Sleep Hygiene Checklist
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Unfortunately, many people struggle to get enough restful sleep at night. This checklist provides you with the most effective tips and tools available to set you up for restorative, immunity boosted sleep.
Getting enough sleep at night is crucial for every aspect of health. While you sleep, your body releases hormones and proteins necessary for growth and repair. Meanwhile, your nervous system gets a reboot, with specific connections in your brain becoming more active, and your immune system gets the resources it needs to function optimally. And these are just a handful of the vital processes that happen behind the scenes while you're catching some Z's [*][*].
Unfortunately, around 60% of the adult population in the United States struggles with getting a good night's sleep[*]. If you've ever struggled with insomnia, you know how devastating it can be for work performance, mood, learning, stress management, and overall quality of life.
While there are many reasons you may not be able to sleep, stress is one of the most common. However, regardless of where your sleep issues originate, there are a handful of techniques and tools you can use to help you get some much-needed rest.
In this article, we'll present to you a sleep hygiene checklist that we've found to work wonders with our Brain Harmony clients. If you can get this checklist dialed in, you should be on your way to a good night's sleep.
Your Sleep Hygiene Checklist
Timing
Perhaps one of the most effective steps you can take to ensure a good night of sleep is to get on a sleep schedule. Your body has a natural circadian rhythm that signals you when it's time to fall asleep and when it's time to wake up.
Although your circadian rhythm is meant to work in your favor, this delicate system can get out of balance, creating sleep disturbances. Therefore, it's up to you to work with your body and set your circadian rhythm so that your body can get its needs met[*].
The best way to start setting your internal clock is to set a sleep schedule with the goal of minimum 8 hours each night. Naturally, your body wants to go to sleep around 10 pm (11 pm if you are a growing teen) and wake around 6 pm and 7 pm. The closer you can get to this schedule, the better off you are. It may be challenging to go to bed by 10 pm if you're used to staying up late, but you can ease your way there. Start by turning off the screens and getting into bed 15 minutes earlier for a few days, and then continue in that direction until you're able to get to bed before 11 pm.
You can also start the other way around, and set your alarm for 6 am or 7 am, and force yourself to get up. If you get up earlier, your body will naturally want to go to sleep earlier as well.
Obviously, forcing yourself to sleep won't work on its own, but the rest of the suggestions in this article will assist you in priming your mind and body for sleep.
Light
Light plays a major role in helping you set your circadian rhythm. Your ancestors would have risen with the sunrise and watched the sunset in the evening, having the rest of their night illuminated only by fire.
Today, we have bright lights and television screens blaring in our eyes until 10 pm or later. This sends a confusing signal to your brain because you are still being bathed in light although the sun has set.
Biologically, your body needs darkness to signal that it's time to wind down. Melatonin, commonly known as the sleep hormone, is a crucial component of your circadian rhythm. When melatonin rises in your body, you start to feel more sleepy, and brain activity calms down. However, melatonin production is contingent on darkness. If there is light in your room (coming from screens, overhead lights, and so on), melatonin production will be inhibited -- causing you to remain alert with wakefulness[*].
Therefore, keeping your light exposure to a minimum in the evening is crucial for a good night's sleep. Ideally, you would turn off all unnecessary lights after the sun goes down. If you want to watch TV or use your devices, you can use blue light blocking glasses which will help to reduce the amount of light getting to your eyes.
Temperature
Another important factor that impacts your circadian rhythm is temperature. In fact, research shows that sleeping in the right temperature environment is crucial for REM sleep and reducing wakefulness at night. Although researchers don't have the exact mechanism down, it's understood that your body cycles through different internal temperatures throughout a 24-hour cycle, and as you sleep, if your environment is too hot or too cold, it can interfere with your internal temperature making it hard to sustain sleep[*].
Most research suggests that the ideal temperature to keep your bedroom in at night is between 60 to 70 degrees fahrenheit[*][*].
Food
The food you eat, as well as the timing, can impact your sleep cycle significantly. In general, carb-heavy foods tend to make you feel more lethargic, while protein-rich diets can provide steadier energy.
