6 tips on how to get more deep sleep
Sleep is one of the most important ways we take care of our own body. A good night’s sleep helps both our body and mind both recover to fully prepare for the next day.
Unfortunately, there are many factors that can transform a good night into a bad one. If you’re like anyone else with sleep problems, the night is spent tossing, turning, and constantly checking the clock as the hours click by.
It’s not that way for everyone though, there are many whose only evidence of a poor night’s sleep are the baggy eyes, and foggy thoughts. According to sleep researchers, as we age, adults become more likely to experience “micro arousals,” which is essentially briefly waking up during sleep for 2-3 seconds but not being conscious of it. This can happen many times throughout the night without you ever being aware.
Thankfully, regardless of what’s causing your sleepless nights, there are simple steps that can be taken to ensure a deep, restfully snooze. Read on to find out more!
Boost That Daytime Light Exposure
You’ve probably heard the term “circadian rhythm” before if you’re having sleep troubles, but if you haven’t, it’s basically your body's clock telling it when to wake and when to sleep. When we travel, we are used to dealing with jet lag, which is just your circadian clock being off. It thinks you're still in New York but physically you’re now standing and ready to go to sleep in Hawaii with the sun still up! So, managing this system is a key to getting a good night's sleep.
Research has shown that exposure to natural bright light during the day helps keep our clock right. Not only that but bright light exposure has been shown to improve daytime energy, as well as sleep quality and duration.
So, getting a little more outdoor time during the day may just lead to your best night of sleep!
Cut That Blue Light Exposure
Our next tip for your best night sleep has been trending over the last few years with many of us taking steps to reduce our blue light exposure. Blue light, a visible light for our retinas, has a number of beneficial effects, including enhanced energy and tuning our circadian rhythm.
Unfortunately, too much blue light can also lead to cataracts, eye cancer, headaches, eye strain, and dry eyes -- not pretty. The sun is actually the largest source of blue light for us, but as digital devices have popularized, the amount of blue light intake for humans through laptops, tv’s, phones etc. has increased exposure ten fold.
Exposure to blue light near bedtime can reduce the body's release of an important sleep hormone, melatonin, leading to poor sleep quality.
To avoid this, try to stay off of electronic devices, including television, at least 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed. If you absolutely cannot do this, get onboard with the influencers and purchase a pair of blue light blocking glasses.
Avoid the Caffeine
Just about everyone can appreciate a late afternoon cup of joe, but there is no doubt that we’d all be wired every evening if we did that. While caffeine improves mental focus, energy, and sports performance, that’s exactly what we want to avoid before going to bed. Medical professionals recommend avoiding caffeine after 2pm, but no later than 7 hours before bedtime to avoid the negative effects.
If you absolutely need to have some afternoon or even evening caffeine, tea can be a great alternative. White teas typically have the least caffeine, followed by green and then black, however a cup of coffee has as much as double that caffeine content.
Supplements
Multivitamins and supplements are the way of the world as it’s a proven, convenient way to get the most from our bodies. Unfortunately, what once was simple becomes more complicated as you add more supplements to your list.
Thankfully, ASYSTEM’s Complete Calm Sleep Gummies are the most advanced natural sleep gummy, proven to improve sleep so you wake up refreshed and fall asleep fast. Containing award-winning ingredients like Safr-Inside™, Chamomile Extract, Passion Flower Extract, Holy Basil, and Lion’s Mane Extract, they naturally support emotional health, improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety.
ASYSTEM's Superhuman Supplements are also a great option to aid sleep. They help your body get everything it needs in just a few pills. We’ve even taken it another level by individually packaging the daily servings so you can rest assured you’re getting what you need without having to fumble across different supplement bottles.
The Superhuman Supplements system includes 3 supplements -- pregnenolone, magnesium, and vitamin D -- clinically proven to support the quality and duration of sleep. Supplemental magnesium has especially been shown to help people fall asleep faster and support a higher quality of sleep. Pregnenolone has been shown to help us get more REM sleep (i.e. deep sleep), leading to higher energy levels and improved moods the next day.
Avoid Alcohol When You Can
Many of us like to enjoy a glass of wine, a beer, or cocktail now and then, but did you know that alcohol can cause a lot of issues with sleep?
First off, many alcoholic beverages contain a good deal of sugar, with those on the higher end making up almost 10% of the recommended daily intake. It’s no secret what sugar high is like, so falling asleep after indulging can be problematic.
Further, studies have shown that alcohol reduces your body's production of melatonin which is a key regulator of sleep. Next time you’re wanting your best night of sleep, alcohol should be out of the picture.
Find Your Best Sleeping Conditions
Clearly there are a number of things we can do, or better said, shouldn’t do to improve the quality of our sleep. However, one thing we haven’t discussed is adjusting how you sleep to maximize your sleep quality and duration.
According to physical therapist Vinh Pham, founder of Myodetox and director of recovery at ASYSTEM, the best sleeping position for your partner may not be the best for you. Each person is different, has different needs, and can benefit from mixing things up to find what’s comfortable for them.
Start simple with trying different sleeping positions, back, side, and stomach. From there, experiment with pillows, mattress toppers, and maybe even a different mattress if nothing else works. You can even benefit from different sheets that sleep hotter or colder based on your preferences.
Conclusion
Getting a good night's sleep isn’t always as intuitive as we would hope. Some nights we are exhausted, crawl into bed, fall asleep within 30 seconds, and don’t wake up until noon. Others, we lie in bed, tossing from one position to another, staring at the ceiling and watching the clock until it’s time to start our days.
Fortunately, regardless of what kind of night you’re having, there are things you can do to better fall asleep, stay asleep, and making sure your sleep quality is everything it should be to leave you energized and prepared for the next day ahead.
By following these simple six simple steps you can leave your sleepless nights in the past and start looking forward to crawling into bed each night. Don’t wait a minute longer to start implementing these tips into your daily and nightly routines!
