Most of us have heard the quote that refers to falling asleep equated to counting sheep, but if you are like me and my mind at bedtime that never worked. And yet, sleep is one of the important keys to your health.  There are thousands of studies on the benefits of sleep as well as the detriments of the lack of sleep, and now is a perfect time to change your sleep habits. Here’s a quick look at the benefits:

• Boosts your immune system
• Prevent weight gain
• Strengthens your heart
• Improves your mood
• Increases productivity
• Increases exercise performance
• Improves memory

As for the detriments – lack of sleep can be dangerous. According to a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, you’re twice as likely to get in a car accident when you’re cruising on 5 to 6 hours of sleep compared to if you get a full seven hours. Sleep less than five hours and your chances of a crash quadruple! That’s because your reaction time slows down when your brain isn’t fully rested. (The Benefits of Getting a Full Night’s Sleep) In her book, Thrive, Arianna Huffington discusses much of the research about sleep and shares her own story of how dangerous sleep deprivation can be. She also shares some insights into how we can go about changing our habits around sleep, such as:

• Get a new pillow 
• Make the room darker and colder
• Practice deep breathing before bed
• Exercise or walk daily.

But there is one more sleep-thief that we must address – our technology devices. All day, every day we seem to be tied to our devices, whether it be our phones, computers, or TV. How in the world do we extract ourselves from that? It is harder than you might think. This article shares 3 important reasons you should put your phone away before bed and some tips on how to do it.

Now, let’s go a little deeper and explore more about our need for sleep.

The problem with sleep: we’re not getting enough of it. 

We’re chronically sleep-deprived. Especially considering that we’re supposed to spend a third of our lives sleeping. Today, one out of every ten Americans says that they deprioritize sleep in lieu of work, exercise, hobbies, and social lives. The sleep situation (or rather the lack-of-sleep situation) has become so bad that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has classified it as an epidemic.  “But it’s just sleep, right?” The true power of sleep isn’t just beauty rest. Consider the following. People who only get 5-6 hours of sleep a night are 4.2 times more likely to become sick than those who sleep for 7 hours. Likewise, those same people who sleep less than 7 hours are 33% more likely to suffer from obesity. And this is just the start. Sleep-deprived individuals (those sleeping less than the recommended 7 hours a night) lose about 11 days of productivity a month. On the other side of the coin, people sleeping for 7 hours a night on average unlocked a wide range of health benefits. A study found that those who had REM “dream sleep” performed 32% better at puzzle-solving than those who had non-REM sleep. Plus, those with regular sleep schedules simply felt more rested during the day. It turns out that a good night’s sleep is actually pretty good for you. 

But why is sleep so good for you? 

While the act of sleeping might seem like closing your eyes and dozing off, your body is actually hard at work building, repairing, recovering, strengthening and growing. Our bodies are incredibly complex organisms. From the food we eat to the physical exertion we place on them every day, they need time to repair and rejuvenate. During the night the brain cleans house and flushes waste products from cells with cerebral spinal fluid. As breathing relaxes, blood pressure decreases, and hormones release to help repair tissue.  Lack of sleep interrupts these vital processes and prevents the body from repairing itself like it needs to. Chronic insomnia and not getting enough sleep in general can lead to systematic failures down the road. A regular sleep schedule consisting of 7 hours protects us from future neurological disorders and also helps maintain a healthy brain today. It’s also important to understand how sleep occurs. Stage 1: drowsiness. The eyes begin to droop and our brain waves slowly begin to slow. It’s also easy to wake up during this stage.  Stage 2: light sleep. During this stage eye movement stops and brain waves slow even more — but now the brain experiences occasional rapid bursts of waves called sleep spindles. These are thought to keep the brain from awakening.  Stages 3 and 4: deep sleep. During deep sleep, the body begins to repair muscles and tissues, stimulates growth and development, boosts immune function, and builds up energy for the next day. Deep sleep is the most restorative of the different stages.  Stage 5: REM sleep. During REM, your brain consolidates the information you picked up that day, storing it in long-term memory. But there’s a catch: if REM doesn’t occur soon enough after archiving new information, that information will be lost. 