However, it's not as simple as eating carbs at night. In fact, meals that are high in carbohydrates may make you feel sleepy, but they actually disturb the sleep cycle. So instead, you should aim for a balanced diet of complex carbohydrates and high-quality protein sources, along with lots of fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats. This will help to keep your blood sugar stable at night, so your body can rest in a steady-state instead of dealing with blood sugar highs and lows[*].
But what you eat is only part of the story; what really matters when it comes to sleep is when you eat.
When you wake in the morning, you're typically in a fasted state. When your body is fasted, dopamine and epinephrine levels are higher, which are two neurotransmitters that increase wakefulness. However, if you eat late at night, you may not enter the fasted state during sleep, which is one of the reasons that many people suggest that you stop eating two to three hours before bed[*][*].
What's more, research shows that late-night eating can disturb your sleep cycle, likely by keeping your body working into the late hours trying to digest your food[*].
Smell
Your senses take in information from your environment and send messages to your brain, indicating how you should respond. While some sounds and smells may be used to wake you up and make you feel more alert, others can help calm and relax you into a state of sleep.
For instance, aromatherapy with essential oils like lavender or chamomile creates an environment in your room that signals your brain "it's time to relax." The olfactory system in your brain, which is responsible for your sense of smell, is connected to your memories. Therefore, if you use consistently use a scent for sleep, over time it will be a trigger for your brain when you smell that scent that it is bedtime[*].
EMF
EMF (electromagnetic frequencies) are everywhere in our environment. These waves of energy are emitted from your electronic devices, WiFi, and electrical circuits, disrupting your energy field.
Research shows that having EMFs in your environment can impact melatonin production, resulting in poor sleep[*].
Unfortunately, it would be near impossible to remove all EMF exposure in your environment. However, there are several ways to mitigate EMF in your home. For example:
Turn off your WiFi at night while you sleep
Put your phone on airplane mode in the evening when you no longer need it
Replace your SmartPhone with an analog clock (if you don't want to put it on airplane mode)
Unplug unnecessary electronics before bed
In general, the less "wired up" your home is while you sleep, the better off you'll be in terms of EMF exposure.
Helpful Tools
In addition to checking off the above suggestions, there are a handful of tools that we've found incredibly helpful for our clients in supporting their sleep cycle.
Safe and Sound Protocol
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a go-to for adults looking for better restorative sleep for themselves and their children. The SSP listening system is used to assist in bringing your nervous system into a state of neurological calm through vagal regulation. When you are on high alert (as many people are today), your nervous system stays activated in sympathetic mode -- AKA fight, flight, freeze or fold.
The SSP offers a gentle yet effective way to ease your nervous system into parasympathetic mode by regulating your vagus nerve. When you are in parasympathetic mode, it is much easier to relax because your body and mind get the signal that you are safe. Establishing safety in the nervous system is the signature of a good SSP experience.
Alpha-Stim
The Alpha-Stim (AS) is like an old friend to me - dependable, lifts your spirits, keeps you grounded, safe to be yourself. AS is so beneficial especially if you find your self in a circumstance where you can’t stop crying (overwhelmed, overtired, chronically sleep deprived, chronic family medical conditions, financial woes). It is not a pharmaceutical with side effects but is a small portable device that fits in your pocket, and emits alpha waves through multiple methods directly to your brain and cranial nerves. Since the 10th cranial nerve is the vagus nerve, when your brain is fed alpha waves, it softens the sensory signals of pain, anxiety, and cognitive static so the brain can relax and move into a sense of safety. Once safe, you can then access the rest you are looking for. So luxurious, even Carol’s dog Bubby uses it for sleep and separation anxiety!
If you’re interested in the Safe and Sound Protocol or the Alpha-Stim, click below for a free consultation!
