Sleep part 2: Getting Good Sleep

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Here's an outline of episode 3:

• Medical evaluation can involve a sleep study, labs
• Tips for better sleep: 
  • Routines 
    • Same bedtime every day 
    • An hour before bedtime, dim the lights and turn off all screens. Blackout curtains are helpful.  
• Avoid caffeine after 1 p.m. and never go to bed tipsy. Alcohol is a sedative and sedation is not sleep. It also blocks your REM dream sleep, an important part of the sleep cycle
• Can use phrases or actions to cue your body for sleep 
  • Bath 
  • Herbal Tea 
  • Reading a story 
  • Audio cues: white noise, music 
  • Read a book 
  • Use essential oils to connect relaxation with sleep 
  • Heavy blanket or massage as tactile cue 
  • Snacks high in protein can help: warm milk, turkey, piece of fruit 
  • Gentle stretching 
  • Mindfulness 
  • Breathing exercises 
  • SNOO for infants 
• Exercising right before you go to bed may make it harder to fall asleep
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine late in the day and alcoholic drinks before bed
• Make room conducive to sleep: keep it dark, quiet, comfortable or slightly cooler temp [65 per Dr. Walker], no TV or computer
• Don't lie in bed awake, if you can't sleep get out of bed and do something like reading a book or listen to music until you feel tired.
• Herbals/supplements 
  • Melatonin 
  • 5-HTP 
• Gratitude [for the day, resets the mind chemistry, sets the tone for your rest, triggers a cascade of autonomic events that can help you get deeper sleep]
• Wearables--> do they work? Maybe, maybe not

Resources

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/melatonin-and-sleep

 https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-940/melatonin

 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/5-htp-benefits

 https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-794/5-htp

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415362/