Sleep - how to get more of it?

Welcome to the new members! All of you are healers and I am wondering if you can share insights about how to get restorative sleep on a regular basis. Mind-body techniques, supplements, any ideas would be most welcome.

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

This is an important topic, Sara, and no doubt related to some of the other issues you've mentioned in your pod (adrenal fatigue, etc.).

For me personally, some of the things that I've found truly helpful in getting restorative sleep include:

* drinking adequate supplies of water throughout the day
* not eating dinner too closely to bed time, and not eating too heavy a dinner (or allowing adequate digestion time between dinner and sleep time)
* minimizing caffeine intake throughout the day, and not having caffeine after 3 or 4 p.m.
* choosing better qualities of caffeine if I'm having it (aribica bean coffee, green tea, etc.)
* exercise - taking a stroll after dinner helps digestion; having some for of exercise – whether yoga, walking, stretching, tai chi, etc. – seems to help
* conscious nutrition
* conscious breathing (whatever 'tradition' you choose - Zen, simple deep breathing, etc.)

And having some 'buffer' between the day's activities and sleep time to 'slow down' really, really seems to help.

I still wake sometimes in the middle of the night, but get back to sleep more easily if I'm doing some or all of these things. If I'm lax, I tend to notice more restless sleep and a tougher time getting back to sleep if I wake up.

What do you and others here find helpful?

Jamie

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

Jamie,

I’m so glad that you started with the basic foundation of a health pyramid - conscious nutrition, adequate clean water, minimizing stimulatns like caffeine, movement especially exercise that doesn’t deplete.

I’ve been learning recently about amino acid depletion and how some amino acids can really help with sleep, such as GABA. My years of calorie restriction have led me and scores of other women to amino acid deficiencies.

I’m also a gynecologist, so hormone imbalance and its contribution to poor restorative sleep is always on my mind. My night sweats before my period have led me to try natural progesterone cream (available over-the-counter), which helps to decrease my flashes.

I’m also a yoga teacher and found that my usual astanga practice increased hot flashes and night sweats, which worsened my sleep. Now I do mostly Ana Forrest style yoga plus walking for fitness and this serves me better. You are right about breathwork – it’s even been proven in the best quality trials to reduce anxiety and hot flashes.

Great post, thank you.

Sara/Yogini

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

HI,
I love all the information here and I myself have implemented many of these suggestions. I also wanted to add that  the type of bed that on sleeps for 8+ hours per night also makes a large difference. Several months ago I purchased a tempurpedic bed and my sleep has improved immensely.Monica

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

Such an important addition - as well as organic sheets, dust mite covers if you’re allergic (I learned I was massively allergic to dust mites AFTER medical school when an allergist thought it was weird that I had self-diagnosed my YEAR-long allergies as seasonal hayfever).

Anyone else with dustmite allergies?

Yogini

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

Dust I think is the only thing I am allergic to, but my sleep has never been affected.

I am reading this thread and learning that there is much care taken in ones habits. I am curious of a certain prescribed sleeping pattern (mingled with meditation) and the effects it may have on the body. I am aware of a subtle awakening of myself in the early morning. It is said that everyone has a time they are to wake up and be still, between 3-5 sometime. Most of us fall back to sleep but I am beginning to believe this to be a spiritual time we can all benefit from, if we but raise ourselves up and embrace life’s calling for us to listen.

This forces one to go to bed earlier, or sacrifice the socially acceptable eight hours or more minimum. I have also heard that after rigorous testing the human body is essentially only required to have 4-5 hours sleep. Basically I have a question. How does the whole sleep thing work. One big question.

Thanks
Peace
M@

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

I looked this up awhile ago when i was having trouble sleeping… here is the info i got on sleep….
                   5 stages of sleep
1- Alpha- drifting thoughts body begins to relax
2- Stage 1 - drowsy relaxed state between waking and sleeping
                 muscle tension releases
                  respiration and heart rate slow
                 body temp drops
                 rolling eye movement occurs
                 slower brain movement “theta” occurs
                 Fragmenting thoughts and sensations like daydreaming
3- Stage 2- (this is the first stage of authentic sleep)
         30-45mins… deeper calm than in stage 1 /
4- Stage 3 and 4- very slow brain wave patterns (delta) 
                45mins…physiological,respiration, oxygen consumption, heart rate and blood pressure realize its lowest level of the day
 4a- Stage 2 for a few more minutes
5 - Dream sleep – REM ..body displays activity and brain wave patterns are similar to when awake

 a sound nights sleep is stage 1-stage 4 and then REM  sleep which is usually 90mins
    you will go through 4-6 of the 90min cycles….normally 

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

From when I was a teenager I had trouble sleeping more than about 4 hours a night.  This had always bothered me.  I knew I needed to get more sleep for my body.  Especially since I am physically very active.  I found a terrific Chinese practitioner that I went to for 'over all' wellness.  I went to him each week for acupuncture and he prescribed a tea that I drank twice a day.  The purpose was to level out my energy.  After 5 months I added 2 hours to my sleep.  I haven't had any problems since that time.

Re: Sleep - how to get more of it?

Darci,
Great post! Do you recall what was in the tea? Who was the practoner?
Thanks,
Sara/Yogini