The Better Sleep Challenge- Week 2, Day 5

1. Wake up to the importance of workouts. Exercising can help you sleep better and feel more energized, but the key is to exercise at the right time of day. Learn how to adjust your workouts for better Zzz's.

First, it’s important to be aware that sleep is not a passive activity. Healthy sleep is every bit as valuable to your overall well-being as exercise and good nutrition. Research shows that a lack of deep sleep (as opposed to irregular or fragmented sleep) undermines the body's ability to fight off disease. In fact, if you’re sleep-deprived you’re likely to have higher concentrations of sugar in your blood, which could contribute to development of a pre-diabetic condition. Working out regularly has been shown to reduce episodes of insomnia. What’s more, it promotes improved sleep quality by producing smoother, more regular transitions between the cycles and phases of sleep. Moderate exercise lasting 20 to 30 minutes three or four times a week generally results in better sleep and more energy. So I exercise in the morning for 30 minutes with slow and easy ones.

exercise offers many other mental benefits:

Reduces stress by helping to dissipate the lactic acid that accumulates in your blood
Sharpens your brain by increasing the amount of oxygen available
Eases built-up muscular tension
Strengthens and stimulates your heart and lungs
Stimulates your nervous system
Increases your production of endorphins— those little substances which create a sense of well-being and increase your body's resistance to pain
Stimulates release of epinephrine, a hormone that creates a sense of happiness and excitement Increases deep sleep, as the brain compensates for physical stress.

2. Nutrition to nod off. Could your dinner or late-night snacks be preventing you from getting your best rest? Learn which snacks promote snoozing and which foods and beverages you should avoid before bed.

Nutrition Tips and Supplements for Insomnia
Dietary Changes for a Better Night's Sleep

Nutrition Tips and Supplements for Insomnia:

There are many factors that can cause sleep problems, and even more potential solutions. The steps you take to improve your sleeping patterns will be individual, based on the cause of your insomnia and the treatment plan laid out by your health care provider. In addition to the many lifestyle changes that can help you sleep better, the following nutrition tips and supplements may also help improve the quality and quantity of your shut-eye:

Stop eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime. If your body is trying to digest food, you won't be able to fully relax, fall asleep or stay asleep.

Limit: fried and fatty foods, refined carbohydrates (such as white rice, breads, pasta, and sugars), and spicy foods (especially if you are prone to heartburn), especially before bedtime. The effects of these foods can interfere with your ability to get a good night's sleep.

Enjoy a light snack approximately two hours before bedtime, as falling and staying asleep can be difficult if you are hungry. A healthy snack can help take the edge off of your hunger and help you sleep through the night. Your snack should contain mostly carbohydrates and a small amount of protein. This combination may help increase the availability of tryptophan (an amino acid that helps induce sleep) to your brain. A few pre-bedtime snack ideas include:

A small bowl of oatmeal
Cereal with low-fat milk
Yogurt with granola sprinkled on top
Half of a bagel topped with peanut butter
A piece of whole wheat bread with one slice of deli turkey
Six whole-grain crackers with one ounce cheese
Sliced apple with one ounce cheese or peanut butter

Avoid caffeinated drinks and foods during the afternoon and evening. Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate that can delay your sleep or cause you to wake up during the night. You may want to avoid caffeine entirely and see if your sleep improves.

Limit the consumption of liquids in the evening, to decrease the urge to go to the bathroom during the night.

Along with these lifestyle measures, you may wish to consider a natural sleep aid supplement. Supplements should NEVER be taken together or with other sedative drugs. Discuss the appropriateness of these supplements with your doctor first, as well as dosage and the risk of physical and psychological dependency. The two best-researched, most effective supplemental sleep aids are valerian root and melatonin.

Valerian root (valeriana officinalis) is a sedative herb that has been used for centuries. Several small studies have suggested that valerian helps people fall asleep and stay asleep. It may take up to four weeks (or more) of usage to notice improvements in sleep, and this herb can leave some people feeling "fuzzy" the next morning. A typical dosage of valerian root is 300-600 milligrams of valerian extract in tablet or capsule form, 30 minutes before bedtime. Always discuss valerian root with your doctor before trying it.

Melatonin is a hormone (made in the brain of humans but also produced by animals and plants) that appears to play a critical role in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. So far, the effects of melatonin are complex and poorly-understood, but research shows that it is "possibly effective" in decreasing sleep disturbances caused by jetlag, as well as "likely effective" in easing sleep disorders in blind children and adults, and people with mental retardation, autism, or other central nervous system disorders. There is not enough research to conclude anything about melatonin's effectiveness for other sleep disturbances. Melatonin supplements are available over-the-counter, but always discuss melatonin use with your doctor before trying it.
When it comes to treating insomnia, there is insufficient evidence or limited research to support the following supplements:

Hops
Indian snakeroot
Kava
Lavender
Lemon balm
Passionflower

This week I have learned so much on supplements, herbs, exercise, sleep, caffeinated drinks and chocolate, pre-bedtime snacks, stop eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime, limit the consumption of liquids in the evening, Limit: fried and fatty foods, and refined carbohydrates. I'm on my way to a better sleep!