Apollo Neuro
Apollo Neuro is a wristband that's designed to nudge the nervous system into different states of being using sound frequencies and vibration. That makes sense that our Brain Harmony therapists love to recommend this tool and use it for themselves and their families. There are several different modes that you can set your Apollo Neuro to, with one of them being Sleep Mode. It works by improving your heart rate variability (a marker for stress) and increasing parasympathetic activity via slow-moving, gentle frequencies. We are amazed by the “heavy” feeling of the whole body moves into when in the Sleep mode. It can be a life saver, plus there are 7 modes total that can help you become more energized, more social, to restore and rebuild and can be used by other family members, so it’s a great value.
Somnium GABA
CreamOur friend Dr. Christine Schaffner has produced Somnium GABA Cream, developed to help you get more restful, restorative sleep by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter GABA in your system. Gabba reduces excitability in the brain by decreasing norepinephrine and its close friend adrenaline. Problems with norepinephrine levels are associated with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. A little Somnium cream on the temples and behind the ear, and slumber with more REM sleep is on its way.
10% DISCOUNT UPON PURCHASE!
Dreampad
Dreampad pillows and speakers use a unique, patented technology that sends soothing sounds set for the parasympathetic nervous system through gentle vibrations to your body that only you can feel, triggering a natural calming response. This allows your brain to slow down, relax, and send you off to dream quickly.The Dreampad is especially helpful for those with PTSD, Autism, ADHD, and others who find it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep at night.
20% DISCOUNT UPON PURCHASE!
Dreampad now makes 10 lb. weighted blankets! How do you get an active teenager to rest when they’re sick? Hug their nervous system into submission with a Dreampad weighted blanket.
How Brain Harmony Helps With Sleep Issues
At Brain Harmony, we've worked with thousands of clients, helping them to get back into balance neurologically. One of the most common issues we see with our adults and children is sleep trouble. Unlike many approaches out there, we don't tackle sleep issues with a one-size-fits-all plan of action. Instead, we look at the individual and where their imbalances are stemming from and work at a root-cause level to get them back into equilibrium.
Therefore, we may employ any number of tools to assist with sleep and overall neurological balance -- depending on the person. We often use any combination of the Safe and Sound Protocol, Alpha-Stim, and Apollo neuro specifically for sleep. Meanwhile, we may employ other tools such as reflex integration and the ILS Focus Unit for overall neurological balance.
As a result of our individualized approach, many people start seeing changes in their sleep within weeks and even days.
Carol (below): “GABA Cream, then Goodnight y’all”…
Nancy's Brain Harmony Success Story
Nancy is a nurse in an intensive care unit and was suffering from anxiety, brain fog, and quality sleep deprivation. She was having trouble with processing, getting her thoughts down on paper, word retrieval, and memory. She had tried pharmaceuticals and lifestyle changes to address these issues, but they just weren't working, so she went on the hunt for another solution. After a short time using Brain Harmony's therapies, like the Safe and Sound Protocol and the Alpha-Stim, Nancy's anxiety dissipated, she started enjoying life, sleeping better, her brain fog went away, and her cognitive function improved tremendously. She feels like Brain Harmony was the missing key in her health journey. See her video here.
"It's easy to use, you're expertly guided, you can do it on your own at your own pace, and it can have a profound impact on your life. I really feel that this was the missing piece to help my overall quality of life."
Mark's Brain Harmony Success Story
Mark has suffered from sleep, attention, and mental clarity issues for years. After only a few weeks of therapy, he was able to sleep through the night, stop the use of his sleep and attention deficit medication, and regain the energy and mental clarity he needs to stay sharp through his intensive work week. He has even built stronger connections with his family.
"Getting a good night's sleep is everything to me, so it has changed my life that way. My energy is higher than if I was on caffeine, my mental clarity is much much more improved, and I can only chalk it up to this treatment that I have been on with you in the last couple of weeks. It's wild." See Mark’s video here
If you're one of the many people that struggle with sleep, don't let your overstimulated brain and nervous system control your health. At Brain Harmony, we'll walk you through the items on the sleep hygiene checklist and make you an individualized plan of action for bringing you back into balance so you can start enjoying restful sleep again. Call us today for a Free Consultation.