Up Your Game - Get To Sleep
This lack of sleep has repercussions in the day. A reduction in productivity is what is most noticeable. Downing the caffeine to just be able to get’er done. Yet insomnia can have more insidious consequences - including increased risk in dementia, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
Another area that sleep plays a role in is in optimizing healing and recovery times. If you get injured have a look at optimizing your sleep quality as part of the treatment strategy towards getting better. As we do the majority of our healing when we are getting a good night’s rest.
Vitamin D is synthesized by our bodies when our skin is exposed to UVB sun rays. UVB rays enter the atmosphere when the sun is high enough in the sky. In other words follow the shadow rule - when your shadow is equal in length to your height or shorter you will get enough sunlight for vitamin D synthesis. Plus your skin needs to be exposed to the sunlight - so no sunscreen or coverup.
So even if you are getting a spring tan - you still need to look to supplementing with Vitamin D throughout the ski season.
The trick here is that people seeking Regenerative Medicine are often in pain. A contributing factor in ruining a restful night is being in pain. So instead of just taking pain relievers to get through the night, look to solving the pain generators by getting treatment to resolve your pain once and for all.
Women tend to be worse sleepers than men. I have found that some women report insomnia to develop during peri-menopause. Hormones go through a huge fluctuation during this time. With progesterone levels dropping, sleep disturbance rises. Adding in Bio-Identical Progesterone does not only improve sleep, it also improves well-being, mood and memory.
If your partner has told you that you are a loud snorer and you report to feel unrested in the morning, sleep apnea is something to consider. Even though you think you are a good sleeper, you may be going through multiple episodes of stopping breathing throughout the night. This drop in oxygen can be the culprit for high blood pressure or diabetes. So here too, sleep apnea would affect your ability to heal after any injury. If any of this sounds like you, talk with your physician.
Here are some basics about sleep hygiene
Chill out in the evening. Have a bath instead of watching TV.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time. Your internal clock depends on this routine.
Journal before you go to bed to put the day’s worries aside.
Try not to nap during the day or drink too much coffee.
If you wake through the night, eat a small protein snack before bed.
Keep your Smart Phone & TV out of the bedroom
Keep the bedroom dark. Block Out Blinds if needed.
Alcohol can be great at “knocking you out” but doesn’t lend to a deep restorative sleep
With all of this said, if you are looking for more support for your sleep - I have experience helping patients develop a restorative sleep through the use of supplements & hormone support. Contact the office to book an appointment to help you get back on track with your sleep.