This World Sleep Day, let’s acknowledge the profound influence that quality sleep has on our overall health and well-being aiding stress management, mood regulation, and bodily rejuvenation. To mark this significant occasion, let us delve into Dr. Nicole Moshfegh’s audiobook “The Book of Sleep” which offers tons of quick, easy and research based strategies that are effective and sustainable to foster healthier ways for restful sleep. Here are 5 easy-to-follow tips from her audiobook which will help you dream better!
Curate A Perfect Sleep Sanctuary
In pursuit of creating the perfect sleep sanctuary, Dr. Nicole Moshfegh introduces a refreshing guidebook to follow for a good night’s sleep. She highlights the influence of a positive sleep environment on one’s sleep cycle and says, “Too many negative or arousing experiences can cause us to associate the bedroom with stress instead of sleep. Fortunately, we can counteract these effects by creating an environment more conducive to rest and relaxation.” She advices –
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Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. Consider making the bedroom a device free zone. If leaving your phone outside the room causes you stress, at least place it somewhere where it can’t be accessed from your bed
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Move any work stations out of the bedroom. If this is not possible, try creating some sort of visual separation between your bed and your work area by experimenting with moving furniture or using room dividers
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Reduce clutter and keep things clean and tidy. Add a few key items that spark, joy and relaxation like your favourite art, piece, photos or memorabilia
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Try to avoid having intense conversations in your bedroom and remember to get out of your bed and bedroom if you can’t fall asleep
Exercise Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Relaxed Sleep
To overcome anxiety and stress on a daily basis, Dr. Nicole Moshfegh provides a step-by-step guide to practising muscle relaxation which in turn can help relieve stress and provide a sense of calmness. She says, “Anxiety and stress can activate our fight or flight response. When we experience chronic stress, our brain’s ability to reduce this response weakens over time which can make it harder for us to fall asleep and stay asleep. Through a technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation, PMR, you can relieve the tension in your body by tensing and releasing different muscle groups one at a time.” Here is how you can practise PMR –
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Comfortably lie down on your back, not on a bed. It may be helpful for you to practise PMR by starting at one end of your body either your feet or your shoulders.
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Close your eyes if you’re comfortable doing so. Breathe in and tense the first muscle group hard but not to the point of pain for five seconds.
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Breathe out and immediately relax the muscle group all at once.
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Take a few deep breaths for 10 to 15 seconds before moving onto the next muscle group. During this time pay attention to how the muscles feel when they are tense versus relaxed.
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Repeat steps 1,2,3 with each muscle group.
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When you are finished with all of the muscle groups, take the deepest breath you’ve taken in all day and let it out when you are ready. Bring your focus back to the present.
Identify the Right Food Choices to Beat Midnight Cravings
Tired of tossing and turning? Say goodbye to bedtime hunger games with Dr. Nicole’s suggestions! We’re here to unravel the secrets to a nourished yet restful night’s sleep wherein she urges everyone to avoid heavy meals before bedtime. Furthermore, she points out that, “Being hungry won’t help us either. Therefore it’s best to maintain a balance of not eating too much too late but also making sure our stomach is full enough that it will not keep us awake throughout the night. If you notice you are hungry before bedtime try consuming a small snack with protein in it as protein contains tryptophan, which will stimulate melatonin production in our brain, the hormone responsible for our sleep drive. Just remember to avoid foods containing caffeine like chocolate and spicy, acidic, high fat and sugary foods especially 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. Try to incorporate food containing tryptophan into your diet. Examples include nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, poultry, seafood, every day for two weeks. Keep a track of what, when and how much you consume in conjunction with your sleep” she says.
Slash Your Caffeine Intake for a Dreamier Sleep
Ever questioned why that evening coffee tends to disturb your sleep around 2 am? Dr. Nicole unveils the drawbacks of caffeine for maintaining a healthy sleep routine. She says,“If you have caffeine around 7pm, half of it will still be in your system at 2 am. Not only will that cup of coffee you have at 7pm prevent you from getting adequate sleep but by the time you start your day around 9 am, your sleep signals will be even stronger due to lack of sleep and all the adenosine that couldn’t be released. This leads to a never ending cycle. If you don’t want to constantly time how much caffeine will still be in your body at bedtime it’s better to cut back.”
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Start by trying to avoid caffeine after lunch. Limit yourself to not more than 200 to 300 mg of caffeine per day which is roughly equivalent to 28 ounce cups of coffee depending on the route
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Remember that decaf coffee, dark chocolate and some pain relievers also contain caffeine and must be avoided
Seek Professional Help If You Need
Shedding light on the role sleeping pills play, Dr. Nicole discusses the adverse effects they can have on one’s sleep schedules. Stressing the importance of discontinuing their use, she advocates for an effective alternative of—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) which one must take into account to improve their sleep health and overall well-being. She says, “Sleeping pills use is correlated to an increased risk for car accidents, higher rates of heart disease, stroke and increased risk of cancer. When you discontinue sleeping pills, you experience rebound insomnia, which can make it more likely that you start taking them again leading to a never ending cycle, all the more reason while treating your insomnia the natural way is better for you in the long run.” She suggests:
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CBT-I is proven to be just as effective for those currently on sleep medication
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One must identify and get a better hold on their symptoms before consulting a doctor
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When you are ready, speak with your doctor about tapering off your medication. It can also be helpful to have a trained CBT-I therapist to guide you through this process
