Sleep Like a Baby-Nature’s Quick Answers to More Peaceful Rest

Sleep like a baby as it is a must for good health. It is during sleep and rest that our body is able to recover and repair. Some people have all the luck and are able to go to sleep quickly and sleep all night. While others and many seniors seem to have more problems.

REM Sleep

There are three stages of non-REM sleep that happen in a cycle. Starting when lay down and your body and brain relax and prepare for REM ( rapid eye movement) sleep. Which is the deep sleep that we all need to repair the body.

The whole cycle takes only about an hour and a half to two hours then the cycle begins again. It is so important for those that have to get up for the bathroom several times a night. They need to get at least three to four hours in a row as the cycle will be disrupted. Then you will receive less REM sleep each night and you will wake up tired.

Reduce Liquids Late in the Day

For those people that need to get up during the night try reducing the amount of liquid that you drink after 5:00. Try to drink most of the needed water before 2:00 in the afternoon, then only a small amount the rest of the day. It will help keep you from getting up a night.

Night Time Habits

Just remember part of getting up at the same time each night is that it becomes a habit really fast. It takes three or more days to create a habit and it takes a lot longer to break that habit. There really isn’t a set amount of days as we are all different. I know for myself it only takes a few days of a bad habit to get me in trouble. It takes more than a week to get back on track. Your habits before bedtime also is a factor in how quickly you can fall asleep and stay asleep.

Blue Light

Blue light from computer, cell phones, and television screens help to keep our body more alert than relaxed. So if possible stop using them an hour before bedtime. Then see if you get to sleep quicker. For our family, we shut everything down an hour before bed. Reading for an hour or so is calming and by that time it seems the body is ready to relax and falling asleep is quicker.

Make Your Bedroom Comfy!

Keeping the bedroom cooler and dark is also very helpful. Next choose the right pillow, bedding, mattress that is comfortable and relaxing. We spend many hours in bed so it really pays to make sure you are comfortable and it is easy for you to rest and relax.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a key factor in the sleep cycle as it is a hormone that is increased at night to create a calming effect on the brain. Then it goes down during wake hours.

For some people especially those that work shift work or stay up late at night and then sleep late in the day the sleep cycle gets disrupted. The pineal gland in the brain doesn’t increase melatonin at the right time. Melatonin is increased as darkness comes on and decreases when the light of day begins.

Many people benefit by supplementing melatonin about an hour before bed but the dosage is tricky as it is really a trial and error. Experiment until you get your right dose and the best time for you to take it before retiring. I know that for me I need to take a high dose and can take it for about a week then I am able to stop it. I then sleep fine and I do not take it until I am not resting well.

Many people need to take it nightly, some at a low dose while others need a lot more. Melatonin is not the answer for everyone. But it is a place to start if you are not sleeping well. If you do not get enough REM sleep the body will suffer and may cause another health problem. If by chance it does not work for you there are many other things that may be the answer for you. Sometimes people need a combination of things to give them the best sleep.

Teas have long been used to relax and calm the body which helps to prepare your body for rest and recovery. Chamomile tea has been used for thousands of years and is probably the most popular as it is easy to find and there are many sleepy tea combinations that almost always has chamomile in it.

Chamomile and Lavender Tea

Chamomile has many health benefits that make it a good choice for any sleep problems. The teas use the flower part of the plant and they are high in flavonoids that have the benefit of fighting off free radicals and protect cells. There are other teas for sleep as well, lavender flower tea has the same benefits as chamomile and both have a very fragrant smell that also affects the brain in a calming relaxing way. Both of these have a good flavor so are at the top of the list to try first.

Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm tea is a member of the mint family and it is so easy to grow in a pot or small garden and besides its sedative properties, it also has digestive, circulatory, and cognitive benefits. If you are not sleeping well and you are tired or take naps in the day then try some of these teas and see if they are an answer.

I do need to add that some medications cause poor sleep as well. So you may need to consult your doctor to see if one of your medications may be the cause of sleepless nights or waking up tired.

Many people find that a cup of tea in the evening and melatonin closer to bedtime is good for going to sleep quickly. I find that going to sleep is not as much of a problem as getting back to sleep if I get woke up, It is then when I take sublingual melatonin, and before it melts I am asleep.

Calming Herbs

There are many calming herbs besides chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm but many do not taste the best so usually are not used in teas. Valerian, lobelia, passionflower, and hops, have a long history of use for sleep and keeping the body relaxed and calm. These herbs are usually taken in supplement form or extracts.

Magnesium

Magnesium is also great for relaxing and it is a much-needed mineral for almost every function of the body. Many people are deficient in this mineral as it is used up quickly by stress. Then if not replaced the whole body tightens up. This causes tension, cramps, muscle spams, slows digestion, affects cardiovascular function, and much more.

Amino Acids

There are also some calming amino acids that are helpful too. GABA helps to calm the brain and this is another thing that works well for me. I keep it on the nightstand and if I have one of those nights my brain just won’t shut down it really helps. I only use a lozenge form as I want it to work quickly. L-theanine and L-tryptophan are amino acids that are also very helpful for the nervous system.

Snoring Like a Freight Train

There are different disorders that have drastic effects on the quality of sleep and the first but by no means the only issues are, you got it, snoring. There are many people with this problem and it not only affects your quality of sleep it also has an effect on a partners sleep as well.

Almost half of adults snore regularly but almost everybody snores some, some very soft, and others like a freight train. People snore because of some kind of obstruction in the airway. It can be the result of excess mucus to an allergen or the uvula at the back of the throat is abnormal, to long or thick. Sorry guys studies show that more men snore than women and that snoring seems to get louder with age.

Serious Issue

Reduced oxygen is a very serious issue, even for a short period of time. It seems that it may be a major cause of cardiovascular issues. A sleep study is a good preventative test to ask for if you snore. It is better to be safe than sorry and some damage has been done.

It does not seem to matter which way you sleep you can still snore, back sleeper are usually more prone to it. But all kinds of pillow and position sometimes have no bearing on snoring.

CPAP May Be Beneficial

I know my husband snored and if I nudged him he would stop for a little while but start back up. He was later diagnosed with sleep apnea and I truly believe it was the precursor to his cardiovascular problems. When the body is deprived of oxygen it becomes a health issue real quick even when it is only for a few seconds at a time. When those episodes happen many times in a hour damage is going to occur. The CPAP machine is forced air (not oxygen) that keeps the airway open while sleeping and many people benefit from this treatment.

Electronic Devices Out of the Bedroom

How many people out there have the television in the bedroom and fall asleep with it on? This is really NOT a good practice as it is best to keep ALL electronics out of the bedroom. If a clock is a must try to keep it as far from the head of the bed as possible. It always has a light on it and it is best to keep the bedroom cool, and as dark as possible. These things alone can be causing a disruption of your sleep.

Our Body Loves to Have a Schedule

The body loves you to have a schedule so as much as you can retire at about the same time each night. Then you will begin to wake at a regular time each morning. This is a practice I try to follow to the T as it keeps my whole system on a schedule. I also try to follow this with regular meals as well. Try not to be a grazer as that keeps your body in continuous digestion and it needs to catch up between meals. I have a whole theory on this but we will cover this later. Follow along with me and we will work toward better health together.