Hacking Sleep
Sleep is often given up in today's busy world to help be able to fit all of life's to dos into a twenty four hour period. Studies are starting to demonstrate that sleep isn't something that should be taken lightly. A study by the National Sleep Foundation in 2011 found that 63% of Americans do not sleep enough during the week, 48% of Americans report some insomnia, 22% experience insomnia every or almost every night.
Some of the possible negative effects tied to lack of sleep include an increase in C Reactive Protein, increase in systolic blood pressure, increased consumption of high fat and high sugar foods. Not only this, but there is an increased risk of insulin resistance, mental illnesses such as depression, cardiac disease among others.
To cut to the point of this blog post, how can you increase your sleep? These are the suggestions that may help you improve your sleep.
- Establish a sleep schedule with the same bed and wake up time everyday
- Get enough blue spectrum light during the day, but be sure to block it out at least 3 hours before bedtime. Our Verdure Health Co. blue light blocking glasses are a great help. Put them on three hours before bedtime and wear them around the house.
- Cut off eating at least 2 hours before bed.
- Avoid caffeine 5-8 hours before bed.
- Limit alcohol to one standard drink for females and two standard drinks if you are male. To forgo it completely would be ideal, but stick to the limit if you are to indulge.
- Exercise on a daily basis, but don't exercise within 1-2 hours of bedtime
- Magnesium supplementation
- CBD Supplementation - See the blog post on CBD for more information
- Turn off screens 2 hours before bed
- Have a wind down routine