WARNING
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With modern life the way it is - we are potentially interrupting the circadian rhythm. Our brain and body has a daily rhythm which is being interrupted by modern gadgets, and a poor system of daily habits.
A lack of good restful sleep is leading to irritability with loved ones, anger, lethargy, inability to concentrate, fight or flight responses and general bodily overdrive.
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So my own journey for the last two years or so, my sleep has been dwindling down to about 2 hours a night, and imperceptibly I was becoming an insomniac. I was going out of my mind with lack of sleep. During this period I discovered the circadian rhythm. My own sleep is not yet fully sorted - but I believe I am now on the road to better sleep.
The circadian rhythm is the 24hour repeating cycle of waking, sleeping, eating and drinking.
I believe that many peoples circadian rhythm is out of balance, but thankfully there are ways to reset the body clock!
We need to establish routines for our lives - that we aim to stick with and to build good habits into those routines. So for me - I used to drink coffee and tea at any time of day or night. I used a smart phone at every and any hour of day or night. I went to sleep when I felt like it. I got up regularly when I should be sleeping and wanted to sleep when I should be up and about. My world was upside down.
The following are 16 useful suggestions if you want more regularity in your personal circadian rhythm.
Physical
>>>>>>>>>>>
1) Coffee & Tea - The Drug of Choice :
Having a coffee first thing in the morning (we all do it) interrupts the natural flow ofSerotoninrelease in the brain. The brain releases a natural get up, wake up call. If we drink coffee before the body has had time to run this routine (2 hours) this is an interruption to that natural process of waking and the body becomes reliant on that stimulous.
It is best not to have coffee after 12pm - coffee has a half life of up to 8 hours. So drinking coffee and tea in the afternoon could cause over stimulation and cause sleeplessness at night. Decaff coffee and tea is ok. But remember it does contain caffeine and so 2 or 3 decaffs is equivalent to 1 caffeinated drink.
2) Drink Enough Water :
Hydrate sufficiently during the day - 8 pints of water is a good level to aim at.
Water helps clear brain function and aids the blood and circulation. And is good for digestion.
Stop drinking up to 2 hours before
bed. This can help interrupt going to the toilet in the night which
can lead to disrupted sleep.
3) Less Alcohol!!
Alcohol
can cause dehydration and lead to a poor level of rest during sleep. Rather than helping it can be a hindrance to good sleep.
4) Bananas :
Eat a banana before bedtime. The potassium in the banana is a natural sedative.
5) Bedtime Routine :
Get up and go to bed at set times - you are building up to 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep. If you need to be up early, take that into account with earlier bed times. Creating a good habit and sticking to set bedtimes and get up times - tells the body when is normal to go to sleep and get up and the body naturally becomes tired when it should.
6) Light Levels :
Reduce light levels down towards bed
time. Ideally no phone or television 2 to 3 hours before bed. This
gives and maintains the signal that the body can start to shut down. I
had not realised how important this aspect is to good sleep - and in the
modern world of gadgets this is a common problem.
Additionally if possible get 20 minutes of sunlight upon waking. This is a good signal that the day has started and sets the circadian clock for the day.
7) Waking During Night :
If you do wake up in the night - say to yourself - no, it is time to
sleep. Turnover and go back to sleep. Sometimes the body needs to be
taught - no - its bed time. If you have been awake for more than 20 minutes experiment with getting up and coming back to bed again when you get drowsy. This gives the body the signal that bed is a place to sleep.
8) Keep The Bedroom For Sleep :
Remove the TV,
workstation and other distractions. Create a comfortable safe haven. Make sure you have the right thickness of duvet for the time of year. Also a better grade of mattress can help too. Gentle side table lamps
to help the body understand its time for sleep. Make it dark in your
bedroom when sleeping - blackout curtains can help. Reduce the temperature of the bedroom.
Mental
>>>>>>>>>
9) Mental Health :
Take good care of yourself. Be gentle with yourself and let yourself off the hook. Getting the circadian rhythm sorted can take time to adjust our ways of being.
If the doctor has prescribed medication - take it for the time being. You may be able to reduce or stop the medication at a future date.
10) Relaxation Techniques :
Tense and relax muscles to aid relaxation before sleep - this helps to take us out of our busy minds and back into our tired bodies. There are also useful breathing exercises to calm the body into sleep.
11) Think Happy Thoughts :
What are your happy thoughts? Nothing you need to think too much about.
12) Write It Down:
Keep a pen and paper by the bed. Write down any annoying thoughts of things that needs doing etc. Then go to sleep.
13) Reading Before Bedtime :
Light reading before bedtime can help. The eyes and brain get tired and you can drift off to sleep.
Emotional
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
14) Keep Talking:
Talk to loved ones about what you are going through and seek help if you need it.
15) Emotional Problems:
Are you dealing with specific major life problems. Like the loss of a loved one or going through other stressful situations. These emotions can be difficult to process and if not dealt with properly can cause upset sleep. You may require counseling or inner healing and once the hurt has been processed - sleep may return again quickly.
16) Keep Calm - And Carry On!!
When you are having bad nights sleep. Try to take it easy during the day, don't make any rash decisions and be gentle to yourself. Arguments always seem to occur when we are at our tiredest. So take a deep breath and carry on. Tomorrow is another night and you will get a better nights sleep tomorrow.
My own personal sleep pattern has improved greatly by being mindful and
implementing the above measures. It is not perfect and I do get bad nights from time to time - like last night (only 2 hours sleep!!).
May your sleep get better and may you personally flourish - mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Rest, Relax and Enjoy Life,
With Love,
Sage. XX
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Kingdom Plants is here to help make your outside space into a mini oasis. A place you can sit and take time out, listen to the birds and celebrate life. As always, a big thank you to all my clients many of whom are becoming good friends.
