serotonin

Following on from Monday’s post, “Insomnia Issues & Sleep Problems Part I – Nutrition”, today I’m looking at some of the other major factors that could be influencing your sleep, or lack thereof. Hey, if you’re tackling the potential nutritional aspects of sleep problems, you should probably take a look at the lifestyle factors while you’re at it. Work on these and you will improve your sleep!

Even if you only sometimes suffer with sleep problems, now is the perfect time to improve your sleep, before it becomes a chronic issue. So, if you’re being kept awake at night by something other than babies or children, here are some tips to help you get (back) to sleep! You might think you know them already, but how many of them do you actually practice?

Brain in overdrive when your head hits the pillow?

Reduce stressors

Reduce screen-time in the evening, and have NO screen-time at all for at least 30 minutes before bed. The blue back-light of the screens (tv, iphone, laptop etc) tricks your brain and keeps cortisol levels raised, keeping you in ‘fight or flight’ mode and preventing you from relaxation and sleep. Read, instead – an actual, old-fashioned, paper book 😉 Put your phone on the automated night-mode overnight so that (a) the screen dims and reduces the blue-light that keeps your brain alert, and (b) no notifications/phone calls ping up on the screen to bother you. Better still, put it on flight mode so the wifi isn’t going on all night right by your head (why take the risk?).
Jot down any niggling thoughts – your to-do list for tomorrow, something for the calendar for next week, something you must tell your partner in the morning, anything really. Whatever is floating around in your brain is preventing your brain from switching off and sleeping.

For bonus points, jot your thoughts down in the dark and try to decipher your writing in the morning!

Relax the mind

Listen to a guided meditation before you go to bed. It need only be a few minutes long if you have not meditated before. Work your way up to 10-12 minutes of meditation before bed. Try the ‘Calm’ app for some guided meditations (there are some free ones in there to try out first).

Drown out any noises that might be bugging you.

Listen to white noise. Use an app on your phone to play gentle sounds, which not only drown out the ticking clock/snoring partner, but have the added bonus of helping to drown out the thoughts in your head.
Use earplugs if you live near a noisy road/noisy birds/noisy anything that goes on through the night and could wake you up or prevent you from getting back to sleep. They help mute annoying sounds, but don’t stop you from hearing your alarm clock in the morning. If you’re worried you might not hear your baby cry/alarm clock, just pop one earplug in the ear that is exposed and keep the other ear free (that’s what I do!).
Use an eyemask. Okay this isn’t a noise solution but, similarly, light could be bothering you more than you realise. We need very dark rooms for the best, most restorative sleep. Eyemasks are not just for long-haul flights (although they work wonders there too!), but are extremely beneficial if there’s an unwanted source of light in your bedroom.

Something waking you up at night?

Pinpoint what is waking you up

Sudden noises? As mentioned above, sudden noises that wake you up and leave you wide-eyed and kinda bushy tailed, but at the wrong time like 3am, need to be eliminated, if possible, reduced, or at the very least drowned out. Stick the white noise back on (if your brain is active) or the earplugs in.
Tossing and turning? If your body is having difficulty relaxing and you can’t find a comfortable position, consider that low magnesium may be at play. Magnesium helps to relax muscles, and is particularly beneficial for night cramps.
Pets in the bedroom? They could be bothering you more than you realise. We love having our cats in our bedroom overnight – they love to curl up at the bottom of the bed and aren’t any bother. But other times, our big cat, Bear, likes to find somewhere even warmer, like my husband’s chest or around my head on my pillow! When this happens, we wake up and usually cannot get back to sleep while he remains in that position (but it’s sooooo cute!). So if pets might be affecting your sleep, make your sleep and health the priority, and make a comfy bed for them elsewhere.

What sleep problems? Catnap like a pro.

The need to pee is waking you up

Minimise fluid intake after dinner. Ensure you get your 2 litres of water throughout the day, and don’t have to cram a litre in before bed to get your daily quota!
If you take tablets at night, take with as little amount of water as possible or take a little earlier, about an hour before bed, to give your bladder a chance to do its job before your head hits the pillow.
If this doesn’t help, there may be other causes of excessive night urination which you should discuss with your health practitioner.

You wake up and then think you might as well pee.

Something else is waking you up – can you pinpoint what it was? A noise that you can block out? Your partner? Find ways to help prevent the wake-up from even happening, and you’ll probably find your bladder can last until the morning.
Minimise how much you allow yourself to ‘wake’. If you really must go to the bathroom, don’t turn lights on – use the light of your phone to light the way if you must, but RESIST THE URGE TO LOOK AT YOUR PHONE/EMAILS/FACEBOOK/insert your online vice of choice!

What sleep problems? Sleep like a baby.

This just scratches the surface.

There are so many variables at play can cause sleep problems. Book an appointment with me TODAY to chat in-depth about your sleep, diet, health history, and more.

BOOK NOW!

Sleep easy knowing we are going to get to the bottom of your health issues. Let me help you get rid of your sleep problems, and get the sleep you need to reach your health goals!

Lucy x

“Shut up and go to sleep, Brain!”

Is this what you find yourself saying to yourself when your head hits the pillow? Or after an hour of lying there? Or maybe when you wake up a few hours later, at 2 or 3 in the morning? You are not alone. Around 30 per cent of Americans suffer with insomnia issues, and given our similar lifestyles, it’s likely the numbers in Australia and Great Britain are comparable.

And it could be down to what we eat and drink. No great surprises there! But keep reading anyway, there may be some pearls of wisdom here…!

If you have difficulty sleeping at least three times a week for three months or more, then you are suffering from chronic insomnia. As we know, sleep deprivation is not good for our general and mental health (ask any new mother!). Studies show insomnia issues and sleep disorders increase the risk of many big-name health issues – hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.

