Hairstylist's Guide To Stellar Sleep
Sep 30, 2019
By building daily habits that set you up for your best night of sleep, every single night. Doing little tweaks throughout the day that will allow you to get truly restful sleep, the kind you need to really feel refreshed. You want to 10x results in your life? Focus on getting the most stellar sleep each night!
Day Time Routines For Stellar Sleep
MORNING LIGHT
We are biological creatures with circadian rhythms AKA your body clock. These rhythms are regulated by light, which is why the sunrise naturally signals to your body "hey girl, its morning time. time to wake up." When your body clock thinks its morning time, it produces a natural surge of cortisol to get you ready to take on the day. Your cortisol levels then should taper off as the day carries on, making you sleepy once its dark out.
If you're a person that feels EXHAUSTED in the morning and wired around 9 pm, that means it's time to reset those rhythms. What's the easiest way to do this? Get some sun exposure first thing in the morning.
This will not only wake you up naturally, but it will also signal to your body that its time to get it going for the day. If you have to get up early and its dark outside, plan to get to work about 10 minutes early and spend a few minutes sitting outside.
If you find it real difficult to implement this into your morning routine, at the very least you can open your windows in the morning while you're getting ready. It's the next best thing to being outside.
HACK YOUR SCREEN TIME
Almost any person I know has their day revolve around a screen, whether thats a computer, TV or phone. The problem with this is that all of those devices emit blue light. Blue light slows your productions of melatonin AKA the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Lots of screen time = you feeling wired at bedtime.
If you can't reduce your screen time use, then make sure you're using it responsibly. Blue light filtering glasses help block out the absorption of this spectrum of light. Not only will this help with sleep time, but it also helps with eye strain if you have to stare at a computer screen all day.
If you don't need prescription glasses, you can get non-prescription lenses with just the coating that reduces blue light absorption and screen glare. I get all my eyeglasses from EyeBuy Direct and my fav style is Hepburn. They are super affordable and I get compliments on them all the time.
Use the code IFGGU2E5TH at checkout to receive $10 off your first order!
The other side of this hack is to limit screen time before bed. Yes, even if you're using blue light glasses. Remember that your body is light sensitive. So in order for your circadian rhythms to signal to your body its bedtime, your light exposure should be decreasing around bed time.
I'm all for that glorious cup of joe! And I would never suggest giving it up our beloved entrepreneur rocket fuel, that's blasphemy! Hah!
Bed Time Routines For Stellar Sleep
CREATE A SLEEPING OASIS
In order to make it as easy as friggin possible to fall asleep, it's important to create a relaxing environment. This includes the optimum room temperature, total darkness, and perhaps even some white noise.
Studies show that a drop in temperature signals to your body that it's time to sleep. Optimum room temperature should range from 60 to 68 degrees. Plus who doesn't just love cuddling up with soft sheets in a cold room?! Ahh, its my favorite!
How you produce that is entirely up to you. You can set your AC lower, open a window at night if you live somewhere that has cool nights #notphoenix. Or you can invest in technology such as Chilipad or The Pod by Eight Sleep. They are more expensive, but it is something you'll use every single night and get your money's worth.
BREATHING TECHNIQUES
The moment I lay down, all the endless chatter of nonsense starts in my head. What's going on tomorrow? What do I have to get done? Why did I say that stupid thing in class 12 years ago?! Just endless rabbit holes of nonsense.
When I feel like I'm having a hard time shutting my brain down, I always resort to using breathing techniques for relaxation. I'm not entirely sure why I don't do this immediately when I lay down?! Probably time to add to my bed time routine!
But anyways, this is a super easy exercise that uses the 4-4-4 technique. First you want to clear your head. I think of a huge eraser just wiping the slate of my brain clean and then imagine ocean waves. Strange, I know but it immediately clears my mind! Then I take a deep breath in for four counts, hold for four counts, then release for four.
And I just keep repeating that sequence until I fall asleep. By the fourth round, I'm usually sound asleep. It's a super easy hack to quiet those anxious rambling thoughts that can keep you up for hours.
A LITTLE EXTRA HELP
There are some nights, for whatever reason, you just can't seem to wind down. That's when it's time to employ some sleepy time helpers. Here are a few of my favorite hacks to use, especially when I'm PMSing and have insomnia:
- Sleepy Time Tea that contains either kava kava, valerian root, or passionflower. Brew two teabags for a therapeutic effect.
- Diffusing essential oils such as chamomile or lavender.
- CBD oil is killer for great sleep. I actually use it every night because it helps me easily get into deep sleep, which is necessary to feel rested
Still having trouble getting stellar sleep after implementing these tips? That means you could have some deeper health issues and should see a doctor to get a full blood panel done. A few likely culprits could be hormones, adrenal fatigue, or thyroid dysfunction.
Sleep is the most important factor to your success and wellbeing. Without it, you will always struggle to feel your best and do your best. In fact, getting less sleep can actually shorten your life span. Not ideal for someone that wants to achieve so much. Focusing on stellar sleep will produce outta-this-world results in your life, and keep you here for as long as possible to enjoy them!
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