Many of us know that sleep is key to good health, not just because we all need it. It also influences the food we crave. Sleep poorly? Your body craves junky snacks, a fast boost of energy. But that’s not the food our bodies need. We need whole foods, lean protein, fiber, and nutrients. I’m not saying anything new here.
But what if you can’t sleep? Trying to get enough sleep can actually backfire. The focus on getting “enough” creates stress, which makes it harder to sleep. It’s a vicious cycle, one that until recently was my nightly trap. It used to be that a good night was one that only included waking twice and getting back to sleep in less than an hour. One tool that I used and had a lot of luck with is Sleep Magic, a podcast I still use because it works. I regularly use it to get to sleep and to get back to sleep.
I knew about “good sleep hygiene,” like most people. Still, even when I followed it, I often didn’t get good sleep. So, I gave up, or only half-heartedly limited my exposure to light before bed. I recently learned that sleep hygiene is just a small part of the bigger picture. I had heard of the circadian rhythm, the body’s 24-hour cycle. But I didn’t really understand just how important it was to sleep and wake at (about) the same time every day. I also learned about “homeostatic pressure” – the building pressure to sleep. This is a major part of being able to sleep well. Hitting the snooze button in the morning messes up your sleep pressure. Napping and lounging in bed also disrupt this. But remember, sex is a perfectly good reason to be in bed!
I’m sleeping better after a few weeks. The only big change is my sleep schedule. I go to bed at about the same time every night and I get up when I wake up. Unfortunately, that means I’m getting up pretty early and that’s been hard. But even when I don’t get as much sleep as I want, I feel a lot better. I feel more alert and calmer.