But it’s not just the quantity of total sleep you get, it’s the quality too. Your body repairs physically during the non-REM deep sleep stage, and then repairs psychologically during the REM stage that follows. Chemicals in the brain facilitate getting to sleep and transitioning from one sleep stage to another, so it’s important to keep the body in balance.

No insomnia issues here!

So, what can you do to improve your sleep quantity and quality, from the inside, out?

Not sure if you’re eating the right things to help or prevent your insomnia issues?

It’s true that some foods might stop you getting the sleep you need, and others might help your slumber. First, let’s look at some of the things that are stopping you from getting a good night’s rest. Yes, you may know all of these, but maybe they’re more important than you realised…

What to avoid that can be too stimulating…

Sugar – this is an obvious one, fuelling the body at the wrong time of day. Even sweeteners, which mimic sugar, can trick the body into producing cortisol. This prevents the body, and mind, from being able to wind down at the end of the day.
Caffeine – another obvious one, and it can take longer than we realise for the body to filter the caffeine out of its system. Avoid tea, coffee, caffeinated fizzy drinks and dark chocolate after around 2pm if you want to nix those insomnia issues.
Alcohol – stop drinking around 2 hours before bed. Alcohol tricks the brain into thinking it is able to sleep, by activating receptors for the brain chemical, GABA. It then wakes up later, realising it doesn’t actually have enough GABA required to facilitate sleep.
Drinks containing artificial sweeteners – these have been shown to affect the quality of sleep. Again, they trick the brain, affecting the levels of chemicals (neurotransmitters), raising the resting heart rate and preventing adequate deep, restorative non-REM sleep.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – this can act as an excitotoxin in the brain, stimulating activity. Too much glutamate also throws the balance of GABA, which in turn increases anxiety and reduces REM sleep levels. Foods that encourage the formation of glutamate in the body include: whey protein, gelatine, soy, peas, tomatoes and parmesan cheese – reduce these foods and foods containing MSG if you are experiencing anxiety and poor sleep.
Nicotine – there are lots of reasons to stop smoking, but if you’re experiencing insomnia issues and poor sleep quality, then this is a big one. Nicotine is a stimulant, so any smoking later in the day/evening in particular could be keeping you awake at night. Withdrawal pangs overnight may wake you up and keep you awake.
Even a tiny coffee could cause insomnia issues!

Now you’ve cut out all the ‘fun’, and are well on your way to a good night’s sleep, we can focus on things that will encourage slumber…

What to have that helps you relax…

Tryptophan – this particular amino acid, which is a building block of protein, is a precursor to serotonin, another brain chemical which promotes sleep. Consuming foods higher in tryptophan may increase your serotonin levels. Try eating the following for dinner or as a snack in the evening: eggs, cheese, nuts and seeds, salmon, and turkey. Combining these foods with some carbs – rice, oats, sweet potato – may help the body’s absorption of tryptophan.
Magnesium – this trusty mineral helps with sleep efficiency and time, relieves stress, relaxes muscles, and stimulates GABA receptors in the brain. What can’t it do? Foods high in magnesium include: dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, avocado, yoghurt, and banana. So, a dessert of plain/Greek yoghurt and banana with a sprinkle of sunflower and pumpkin seeds on top is perfect. However, many people are deficient in magnesium so you may find you need a little more help. We can discuss the perfect magnesium supplement for you (trust me, there are many to choose between) during your initial consult.
Herbal tea – herbal teas are the perfect way to help relax your body and mind, whilst having the added bonus of replacing the caffeinated coffee and tea you’re now cutting out due to your insomnia! Chamomile is a common choice, but there are others to choose too. Passionflower is fantastic for calming the mind, boosting GABA levels, and promoting sleep quality. There are lots of herbal tea blends available that target sleep and relaxation specifically, but they need to be consumed daily for a week or two before you notice the effects. Just be sure to check the ingredients are safe if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.

C’mon, I know you’re eyeing off the dessert in the background as much as I am!

Insomnia issues are not just about what you eat and drink.

Whilst the substances you consume play a role in your ability to sleep, and sleep well, there is so much more going on in our lives that we must look at other factors too. I address some of the ‘lifestyle’ factors in my next blog post (Part II).

Hormonal imbalances, mood changes and/or PMS, adrenal fatigue, thyroid issues, chronic stress, the list goes on. These issues all play a role – affecting the ability of neurotransmitters, like GABA, serotonin, noradrenaline to enable the brain to relax, sleep, and transition from one sleep state to another. To improve your sleep and gain a greater understanding of your health, we must look at the whole picture.

Where to from here?

If your insomnia issues are becoming a chronic problem, don’t keep suffering. Book in TODAY to chat in-depth about your sleep, diet, health history, and more. Sleep easy knowing we are going to get to the bottom of your health issues. Let me help you get the sleep you need and reach your health goals!

BOOK NOW!

In the meantime, keep an eye out for my next blog post, about the impact of lifestyle factors on sleep, later this week.

Lucy x

Insomnia Issues & Sleep Problems Part II – Lifestyle

Brain in overdrive when your head hits the pillow?

Reduce stressors

Relax the mind

Drown out any noises that might be bugging you.

Something waking you up at night?

Pinpoint what is waking you up

The need to pee is waking you up

You wake up and then think you might as well pee.

Other sleep problems at play?

My baby believes sleep is for the weak.

I’m in pain and it keeps me awake.

This just scratches the surface.

BOOK NOW!

Insomnia Issues & Sleep Problems Part I – Nutrition

Not sure if you’re eating the right things to help or prevent your insomnia issues?

What to avoid that can be too stimulating…

What to have that helps you relax…

Insomnia issues are not just about what you eat and drink.

Where to from here?

BOOK NOW!

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