Hi, Friends! Happy Monday! How did last week's challenge go for you? Did you find that scheduling your workouts made it easier to stick to them? I did a pretty good job; I stuck to all the workouts I had planned except Saturday.
Saturday I was DOGG tired, so tired that I came home and slept for two hours in the afternoon, college style. I seriously can’t remember the last time I did that when I wasn’t sick/getting sick. I’ve learned not to push it when I’m that tired; I take rest days when my body tells me I need them.
Some weeks I need three days off a week, and some weeks I barely need one, it all balances out in the end. In light of my much-needed nap, I thought this week would be a good time to address the whole sleep thing….
Research shows again and again that the less sleep you get, the more likely you are to gain weight, especially around the mid-section. This is likely because of the effect fatigue has on your hormones, especially by raising Cortisol.
Cortisol is your bodies natural stress hormone, and it has a critical job, save you from imminent danger. Picture yourself running from a tiger; you would need energy, relatively immediately right? So Cortisol raises blood sugar so that you have the energy to keep on running. Wait a minute, though; you are not running from a tiger, you are fighting the good Monday morning fight.
You know, getting the kids up, trying to get everyone out the door, sitting in the commute, while running on less than optimal sleep, all of this causes a ton of stress aka cortisol to be released. So cortisol raises blood sugar and since we don’t need all that sugar the body releases insulin (think of insulin as a key that opens the door to let sugar in the cell) to clear that sugar from the blood.
Sadly, Cortisol and Insulin do not play nice, and they direct the storage of that sugar as fat directly to the mid-section. So yeah… we all need to prioritize getting enough sleep, on average 7-9 hours. However, regardless of how long you lay in bed (3 hours or 10) the quality of that sleep is just as important.
General Sleep Better Tips
- Limit your blue light exposure (basically anything with a screen) at least 45-60 minutes before bed. I use f.lux which changes the hue on my screen at certain times to remove blue light late at night.
- Meditate before bed to help shut down your mind.
- Limit alcohol intake, while it may help you get to sleep, it also decreases the amount of REM (the deep restorative) sleep you get.
- Sleep in the darkest room possible, get blackout shades or an eye mask if needed, ESPECIALLY if you are doing shift work which requires you to sleep at times of the day other than 10 pm to 6 am.
- Do the between the sheets tango. The release of certain hormones, including prolactin, may help you get to sleep a little easier.
- Using a netty pot with distilled water can help clear nasal passages potential helping you sleep better.
- Keep the bedroom for sleeping, making it more likely your body with trigger sleep hormones more readily when you climb into bed. If it's used to working in the bedroom that could be difficult.
- Create a routine. Get your body used to a schedule and stick to it as best as possible, experts believe the most optimal pattern is 10 pm to 6 am.
- Limit caffeine after 2 pm. Look for hidden sources of caffeine.
- Drink herbal tea at night. Tea can have a relaxing effect and help you create a bedtime routine that triggers the release of the appropriate hormones and chemical messengers.
- Try Natural Calm to help you relax at night.
Cortisol Balance
The body produces a certain amount of cortisol, naturally. It is thought that an optimal curve is highest in the morning and dips throughout the rest of the afternoon. To find out what your curve looks like you can take a saliva cortisol test at 4-5 points through the day (like the one I did).
This curve can tell you a lot about how to increase the quality of your sleep:
- If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep your cortisol may be too high at night.
- If you have trouble waking up in the morning, your cortisol could not be peaking correctly (potentially indicating adrenal fatigue.)
Fixing a cortisol problem is a combination of the appropriate type and correctly timed supplements, exercise, and nutrition. Testing cortisol patterns is one of the most powerful tools I’ve had a chance to utilize with my Hungry Hobby RD clients and myself.
Other Considerations for Sleep Disturbances:
- Wonky or imbalanced levels of sex hormones.
- Nutrition deficiencies.
- Incorrectly timed supplements. (For example, Vitamin D is suspected of throwing off the circadian rhythm if taken at night.)
- Sleep apnea.
- Sinus problems.
If you try the general tips and you still aren’t getting AT LEAST 6 hours of restful high-quality sleep a night, then it may require a deeper investigation into your personal hormone and nutrient status. If you are interested in working one on one with me, check out my nutrition services website or send me an email via the contact page.
52 Healthy Habits E-Course
Did you miss this series or wish you could repeat it? No problem!
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52 HEALTHY HABITS IN 52 WEEKS SERIES:
The 52 Healthy Habits Series is about ditching the diet mindset and making small changes to improve health overall naturally leading to a healthy body composition, increased energy and improved health. Please follow along and check out the past weeks!
- Week 52: Healthy Habits Wrap Up
- Week 51: Nightly Reflection
- Week 50: Limit Harmful Chemicals
- Week 49: Find Your Tribe
- Week 48: Cultivating Positivity
- Week 47: Healthy Thanksgiving Tips
- Week 46: Check In
- Week 45: Mobility – Foam Rolling
- Week 44: HIIT Training
- Week 43: LISS or Steady State Cardio
- Week 42: Limit Alcohol
- Week 41: Eat White, Wait What?
