A healthy sleep schedule is essential for your body.
Restful sleep is an essential foundation of good health. It impacts the health of your heart and circulatory system, the regulation of your hormones, metabolism, ability to respond to insulin, appetite, immune system, learning and formation of memories, and brain health. Your brain even has a waste management system (it’s called the glymphatic system). Your brain flushes out toxins and wastes primarily during deep sleep. It’s difficult to think of a system of the body not impacted by the quality of your sleep.
Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep.
Periodically, it’s a good idea to examine your sleep habits and ensure you allow your body the high-quality sleep it needs. While individual sleep needs vary, a general guideline is 8 hours. You may feel you are functioning adequately on 7 hours or less, but don’t short-change yourself. Experiment with gradually increasing the amount of sleep each night, and see if you feel better with a higher amount. It may be challenging to adjust your schedule to allow yourself time for adequate rest, but remember the critical value of sleep to your long-term health and that you are worth it.
Increase exposure to sunlight in the morning.
Our bodies have natural cycles of wakefulness and sleep impacted by the production of cortisol and melatonin hormones. We have a natural increase in cortisol in the morning, which helps us be alert and awake. Exposure to natural sunlight in the morning, especially between 6:00 AM and 8:30 AM, can enhance this cycle. Getting outside during this time, ideally for a half hour, will help us be more alert in the morning and then ready for sleep at night. Can you take your daily walk in the morning? If a half hour is too long to fit into your morning routine, can you take 15 minutes to walk around the block? You may find that you are more energized during the day and better able to wind down at night.
Reduce exposure to light in the evening.
During the evening, our body releases more melatonin, which helps us feel sleepier. Bright household lighting, blue light-emitting devices like cell phones or tablets, and television screens can inhibit melatonin production. You may sleep better at night if you dim your home lights and restrict your use of electronic devices, especially about 90 minutes before bedtime.
Social media and the internet are designed to keep us engaged.
In addition to light exposure, spending time on the internet or social media is a definite pathway to staying up too late. Our brains are rewarded for seeking and finding information. I have often decided to spend “a couple of minutes” checking Facebook or Instagram or looking at a web page, and suddenly a half hour or more has gone by. Awareness is the key to changing this habit. Just realizing the addictive nature of our devices may motivate us to set a boundary around using them before bedtime.
Choose an early bedtime.
Our most restorative sleep generally occurs between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM. This time aligns with the optimum point in our Circadian rhythm for our body to repair, strengthen, and rejuvenate. We may feel more refreshed with a sleep schedule of 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM than a 1:00 AM to 9:00 AM schedule. If this differs from your typical routine, consider making small incremental changes to reach this optimal sleep time gradually.
Consistency maintains our sleep schedule.
Now that you’ve maintained a healthy sleep schedule, consistency is key. It may be tempting to stay up later on the weekends and sleep in, but you will find it easier to keep your ideal sleep patterns if you stick to the same routine. While a little bit of variability now and then may not impact us too much, our bodies thrive best on consistency.
Your body will reward you with better health.
Your body will reward you with more energy and better health if you spend the effort to establish and maintain healthy sleep patterns. Focus on the significance of restful sleep for good health and make gradual, incremental changes. Be gentle with yourself and enjoy the process!
2 comments
Wonderful information Anne! I have been struggling with the time change. I like getting up earl by 5 or 5:30. I have been waking later and hope to get awake at my preferred time. That is interesting to see that a morning walk helps. I do find that turning off TV and computers and just relaxing is much needed before bedtime!
Thanks Diane, I’m glad you found it helpful! I agree that the first few days are a struggle, I’ve been more tired in the morning even though I am getting the same amount of sleep.