Why we’re asking you to prioritize sleep
When working with clients, especially in our initial sessions, we like to go through a lifestyle check. Give me a day in the life of YOU! This is how we get to better understand your lifestyle, get to know you a little better, see how you prioritize your day, and what you do on a daily basis! This also helps us figure out how to insert small actionable items into your day that support the goals we create together.f
More often than not, there is one big ticket item that keeps showing it’s lovely face. SLEEP! When we ask about sleep most of the time folks just laugh. Sleep? HA! I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Who has time for sleep! OR we THINK we sleep well, but still wake up super tired - so chances are we’re not getting good QUALITY of sleep - even if we’re in bed for 8 hours.
Let’s talk about sleep.
First of all we’ve all heard the recommended amount of sleep - but do we get that amount? It depends. The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get between 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Sleep Latency: how long it takes you to fall asleep
Awakenings: the number of awakenings you have during the night
Wake After Sleep Onset: the amount of time you are awake after first falling asleep
Sleep Efficiency: the ratio of time asleep to time lying in bed
These can be measured through a sleep test done by your hospital in a lab or through the following measures:
Wearable technology we wear on our bodies like watches, rings, headbands or hybrid clothing items
Devices connected to our beds or in our bedrooms that track our movement, breathing, or body temperature
Technology that uses wireless signals to monitor sleep through sound, radar, and environmental information
Here’s an interesting self-assessment based on the National Sleep Foundation to test sleep quality. Basically, if you answer yes to most of these questions your sleep quality is on point. If not, we may have some work to do. More on that later!
Adults (18-64 years old):
Did you fall asleep in 30 minutes or less?
Did you wake up 1 time or less during the night?
In total, were you awake for 20 minutes or less after falling asleep?
Were you mostly asleep while in bed (i.e., 7 out of 8 hours)?
Older Adults (65 years old or more):
Did you fall asleep in 30 minutes or less?
Did you wake up 2 times or less during the night?
In total, were you awake 30 minutes or less after falling asleep?
Were you mostly asleep while in bed (i.e., 7 out of 8 hours)?
Also check out this really cool Sleep Assessment Worksheet that can give you an overview of your sleep quality.
So, how did you test? Room for improvement? Most of the time there is. Here are some great tools and tricks to improve your sleep quality so that you can feel energized, refreshed and ready to start your day every morning.
How to improve your sleep quality:
Your surroundings. What is your bedroom like? Basically your bedroom should only be used for sleep and intimacy. That’s it. If you can help it, your bedroom shouldn’t also be your office or even your gym. Keep your bedroom clean and clutter free so it’s a relaxing, inviting space. Not all of us have the luxury of having a separate space for everything, but if you can help it, keep your bedroom - well your bedroom.
Also keep your room dark as best as you can. Consider investing in blackout shades. Keeping your room cool is also ideal as we sleep better in a cooler atmosphere. 65 degrees is the magic number according to the American Sleep Foundation, but play around with it to see what works for you.
Movement: Exercise helps expend energy thus making us tired! However, vigorous exercise too close to bedtime might have the opposite effect and increase our energy instead of winding us down for the day. If you can, it’s best to do your more intense exercise earlier in the day and then do some less intense exercise at the end of your day. Some examples of some great exercises to do at the end of your day include: yoga, stretching, meditation, a leisurely after dinner walk. If you’re having trouble sleeping, take a look at when you exercise and perhaps switching up the timing might help!
Go to bed and wake up at the same time. Yes, even on the weekends give or take. This helps regulate your circadian rhythm and helps you stay on a schedule.
Set up a bedtime routine. Just like you do if you have kids, or even when you were a kid. Start an hour before you want to be asleep. Setting up a routine helps your body understand that it’s time to rest and gives your body cues to release melatonin.
Get off your electronics. This includes phones, tv, computer, tablet, video games etc. Anything that projects blue light or stimulates you. Being on electronics before bedtime can effect how your body releases melatonin and your circadian rhythm. They may stimulate you instead of make you tired. Instead, read a book, listen to music, meditate or stretch!
Limit alcohol before bed. That night cap might make you tired and even may help you fall asleep, but alcohol metabolizes differently in the body than food, so at 3am you may wake up wide away for no reason and have a hard time falling asleep. Yep, that’s the alcohol.
Brain dump. If you have a lot on your mind take a moment to dump it all on paper. This way you won’t find yourself worrying about it or forgetting something. Keep a notebook by your bed if you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night worried about something. Write it down!
These are just a few ideas on how to improve your overall sleep quality to help you feel your best! Try a few different things and see what works for you!
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