The New York Times, Tim Robinson says, “Sleep today is a measure of success, a skill to be cultivated and nourished.”
This is New York City, no more late nights? No more drinking until 5am? No more late night greasy burgers after a show?
No, sleep is where it’s at, it’s the new status symbol.
In Chinese medicine we tend to be serious about sleep. It is believed that sleep is the one of the main ways to regenerate the ‘qi’ of the body and 8 hours is the correct amount. Think of it like your daily checking account, if you start out with 100 units, you spend 30 exercising, 50 at work, 20 at play, you’ll need to regenerate and put more units in for tomorrow and that’s where sleep comes in. Without sleep for a number of days, you face potential damage to your adrenals, to brain chemistry, joint health, hormone regulation, etc. Keep in mind, we aren’t just referring to those insomniacs who don’t sleep at all, damage also occurs for people that sleep only 4-6 hours a night, there is a deficit overtime which is a huge contributor to sickness and disease.
Setting You Up For Success
- Positioning is so important. Back and side sleepers require different pillows heights, so be sure you have the right pillow. I’ve told my patients over the years, if you are a side sleeper, be sure your nose and the top of your shoulder is in a 90 degree angle. Stomach sleeping is a no-no, since it wreaks havoc on the neck.
- No screens, I know so many people that fall asleep with the TV on. It’s ideal to not have a TV in your bedroom, because if you do the blue light spectrum can decrease melatonin, cause sleep disturbances and an inability to enter deep sleep.
- All cell phones should be on airplane mode. Most of us use our cell phone as an alarm clock, so we tend to have it close. Keep in mind, that your phone is looking for a tower to connect to all night long. So please put it on airplane mode, we still don’t know the long term harm that cell phones can do. If you absolutely must have it on for emergencies, keep it at least 10 feet away from you.
- Try melatonin? Melatonin can be a great tool every once in awhile, it’s something your body makes, so you are not adding a foreign substance to your system. You can try 3mg or go up to as high as 10mg with time release. At Tao to Wellness, we think of melatonin as occasional support, if you are having nightly trouble you might want to consider coming in for some acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine.
- Cool, dark and quiet rooms are conducive to better sleep. Put up some blackout shades, order a sleeping mask and some earplugs. It will help!
- Take a hot bath before bed to relax your muscles and your mind.
- Magnesium is a necessary mineral for 300 systems in the body. Take a small dose before bed, it can help with relaxation, tight muscles and also relieve constipation.
