How To Shut Your Brain Off & Improve Sleep (4 Simple Tips)
Did you know that it should be normal to feel energized in the mornings and gradually get more fatigued as the day goes on as stress hormone and energy levels taper off throughout the day?
However, due to poor sleep, which typically stems from stress and our inability to shut our brains off at night; many of our relationships, job performances, goals, and personal health suffer as a result.
Now, if you just can’t find a way to get your brain to turn off at night, what can you do? Below are a few tips, but, an important note to add here; I guarantee you that none of these tips are particularly mind-blowing and if you're anything like me when checking out blogs, you'll probably say to yourself, "ugh, I already know these!" So, my question would be - if you know these tips already, have you introduced them to your regular routine AND done them consistently over time so your mind and body have time to adjust to these habits? THAT is where most people struggle - it's never with a lack of knowledge, but with the lack of implementation!
Without further ado, here are those tips...
Establish a nightly routine - this is the most crucial as our body naturally desires and adapts well to consistency. Try to begin winding down at the same hour each night and give your body “cues” it can begin to recognize so it knows when you’re getting close to bedtime. This may involve periodically turning off more lights in your house to make it darker, taking a warm shower, stretching, etc.
Watch what you drink - caffeine has been known to stay in our systems up to 8 hours after consumption so if you’re trying to go to bed at 10pm and you drink pre workouts or energy drinks late in the day...guess what, you’re probably gonna have a hard time falling asleep. The recommended daily allowance of caffeine for a healthy adult is around 300mg p/d, however, tolerance varies amongst each individual.
Take a sleep enhancer - be sure to consult with your PCP, Dietician, or certified Nutrition Coach before consuming any supplements. Melatonin being the most popular sleep aid, however, there are also sleep enhancers such as “Sleepy-Time Tea,” valerian root, essential oils, CBD, and more. Depending upon the product used, our bodies can get familiar with particular dosage amounts and begin to adapt, resulting in less of an overall positive effect that we are typically use to. This entices us to consume a higher dosage which may become dangerous. In my experience, sleep aids should be used on a temporary process under the right dosage amounts.
Reduce technology - blue light exposure via phone/tablet/TV screens has been linked to increased stress hormones. I recommend reducing technology 2-3 hours before bed and performing activities to unwind such as journaling, taking a warm shower, chatting with family or friends, stretching, etc. If you are going to continue to expose yourself to screens before bed, reduce the blue light frequency on your device (found in the option menus in most modern devices) or wear a high-quality pair of blue-light blocker glasses (not the $20 cheap ones on Amazon).
Speaking from experience as a parent, struggling to get sleep can really have a negative effect on multiple aspects of life. Most of the time, having one or two bad nights won't lead to any major health concerns, but when not sleeping for long periods of time (weeks or months), it may become something serious so making our nightly routines optimal should always remain a high priority. I don't mean to come off as preachy, but your favorite show or YouTube video will still be there for you to watch in the morning ;)
If you have any health or nutrition questions, don't forget to send them in via our contact form on our website.
"Coach Taz" aka Taylor Rodriguez is owner and head coach of Taz Fitness & Nutrition. He is a Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach located in Deltona, FL that coaches individuals online and in person. Taylor was a former partying pro wrestler turned fitness enthusiast after the economic downturn of 2008-2010. After losing almost 70 lbs, his new passion is to help struggling individuals find a new confidence within themselves to achieve any goal that they see possible. To begin coaching with Taylor or to request a free consultation, contact us today.