So, how can we improve sleep? 

There are several ways to improve both the quality and quantity of your sleep. 

1. Regular makes perfect. 

The body is like a well-oiled machine. As such, it runs on regularity. Instead of pushing the gas hard Monday through Friday and treating yourself to extra shut eye on the weekend, create a sleep schedule that stays the same every single day. This helps the body establish a predictable routine. 

2. Keep it cool. 

Our bodies evolved to sleep in cooler temperatures. Optimal sleep conditions for humans are actually a slightly-frigid 65 degrees fahrenheit. Before going to bed, bump the thermostat down a few notches. And if your significant other prefers to sleep with the temperature higher, take a hot shower before bed. The sudden increase and drop in temperature produces the same effect. Plus, who doesn’t like a hot shower. 

3. Lay off the caffeine. 

Our culture has become slightly caffeine obsessed and I wouldn’t dream of telling you to give up your early morning coffee. However, give your body the time it needs to expel the caffeine from your system before going to bed. This usually means pumping the breaks on your caffeine intake around noon. 

4. Use your bed for sleep. 

This might sound obvious. But for many of us, the bed is also where we watch TV, surf the internet, or even eat. Your brain picks up on these cues and has a hard time switching tracks when it’s time to finally go to sleep for the day. Do all that stuff somewhere else and keep your bed dedicated to sleep. You’ll notice a difference. 

5. Don’t fight it. 

When we have trouble sleeping, many of us try to muscle through. We run through mantras, count sheep, and a lot of other things that ultimately end up frustrating us and making it even harder to fall asleep. Instead of fighting it, go into another room and do something else (except surf the internet) until you feel tired. That should do the trick. 

6. Mind the light. 

Ever wonder why you tend to feel tired and energized at the same time every day? That’s your circadian rhythms at work, and they play a huge role in sleep. Circadian rhythms can also be manipulated by outside factors – especially light. Exposing yourself to bright light or blue light/computer screens late at night can trick your body into thinking it’s two in the afternoon instead of two in the morning.

7. Wind down. 

In our increasingly busy, frenetic lives, it’s harder than ever to wind down. But winding down is critical when it comes to falling asleep. Instead of finishing up those last few emails or the last episode of your recent streaming binge right before bed, spend the last hour of your evening winding down. Do some light stretching or reading (from a paperback – like Under a Full Moon and a Guiding Star). You’ll find that you sleep better – and you might even become a little happier in the process.

To sleep or not to sleep. 

Sleeping might be natural. But it’s not always easy. Life happens: we’ve got morning deadlines to hit, early-riser kids, goals and ambitions, and plans. With so much life going on, it becomes easy to sacrifice the sleep that our bodies so desperately need because so many of the health benefits that sleep provides aren’t visible. Decide today to biohack your sleep, and in the process put some peace, productivity, and happiness back into your life. Your body will thank you. 

One more thing to help you reset your circadian rhythms: LifeVantage AM & PM  And, if you are ready for a Wellness Reset, contact me at https://alakaiassociates.com/contact/ to schedule a free 30 minute consultation.

 * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  

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What’s on the Alaka’i Bookshelf?

This month I am asking for your recommendations and suggestions. What are your reading that is supporting your wellness journey?

And, to celebrate the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of my book launch for Under a Full Moon and A Guiding Star, the price has been reduced until August 31, 2024, so now is a great time to get your copy and some extras for gifts!

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Events

This year I made a goal of connecting with at least one podcast each month and so far I am exceeding my goal! It’s so uplifting to be able to share my insights, experience, and story with others around the globe. To listen to the ones I have already recorded go here. 

Until next time…LiveAlohaLiveWell