Almost nothing is as rewarding as a refreshing nights sleep. As we age an insidious change creeps into our sleep patterns. We toss and turn a little more, wake more frequently and perhaps go to the bathroom several times a night. The fact is, something happens that drags down our ability to sleep deeply and restfully. Research indicates hormonal imbalance, stress and nutrition all play a role in diminishing sleep quality.
So how do we get a good nights sleep? First of all, practice proper sleep hygiene. Go to bed at the same time every night, limit watching tv or exercising too close to bedtime and try to sleep in complete darkness. These habits can improve overall sleep quality. It is also recommended that you do not have any wireless technologies or cell phones near you while you are trying to sleep because these can interfere with optimal electrical activity of the brain. Epsom salt baths before bed can also help to relax a person while being quite healthy as well.
Supplements that can interfere with sleep tend to be the stimulating type products. B vitamins generally should be taken earlier in the day for sensitive people and restriction of all caffeine containing products is a good idea.
Sometimes people wake frequently through the night because of blood sugar imbalance. In these cases it is a good idea to have a protein snack before bed like a small piece of meat or cheese. You can tell these people by the way they react to skipping meals. If you tend to feel agitated, sweaty or anxious after a few hours without eating it is likely that you would benefit from eating some protein before bed.
A racing mind from the day’s stress can wreak havoc on your sleep. This may be a sign of a heart meridian imbalance and is worth checking out through meridian testing but also there are ways to help quiet the mind. The method that I like best for a busy mind is called “Conscious Mind Cleansing” by Dr Mitchell Gibson MD. This audio track is a guided meditation with a collection of pitches and tones to help balance brain wave activity. Most people report an improved, restful sleep by doing this a few times a week. This can be downloaded or ordered at www.tybro.com.
There are various homeopathics, botanicals and supplements that can be beneficial to further enhance your sleep. To get an idea of what is best I prefer that we test you via Asyra, Acugraph and Functional BioAnalysis to find out what is best for you.