BY JOYCE WONG JIN YI
A GOOD night’s sleep is the top priority for you and me. You have more energy, better focus and improved concentration for your day when you wake up feeling refreshed and recharged. Generally, it is recommended that adults get seven or eight hours of sleep a night. Insufficient sleep is linked to an increased risk of obesity, depression, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Studies have shown that ninety minutes reduction in the previous night’s sleep can decrease your performance by 30%, and your reaction also slows down by 30% the next day. Yet, many people struggle with falling and staying asleep. When you sleep well at night, you might also find less stressed and feel happier the next day. Let me share with you the tips on how to get regular, restorative sleep. Before that, you need to understand some hormones that regulate your sleep first.[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”block” ihc_mb_who=”unreg” ihc_mb_template=”3″ ]
The circadian rhythm regulates many health functions, from sleep to heart rate, blood pressure to hormone release, and neurological function. It can determine the cycle of wakefulness and sleep. Two hormones that regulate and balance the cycles of wakefulness and sleep are cortisol and melatonin.
Cortisol is the stress hormone known for driving the body’s fight or flight response. It also helps to control the wake-sleep cycle. Typically, cortisol levels rise as we approach the end of our sleep cycle, reaching the highest point around 9 am to enhance wakefulness. To pave the way for sleep, cortisol levels decline during the day, bottoming out around midnight. But, with the chronic stress this modern living, this cortisol rhythm is often thrown out of balance and can interfere with sleep.
Melatonin is known as the sleep hormone. It is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness and controls the body’s sleep-wake cycle. The body releases increased melatonin levels as light levels fall and lower melatonin levels as light levels rise with the start of a new day. But, the constant bombardment of electronic devices at night time suppresses the melatonin and creates the “wakefulness” at night.
Now, here are the tips for you to improve your quality of sleep. Taking note of how you prepared the night before can impact your restfulness. During the day, get enough sunlight or bright light and minimize light at night. Exposure to blue light from electronic devices (cell phones, laptops, computers, TV) worsens it. Avoiding screen time on your electronic devices at least thirty minutes before going to sleep helps your mind and eyes relax before going to dreamland. At the same time, the increasing melatonin level can help you fall into sleep better too.
Make sure you stick to a sleep schedule, and wake up, and sleep at consistent times, so the body establishes a pattern. It’s also important to avoid caffeine later in the day because caffeine has six hours of half-life that potentially disturb your sleeping quality. Remember, a healthy diet, regular exercise, a healthy lifestyle, and a nighttime routine contribute to your sleep health.
Want to discover more tips on how you can sleep better? Your restorative sleep is just a click away at https://www.joyce-wong.com/wellnessmasterclass. You can access it anywhere, anytime, at your own pace. Like it? That’s more! Sign up now, and you’ll be granted one-year complimentary membership in my Wellness Inner Circle (worth $144) and one hour 1-1 coaching session with me.
You deserve to feel great and live a vibrant life. See you there! [/ihc-hide-content]
