.
Stage 2 N-REM - The second stage is the longest in the sleep cycle. Heart beat slows down, muscles relax and body temperature drops and eye movement stops.
Stage 3 N-REM - This stage marks a deep sleep. Our heat beat, brain waves and breathing slow down to their lowest levels.
Stage 4 REM - As the name describes eyes move rapidly within the eyelids during this stage. This is the stage where most dreams occur and is around 90 minutes into the sleep cycle. Breathing, heart and blood pressure all increase to those closer to waking levels and our muscles become paralyzed to prevent us from acting out our dreams.
How to improve your sleep naturally
You have much more control over the quality of your sleep than you probably realise. Here are some of my top 12 tips to naturally improve and support a good night sleep. A few small changes can make a huge difference.
Sunlight - the most important external influence affecting the body's internal clock is sunlight. Try to get as much natural light as you can first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Start the day by having your breakfast at a sunny window or on warmer days have your breakfast and lunch outside. Throughout the day allow as much natural light into your office or room that your work in.
Caffeine - blocks the actions of adenosine which promotes sleep. Caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it. To lessen the effects and aid sleep, swap caffeine drinks including cola, energy drinks, coffee and tea for herbal teas or have your last coffee or caffeine before 1-2pm in the afternoon.
Alcohol - proceed with caution when drinking before bed, as alcohol affects sleep quality. It interferes with your sleep cycle making you wake up feeling unrefreshed and leaves you groggy which can stay with you for most of the day.
Exercise - stimulates hormones such as cortisol and raises body temperature which can interfere with sleep too close to bedtime, so timing of your exercise is key. If you are planning a vigorous workout try to do this 3-4 hours before bed. Alternatively try a low impact exercise such as yoga and light stretching in the evening.
Meals - try to avoid eating a heavy meal before bedtime so that you are not still digesting your food including anything spicy, which may cause heartburn or an increase in body temperature.
Bedtime snack - a healthy balanced diet will help you sleep well, however, some people find it hard to sleep on an empty stomach. If you do need to eat something have a small snack combining some sleep promoting foods (e.g.) oat cracker with almond butter, warm oat Pukka latte or some carrot sticks and hummus.
Bath time - having a bath 1-2 hours before bed using your favourite essential oil in the bath along with 3 cups of Epsom salts can help you unwind and relax tense muscles.
Reduce blue light - to boost your melatonin at night dim the lights in the evening. Blue light in particular from a smartphone or laptops has a more powerful impact on the production of melatonin so avoid electronic devices at least an hour or more before bedtime including watching TV. Try listening to some relaxing music or reading a book.
Broken sleep - if you do experience broken sleep for more than 15 minutes, get out of bed and do a quiet activity like reading a book and keep the lights dim. This should relax you and put you back into sleep mode again.
Breathing exercise - trying a breathing technique before bed can calm and prepare the body for sleep. There are number of techniques including the Bhramari pranayama breathing technique experiment and try a few to see what works best for you.
Sanctuary - it is important that your bedroom is a quiet and comfortable space. The temperature of your room is also important so around 18° C is ideal . If you need to have the window open, perhaps use earplugs to avoid any external noise.
Sleep Routine - using the above techniques and lifestyle options start to make gradual changes to get into a routine. Always keep your daytime routine the same, even if you did not get a good night sleep as maintaining a constant circadian rhythm is essential for health.
Functional foods for a good night sleep
According to studies eating certain functional foods may promote sleep. These include melatonin and tryptophan,
Foods which contain melatonin include;
Tart cherries
Nuts and seeds - (organic seed and nut butters are a good source)
Asparagus
Sweet potatoes
Pomegranate
Oatmeal
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which means the body cannot produce it and it must be obtained from the diet. Tryptophan is also the precursor to serotonin and melatonin. For tryptophan to be effective, it has to cross the blood-brain barrier therefore eating carbohydrates and protein in the same meal makes tryptophan more available to the brain. Foods which contain tryptophan include;
Eggs
Wild salmon
Turkey and chicken
Chickpeas
Quinoa
Bananas
Sleepy tea and good old fashioned water
Hydration is key for every cell in the body so during the day aim to drink between 1.5 and 2 litres of water. Having a warming sleepy drink before bedtime is one of my favourite ways to settle down for a good night's sleep. There are a great variety of herbal teas out there for sleep and it is often just finding one that you like and works for you. Here are a few which you can find in most supermarkets or your local health food store.
Chamomile
Valerian
Passionflower
Lemon balm
Turmeric
Banana Tea!!!
Recipe for banana tea
All you need for this recipe is;
1 organic banana
Hot water
Keep the skin on and just cut off the ends of the banana.
Place the entire banana with the skin still on into a pot of boiling water.
Boil for 10 minutes, strain and drink the liquid only, around 1 hour before going to bed.
Do you need support with your sleep?
Sleep is a complex area and can present alongside stress, anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalance, lifestyle factors and circadian misalignment.
If you would like support on this or are experiencing any health concerns and would like to look at how Nutritional Therapy can help your body and mind restore its natural balance, you can book in for a FREE 20 minute Discovery call. I have a number of personalised 1-to-1 programmes so choose one that is suitable for you.
As a registered Nutritional Therapist I am trained to understand how dietary nutrients are both used by and support the different systems of the body and when it is appropriate to recommend a therapeutic supplement(s), assessing any drug nutrient interaction and highlighting where functional testing can also benefit you.
I look forward to seeing you soon
Elaine x
The information contained in this blog is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition.
