Sleep! For some, it’s the joyous end to every day. A time to release into the restorative benefits of letting the mind settle and the body melt. For others, sleep can be inconsistent, wrapped in as much anxiety as it is in sheets and blankets. No-one can guarantee a sure fire process for a great night’s sleep, but there are 3 essential factors that are second nature to most great sleepers that could be beneficial for those who struggle to find that blissful state.
Essential #1
Muscles, Mind, Heart: not exhilarated, but well spent. Just like you can’t take yourself from zero to 100 in a split second, you also can’t shut yourself down from 100 without some preparation. Think of the hours before bed, (yes I said hours, not minutes) as a time to wind down. I’m not implying you do nothing, but choose your evening-into-night activities to be the ones that don’t rev you up.
I’ve benefited from first hand experience with this. Due to scheduling and leagues, I used to play a few night time sports; volleyball on Tuesdays, tennis on Thursdays or pickleball any night until 11:00 p.m. … often being kicked out of the venue at closing. And on those nights, I couldn’t unwind to go to bed until 2:00 a.m.
For people working outside the home, caregivers, or others with demands on their time, late nights may be the only hours left for recreation, so I get it. Perfection isn’t necessary, but keep these principles in mind. Exhilarating and emotionally charged activities could include demanding projects, intense reading, TV or streaming shows, use of any video display, (screens have an excitatory effect on neurons, regardless of the content), planning an upcoming vacation, deciding on senior homes for an elderly parent, etc. Your brain and your heart, just like your muscles and organs, also need time to wind down. Build in a cool-down period before you expect to feel like your day is done and you’re ready for recharging.
Essential #2
Room Preparation: your sleep space should be inviting for sleep. Sometimes we try to make our sleep space, (often a bedroom) multi-functional. It’s been an unhealthy trend for a couple generations now to keep toys, computers, screens, games, work stations and all sorts of non-sleep paraphernalia in bedrooms.
Nothing could be more confusing to the psyche than a bedroom that is also a recreation room or a work area. Colours, sounds, smells, lighting, textures should all convey the appropriate language of sleep and the room should be able to stay dark when you are sleeping.
I realize that this idea is a luxury for some, as household space may be limited. But if we are honest, I’d bet, with a little effort, most people who really want to prioritize sleep could find a way to make their sleeping space a better sanctuary for restoration.
Essential #3
Immediately before bed, routine is everything. Think Pavlov… that little bell, dogs salivating in anticipation of promised food. We’re not so different. When we sequence events together, the brain and body connect the events, anticipate what usually comes next and prepares for it. We can use that basic biological feature to our benefit. Create a routine prior to bed.
Once you are already in a wind down state (see Essential #1 above), sequence further, more specific actions so that your body and brain have a chance to prepare for the upcoming sleep. Many of these can be practical, like clearing away the final items from the kitchen counter, checking the doors, windows, lights, washing up, brushing teeth, etc, but you could also add intentional things like listening to a relaxing audio, a visualization, saying a prayer, turning down the lights, etc.
Ready For A Better Sleep?
Reducing interference within your nervous system (Chiropractic in a nutshell), is a key element in helping the body respond correctly to both internal and external triggers, including those required for quality sleep. It is a long-held understanding that a body with less nerve interference/ better neural integration and feedback will have more optimal healing, physiological function and self-regulation.
If you are searching for a more responsive body, one that sleeps better, contact us.