3 Hot Tips for Better Sleep

Hi there! i get it. Sleep is complicated. It’s hard to shut down, get to sleep, and stay asleep. Plus, who has time to get enough?

What happens when I don’t get enough sleep?

Sleep Deprivation can lead to serious health problems including: obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and irregular heartbeat, to name a few.
Losing sleep can make you gain weight because it triggers hunger and cravings.
Sleep loss dumbs you down. It impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, memory, and problem solving.
Sleepiness is depressing. People with insomnia are 5 times more likely to develop depression than those who sleep well.
Lack of sleep ages your skin. Chronic sleep loss leads to dull skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes.
Lack of sleep kills sex drive. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be largely to blame.

I could go on almost all day listing the ill effects of poor sleep, but you get the point.

What’s the solution?

There is an elaborate maze of suggestions, theories, and pharmaceutical drugs out there. Knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Getting back to basics is often the best remedy. I highly recommend starting with just a few very, very simple basics.

My programs integrate food together with lifestyle. So, today you’ll get a recipe for better sleep too!

Try these easy tips consistently for 3 weeks. It makes a difference over time. Just because you don’t see results right away doesn’t mean things aren’t working. Give your body time to soak up the benefits and adapt. Hopefully these tips will become regular habits. To start, fully commit to an initial 3 weeks and see how it goes.

When we get ample sleep our bodies can heal and operate more efficiently. Metabolism improves. Food cravings diminish. Hormones find harmony. Energy restores. Skin and eyes shine! Lots of areas fall into line. Sleep is the best “drug” I know.

No reason to wait. These tactics are do-able and easy. Start today! You deserve it. It’s your time to shine. The first two have to do with your exposure to light - natural and unnatural. The type, amount, and timing of your exposure to light send signals to the brain that either interrupt or support great sleep.

Get outside! Do this for 20 minutes during your day. Hopefully walk around, but if not then at least sit outside. And put your phone away for this time. Notice the sights and sounds. This isn’t a power walk or run. This is a good way to practice being present, and to get critical exposure to natural daylight. Best idea is to do it when the sun is high in the sky. That way you’ll get the benefits to your circadian rhythms, which are incredibly tied to your exposure to light, and how you sleep. Do it every day. And focus on your surroundings rather than be distracted by the hectic items you may have encountered earlier in the day. One way to do this is get super focused on your breathing, taking slow deep calming breaths. Count 1,2,3,4,5 - in. Count 1,2,3,4,5 - out. When your mind wanders, bring it back to the breath. Twenty minutes of this daily will help you in lots of ways. I promise. And, switch up the location rather than do the same exact thing every day. Most of all, enjoy this time!
Screen time detox! There’s science on this one too folks, don’t fight it. For you Netflix binge watchers, this might be more difficult. BUT - worth it! Here goes. Completely avoid all screens for 90 minutes before bed, and don’t watch TV where you sleep. One more thing. Leave your smart phone in a different room all night. This might seem big, but try it for a few weeks. You might see magical improvements in sleep and life. Find a different alarm clock if you need to – they can be dirt-cheap. This is important and helps a lot. On the topic of screens, I wonder if you’ve evaluated how much time you are on your phone each day. Social Media surfing maybe? There’s a free app called “Moment” that will measure your activity for you. Reducing your overall screen time will help your sleep. Plus, it’s important to manage that aspect of your life for other reasons too. Download “Moment” and see what you discover!
Turmeric Milk! I hope you’ll try this bedtime drink recipe. It’s warm and cozy and has ancient healing qualities. It helped me. I personally like coconut milk for this but use whatever type of milk you like. Please choose an excellent raw, organic Turmeric powder. I use it in cooking all the time and easily found a terrific one on Amazon. It has wonderful anti-inflammatory and calming properties. Get your freshest local honey if you want some sweetness - if you are eliminating all added sugars, you’ll still love it without the honey. One note is that for your absorption of Turmeric to be optimal, add black pepper. Don’t skip that. It’s part of the magic.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Coconut Milk (Or Whole / Soy / Almond)

3/4-teaspoon turmeric

1-teaspoon honey (optional)

Pinch-fresh ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS - SO SIMPLE!

Throw everything into a saucepan (except the honey) and bring to simmer.

Simmer for a minute or so.

Pour into your favorite mug, add some honey if you’d like, take to bed, savor, then sleep.

My special twist is a summer version when I don’t particularly want a warm drink. So, when it’s hot outside, I make it frozen in the blender with frozen mango chunks. It’s the same recipe, but add frozen mango chunks. If you are feeling super wild, add a pinch of cinnamon too. DELICIOUSNESS!