- Week 40: Eat Blue & Purple
- Week 39: Eat Green
- Week 38: Eat Yellow/Orange
- Week 37: Eat Red
- Week 36: Learn Which Foods to Purchase Organic
- Week 35: Read the Ingredient List!
- Week 34: Focus.
- Week 33: Chew Your Food!
- Week 32: Meditation
- Week 31: Gratitude Journaling
- Week 30: Plan & Revamp Dessert- 20 Healthy Ideas
- Week 29: Two fistfuls of veggies per meal
- Week 28: Get In Veggies At Breakfast
- Week 27: Healthy Veggie Snacks
- Week 26: Nourishing Fats for the Gut (Healthy Digestion Part 4)
- Week 25: Keeping Regular – The Other Fiber (Healthy Digestion Part 3)
- Week 24: Feed The Probiotics With Prebiotic Fiber (Healthy Digestion Part 2)
- Week 23: Amazing Health Benefits of Probiotics (Healthy Digestion Part 1)
- Week 22: Check In
- Week 21: What You Will Learn From Recording Your Meals (Intuitive Eating Series Part 4)
- Week 20: Eat Until 80% Full (Hara Hachi Bu) (Intuitive Eating Series Part 3)
- Week 19: Limit Distractions While Eating (Intuitive Eating Series Part 2)
- Week 18: Gaging Your Hunger Cues (Intuitive Eating Series Part 1)
- Week 17: 10,000 Steps Per Day
- Week 16: Assess Your Caffeine Intake
- Week 15: Decrease Sugar Intake
- Week 14: Healthy Coffee Creamers (upgrade yours)
- Week 13: 3 Month Check In
- Week 12: Sleep Enough & Sleep Better
- Week 11: Schedule Your Workouts
- Week 10: Pack A Healthy Lunch (5 Ways to Create Endless Combinations)
- Week 9: Prioritizing Protein
- Week 8: How and What to Meal Prep
- Week 7: Create & Stick To Your Healthy Meal Plan
- Week 6: Get Enough Omega-3’s (Fight Inflammation)
- Week 5: What Is A Healthy Fat & How To Get Enough (Include Healthy Fats)
- Week 4: How to Spot A Healthy Carbohydrate (Upgrade Your Carbs)
- Week 3: Tips to Increase Veggie Intake (Eat Veggies)
- Week 2: 15 Healthy On the Go Breakfast Ideas (Eat BF Challenge)
- Week 1: Tips to Drink More Water
Carla says
I swear I learned from my toddler the importance of a sleep routine and have implemented a wind down routine with myself ever cents. It has made a world of difference in my sleep quality.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Yes I agree!
Karen says
I continue to work on my sleep. I do all those tips, now I am working on my coritol levels and adrenal problems. Hopefully if I can improve that my hormones will balance and I will be able to stay alseep. #bloggingboost
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Cortisol and adrenal issues are the pits but luckily fixable! Wish you the best of luck!
Evelina says
Great tips! Wasn't sleeping well for a while now so will try your suggestions. Thanks for sharing.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Your welcome! Hope it gets better!
Marianne says
This is not at all related to your post today but had to tell you.....
Made the Spanakopita Turkey Casserole and it was a MAJOR hit here and will def be adding it to the dinner rotation!
If you haven't tried it yet fellow followers, I would definitely suggest you make it if it's within your tastebud realm. So delicious 🙂
And for the sleep, well this daylight savings adjustment has been a bit rocky this year. Not sure why but at least I'm not the only one here having trouble getting a good nights sleep! This too shall pass
Momma S
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
🙂 glad you liked it! Oh a ya that's rough one!
Cassi says
Took me a couple of times to figure out what between the sheets tango was lol
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Lol you know the politically correct version lol
Patrick says
Great tips Kelli,
I am always struggling with setting a schedule/routine for sleep. Any tips on how I can easily set one and stick to it?
TIA.
Lora says
Thanks for the tips.. Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in quality of life.
clark says
Great tips,I will try and follow this see whether I will experience some changes.Well put down content.
isaac says
Very educative article you have here... I will try out your suggestions.
Liz says
You've got some great tips here. For me, the hardest part is to keep a good sleeping routine. I don't need to wake up early, so many mornings I snooze and wake up later. That means that I'll be going to bed later as well. Will put some of your tips to practice, and hope it helps.
Rachel says
As I've gotten older, I've noticed that too mush sugar during the day gives me a terrible nights sleep. I've also had to switch to decaf coffee in the afternoon or I just won't be able to sleep!
Matt says
Great article as always!
I just learned the 4 7 8 breathing method and it has helped me to relax & sleep better!
Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
Hope it's useful for your readers.
Keep up the great work!
Voonky - Sleep Guide says
I like all the tips.
It is really implementable tips. Recently I have made cut off on my caffeine intake after 5 pm and it really helped me well.
I hope this tips really gone a help people like me.