How to Naturally Improve Your Sleep

London Wellness Group

If you feel like you're not sleeping well, you're not alone.

Many people are not getting the sleep they need, and that's not good - not sleeping well has a direct effect on your health beyond just being tired.

It can also affect the quality of your life in other ways, affecting your productivity, your emotional balance, your energy during the daytime and even your weight.

Fortunately, healthcare clinics like our naturopathic medicine clinic have been able to develop some strategies and techniques that can improve your nightly trip to dreamland.

Get More Light

What does “get more light” mean?

Simply – enjoy more sunshine!

That might seem simple, but unfortunately it’s not.

Too many smartphones, tablets and other computers have joined forces with fluorescent lights and sedentary indoor jobs to keep our lighting inadequate.

On top of that, we Canadians live in a climate where the sun sets incredibly early in the winter.

On the shortest day of the year last year – December 21st – the sun set at 4:44 pm, and rose at 7:48 am.

So if you’re working an 8-4 or a 9-5 shift at work, you’re almost guaranteed to miss every bit of sunshine the day has to offer.

That's not a good thing—your brain secretes more melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate you sleep-wake cycle, when it's dark.

This stuff makes you sleepy and less alert – which is great when you’re trying to fall asleep, but not so much when you’re at work and trying to concentrate.

So take some steps to get more sunlight in your life.

Have breakfast by a sunny window.

If you have a break time at work, spend it outside walking.

You can also pick up a light therapy box if the other strategies fail to pay off.

These simulate sunshine and can be helpful during short winter days.

Follow Your Circadian Rhythm

One of the most important strategies for sleeping better is to get in sync with your body's circadian rhythm.

Following this rhythm will leave you feeling more refreshed and energized than if you try to deviate from them, even if it's just by an hour or two.

First, do your best to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

This will adjust your body to start feeling tired at the appropriate time.

It will also get your body to start feeling more awake at the time you're supposed to wake up.

Make sure to keep this schedule at all times, even on the weekends.

Yes, you're going to give up the luxury of sleeping in late.

However, the extra alertness you receive because of your improved circadian rhythm will make up for it.

Another way to keep synced to your circadian rhythm is to limit your nap time.

Limit your naps to no more than 20 minutes in the afternoon, and avoid the temptation to lie down and sleep after dinner.

Naps in the evening can lead to you not feeling tired when your bedtime arrives, making you more likely to stay up.

Get Moving

According to studies, people who exercise regularly feel less sleepy during the day compared to people who do not.

People who exercise also reportedly sleep better at night.

That seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it?

After all, the more rest your body gets, the more restful your sleep will be, right?

Turns out that’s not the case.

The more you exercise, the more tired your body becomes, and the more rejuvenating your sleep ends up being.

Of course, no one's expecting you to train like Arnold Schwarzenegger if your hardest exercise recently has been lifting the TV remote.

Even walking for 10 minutes a day has been shown to improve sleep quality.

Watch What You Eat

Finally, make sure you watch what you eat.

Caffeine and Nicotine are both stimulants that can disrupt your sleep.

You may know about caffeine's reputation as wake-up chemical.

But did you know, though, that it can cause sleep problems for up to twelve hours after you've had some?

Nicotine, on the other hand, is mostly available from tobacco products, which carry even more health problems.

You should also stay away from alcohol before bedtime, since it has the same effect as caffeine and nicotine.

Finally, make sure you eat healthy foods.

White bread, white pasta and white rice all have refined carbohydrates that can randomly make you awake at night.

Instead, try leafy green vegetables and whole grains.

Make sure you avoid having a big meal or snack before bedtime, and schedule your bedtime for at least two hours after you've eaten dinner.

Getting more and better sleep can seem impossible, especially if you've gone years without.

However, by following these strategies you'll be well on your way to waking up refreshed every morning.

Contact The London Wellness Group

If you’ve been having trouble sleeping and these strategies don’t work, it could mean you have a deeper health issue at hand.

The London Wellness Group can help.

Our resident naturopathic doctor, NeginMisaghi, can help you discover what’s keeping you awake at night and what you can do to enjoy a more restful sleep.

Contact The London Wellness Group today for your FREE introductory consultation and find out how you can start sleeping restfully once again.

Until next time,

The London Wellness Group is a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers in London Ontario. We’ve come together with one goal – to provide you with the highest level of chiropractic, wellness, and aesthetic care possible, so you can begin living a happier, healthier, more confident life.