There is a lot to discover and explore in making sure you get a good night’s sleep. That’s why we are offering a 1-hour workshop to unpack it all. But if we had to give you the top four tips you need to know to help you get a good night’s sleep – here is the top four list!

#1 Schedule

Going to sleep at the same time each night and waking up about the same time each morning is supportive to your mental and physical well-being. Set a sleep schedule including the time you plan to wind down and the time to turn off the lights and go to sleep.

Wind down time is giving yourself an hour or so to quiet your activities and begin the bedtime process. What is part of wind down time? Flossing and brushing your teeth. Gentle, calming activities like a bath, reading a book, journaling, soft music. Putting on your pajamas, dimming the lights.

#2 Movement

“We have solid evidence that exercise does, in fact, help you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality,” says Charlene Gamaldo, M.D. , medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital.

While researchers don’t exactly know how movement helps improve sleep, there is solid evidence that exercise increase slow wave sleep. What is slow wave sleep (SWS)? This is the deep sleep, the stage of sleep when the body and brain are rejuvenating.

#3 Tech Free

Technology is very much a part of our lives. The computer, phone, tablet, television offer entertainment, information and connection. But the light of the screen and the movement on the screen in the evening is disruptive to the natural circadian rhythms that help us naturally fall asleep.

You know the tired feeling your body gets in the evening? When we introduce technology too close to bedtime, it tells the body to wake up again making it harder to fall asleep.

Step away from technology 2 hours before bed. If you are watching television on an actual television before bedtime, be six feet away from the screen.

#4 Release

Whether it is thinking about a wonderful experience you had during the day or a worry about a friend or situation, when our mind is focused on thinking or even in an over thinking mode, the busy-ness of the mind can disrupt how we fall asleep and staying asleep.

Let it out. Here are a few ways you can release your thoughts and switch the focus from the thought to a dreamy sleep.

Journal or prayer. Writing or saying aloud what is top of mind is a good way to take the thoughts from inside your mind and body and release them outward. At times, our thoughts need a place to go rather than circling around in our mind.

Whether after a releasing exercise like journaling or prayer or the desire to help refocus the mind away from thought, consider a mantra – repeating a peaceful word over in your mind. By focusing on the word, you are shifting your attention from the thoughts and stories to a simple word or phrase that with repetition can help invite a quieting feeling to the mind and body.

Breath. There are different tools to utilizing the breath to help you sleep. One exercise to try is counting your breath down from 5 to 1, and repeating.

Sleep is so important to our well-being. These four tips are only the tip of the iceberg of supportive things you can do to help your sleep. If you are tired of being tired or curious about sleep, register for Sound Sleep Workshop on Sunday, February 13^th. Registrants receive a recording of the workshop. If you are busy watching the Super Bowl, you can catch up on Sound Sleep tools later in the week!

Learn more here!

Photo Credit: Photo by Ayse A

There has been a long standing myth that as we get older we need less sleep. How many of you are either 65 or older – or have an older adult in your life who gets significantly less sleep now than they did as a younger adult? Is this myth true? Well…sort of.

An expert panel of the National Sleep Foundation reviewed findings from 320 research studies and recommend the following:

Adults age 18 to 64 should sleep seven to nine hours a night, while adults 65 and over are recommended to get seven to eight hours of sleep. [source]

Not much of a difference. While the National Sleep Foundation expert panel found that adults 65 and older need a bit less sleep, the National Institute on Aging shared that “older adults need about the same amount of sleep as their younger counterparts—seven to nine hours each night.” [Source] To specify, “younger counterparts” is defined as children and adolescents.

Are you getting enough sleep? There are an array of things you can do to help you get a sound night of sleep, as well as stay asleep. Learn all the tips to sleeping well and staying asleep in the upcoming Sound Sleep Workshop.

One of many things you can do is to create a good sleep environment. 33 years in bed is a long time. If you find yourself tossing and turning a lot or having some aches and pains in the body, consider if it is time to get a new bed. In recent years, more affordable, eco options are available on the market.

Avocado Mattress is rated as one of the top eco beds. The company owns each part of its manufacturing process, ensuring it adheres to its high sustainability standards. Not only is it a B corp company (businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose), the mattresses are made in the U.S., right here in California. Here is more info on eco bed options.

In addition to a quality bed, consider what you are sleeping in – the mattress pad and sheets. Higher thread count means that there is more cotton threaded together, creating a softer feel. Some may find higher thread count less breathability. Regardless, consider if your sheets are serving you in a good night’s sleep.

An added tip: Have a guest bed? Try sleeping in it for a night. Most people put an old mattress in their guest room. Your guests are likely not going to tell you they slept terribly. Best option is to sleep in your guest room for a night.

Other things you can do to create a comfortable sleep environment: soft lighting such as lamps, a cool temperature, and eliminating noise with a fan or sound machine.

Learn about light and melatonin in a previous post – Are you getting a good night’s sleep?

Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep – there is so much more to share. Learn everything you need to know in the Sound Sleep Workshop.

About the Author: Jen Potocnik is a Certified Integrative Health Coach, and Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher. Facing chronic fatigue in her early 30s, she jumped in deep into researching and learning about different health resources – exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic, homeopathic remedies in conjunction with Western Medicine. She enjoys delving into scholarly articles to understand as much as possible about a particularly subject or topic. Jen’s focus is working with women, children, digestive health issues, sleep, and individuals seeking a specific health goal such as weight loss, flexibility or strength. She leads wellness workshops and works directly with clients one on one. Jen is leading the upcoming Sound Sleep Workshop on Sunday, March 7th at 4pm est/1pm pst.

Our body naturally produces a hormone called melatonin in the pineal gland of the brain, it is then released into the bloodstream. Darkness triggers the pineal gland to start producing melatonin, hence why computer or phone screens can hamper our ability to fall asleep.

Johns Hopkins sleep expert Luis F. Buenaver, Ph.D., C.B.S.M. shares:

“Melatonin levels rise about two hours before bedtime…create optimal conditions for it to do its job by keeping the lights low before bed. Stop using your computer, smartphone or tablet—the blue and green light from these devices can neutralize melatonin’s effects. If you watch television, be sure you’re at least six feet away from the screen. Turn off bright overhead lights too.” (source: JH Medicine)

But what about those nights we are having trouble falling alseep?

Melatonin as a supplement can be beneficial but is best used in short time periods for situations like jet lag, anxiety before and after surgery or big event, delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, or changed work shift/schedule. It is also beneficial for some sleep disorders in children. Why use only for a short period of time? The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health issues a warning that “relying on melatonin could simply mask another problem”. For instance, a hormonal imbalance, sleep apnea, or a mental health need.

If taking a melatonin for short term use, there is a pill supplement – natural (from the pineal gland of animals) and synthetic (manmade). It is important to consider the dosage as too much could have side effects such as nausea, sleepiness (when you need to be alert), headaches, dizziness. (source: Alaska Regional Hospital). A melatonin supplement can interact with other medications you are taking, and is best to inquire with your health professional.

Rather than take a supplement, have you considered natural steps you can take to improve how you fall asleep and having a sound sleep? If you are interested in exploring steps you can take to getting a sound night of sleep naturally, attend this 1-hour workshop on Sound Sleep on Sunday, March 7th at 4pm EST/1pm PST. Learn more here.

Please note: The information presented here is not to advocate for use of a melatonin supplement but rather bring to light information about a supplement ~3 million in the U.S. are taking (source: JH Medicine).