Sleep Hygiene Tips Chiropractor Orange, CA
Sleep Hygiene Tips Chiropractor in Orange CA Dr Barry Marks
Better Sleep Tips from Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor Orange, CA
Sleep Hygiene Tips Chiropractor
Have sleep trouble? Please read this information on Sleep Hygiene Tips Chiropractor and start sleeping better.
Proper Sleep Is Vital to Optimal Health
A good night’s sleep is not just to feel rested. Time spent sleeping is your body’s chance to reboot and rebuild. There are many important and complex chemical activities that only occur while sleeping. If you’re not sleeping, your body cannot carry out these activities. Every cell, tissue and organ needs this rest.
Consequences of Poor Sleep
Heart: Lack of sleep raises blood pressure.
Brain: Not enough sleep is associated with brain fog and earlier onset of Alzheimer’s
Metabolism: People who do not get proper sleep, have difficulty losing and maintaining proper weight
Emotions: Depression and mood disorders are more common in sleep deprived people
Immune system: Viruses and other illnesses more common in those who sleep less
Sleep Hygiene Ritual
Prepare your brain for sleep 1 hour before bed.
- Turn off ALL electronics including cell phone, tablet, laptop, TV.
- Instead find music or sound that help relax the brain and induce sleep.
- Dim the lights if you can and sit in a comfortable chair
- Prepare a pre-sleep snack; banana, nuts, seeds and/or turkey are all good
- Sip sleepy tea; valerian root, chamomile, etc are good relaxants
- Try to urinate before bed
At bedtime
- Wear comfortable clothing
- Keep room cool as we sleep better in a cooler temps rather than warmer
- Use a properly fitted pillow that allows good support and alignment while side sleeping
- Make your room as dark as possible; cover clocks, TV consoles, and other small lights in the room. Lack of darkness keeps the brain active and prevents certain sleep hormones.
If you can’t sleep
- If you’ve followed these steps and cannot sleep after around 30 min, get up and sit in a dimly lit room
- If your mind was racing because of problems or anxieties of the day, write your concerns down, get it out of your head
- Sit in your dimly lit room and comfy chair and sip some more tea or read something relaxing
- After your mind and body feel ready, go back to bed and attempt sleep again
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Everyone is different and your age and activity level play a role in sleep.
Signs you need more sleep:
- Yawning during the day.
- Easily falling asleep when sitting quietly.
- Dozing while watching TV, in meetings, at red lights while driving, etc
Hours of sleep based on age group:
- School aged children need 10 hrs or more
- College students do better with 10-12 hrs (how many get that much sleep?)
- Working adults require a minimum of 7 hrs, but 8 or more are optimal
- Seniors can get away with 5-6 hrs, IF they take a nap during the day
Is Sleep All or nothing?
Do you have to sleep all at once or can you break it up with a few short stints of sleeping?
Your body needs a certain amount of hours of continuous sleep to do what it needs to be healthy. Sleeping in three 3-hour stints is not equal to sleeping 9 hours continuously. Your strategy should be to get as many continuous hours of sleep as possible. When you fall short, a nap during the day is helpful, but cannot make up all the sleep benefits you’ve lost.
Daily Activities to Help Sleep at Night
Exercise: doing at least 30 min of exercise during the day makes sleeping easier and more restful
Chiropractic care: people who get adjusted report better sleep mostly due to removing interference from the nerve system
Release emotions: when you have stressful events or conflict, talk it out, try to resolve the issues before bed time
