Sleep

We spend 1/3 of our life sleeping. There are ways to help back sleep restorative to improve health and give you the focus and energy to achieve your personal and health goals.

Sleep

Summary

  • Aim for 7.5-9.5 hours per night (even if you feel you get enough sleep there is likely benefit to targeting this range)

  • Poor sleep can make us feel more hungry and crave certain foods by altering hormones

  • Poor sleep can impact our response to insulin, so if we eat certain foods that are higher in refined carbohydrates or sugars our blood glucose will rise more after a poor sleep

  • Poor sleep can reduce our exercise and performance

  • Poor sleep can worsen multiple chronic diseases

  • If you want to learn more, read "Why we Sleep” by Michael Walker

  • Consider doing a sleep apnea screen (below), and if positive, speak with your clinician about a sleep study. Sleep apnea can lead to serious medical conditions if not treated.

Sleep tips

Good sleep hygiene starts as soon as you wake up!

Morning 

  • Get bright light 30-60 mins from walking. Sunlight best for cortisol peak. Bright day 5 mins light. Cloudy day ok 10 mins. 

  • Eating earlier can help with waking up and support an earlier bedtime

  • Cold water / shower and exercise can all help you wake up which will ultimately prepare you for sleep in the evening

Afternoon

  • Limit caffeine after 2-3pm

  • Non-sleep deep relaxation or a short nap (under 90 minutes and ideally before 2-3pm) can help you rest during the day if needed. These are optional

  • Exercise (any time can help but be aware that intense exercise 1 hour before bed may delay sleep in some people)

  • A little sunlight in afternoon and evening for 5-10 mins can help prepare our body for sleep

Late evening

  • Limit all bright lights and try dimming the lights if possible

  • Avoid screens, or set night-time mode

  • A hot shower or sauna lasting under 20 minutes can dilate blood vessel and help cool the body, which can prepare us for sleep

  • Relaxation techniques before bed include stretching, meditation, aroma therapy (e.g. candles, herbal tea), colouring, and journaling can also help

  • Try to sleep around the same time every night

Sleep Environment

  • Keep it cool, dark, and quiet

  • Consider white noise (or other colour noise) if that helps

  • Eye masks help keep you sleep if not too tight or not too warm

Falling back asleep

  • You may wake up in the middle of the night for many reasons with one being stress. We will learn more about stress in the next module

    • Try body scans, guided meditation, and other tools in the stress module to help you get back to sleep

  • Try to avoid big meals within 4 hours of bed, and try to minimize foods that are fried, spicy, carbonates, contain peppermint, alcohol, and coffee since these can worsen reflux and result in trouble sleeping or arousals

    • Large meals may increase your body temperature (through the metabolism of food) that can also impact sleep

    • Lots of simple carbohydrates or sugars near bed can result in a rapid reduction in your blood glucose (“sugar crash”) that can also cause changes in hormones and lead to awakening

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