By: Samantha Wineke, Health Coach
Americans aren’t sleeping! According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of Americans are not sleeping enough. While we don’t recommend skimping on sleep, we want to make sure that the time you devote to sleep is as effective and efficient as possible. Quality sleep helps improve memory, detoxes your body, and helps your muscles to recover. If you’ve already incorporated our lifestyle tips for improving sleep, you can use the following hacks to upgrade your sleep quality further.
- Add MCT Oil to Your Routine: If you typically wake up at 4:00AM wired and unable to go back to sleep, this could be due to blood sugar imbalances. MCT oil consists of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut oil. This high quality fat, if taken before bedtime, can help stabilize your blood sugar levels and feed your brain throughout the night. Make sure to start slow (1/2 a teaspoon), since too much can cause gastrointestinal distress. Related: 5 Foods That Help You Sleep
- Relax with an acupressure mat. These mats stimulate acupressure points in your back, which increases circulation, relaxes the body, and supports the release of hormones like endorphins and oxytocin. Simply spend 15 minutes lying down on an acupressure mat before heading to bed to prep your body for a restful night’s sleep.
- Use sleep technology. If looking at screens prior to bedtime may be your problem, consider downloading F.lux on your computer. This is an application that changes the screen’s brightness so that it is less likely to disrupt sleep patterns. Phone applications like Sleep Cycle track your sleep quality, allowing you to see if your new bedtime routine is helping. The application also helps you wake up during the lightest stage of your sleep cycle to help reduce morning grogginess. If you’re a sleep hacker, you may consider investing in an Oura Ring, the newest innovation in sleep technology.
- Reduce Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF) in your bedroom. EMF can disrupt your melatonin production (your sleep hormone), which is essential to fall asleep. Try turning your phone onto airplane mode before going to bed, and unplugging your WIFI router. You can even purchase EMF filters for your home if you think “dirty electricity” is a problem.
If you want to learn more about Sleep Hacking, consult our Health Coaches. You can reach out by filling in the form below or call now. Happy ZZZs!