‘Sleep is half of my training’.

Sleep - That thing we all talk about wanting more of. It’s what we do at the end of a big day. Sometimes if we’re having a bit too much of a good time, we prefer not to do it at all and usually regret it the next day or three. I know that feeling. If you have a young family, quality sleep might feel completely elusive. The word on the street is that we need about 7-8 hours of it per night. But other than that, who cares right…?

Personally, sleep and I haven’t always been great friends.. We’re getting there but it’s a relationship I’ve had to put time and effort into improving by slowly changing a lot of habits. It’s been well worth the effort. You might also be thinking - ‘You’re a Nutritionist, how are sleep and nutrition even related?’.

Because of my personal experiences and the experiences of those around me, I’m fascinated by the workings of the brain when it comes to mood, sleep, stress - neurotransmitters - amino acids - and cofactor nutrients needed to make it all work, which happens to be heavily dietary and lifestyle related. Mix that with what I see in clinic in the way of current lifestyle trends, the happenings in the world, a little bit of stress, a little bit too much coffee, those all too common nightly wine habits and then include my love for Yoga and Meditation… and here I am, talking about sleep. Warning - I try not to get too deep in to science but sometimes I can’t help it. If it doesn’t make sense, in the name of my previous clinic supervisor, ‘just let it wash over you’. Also - you have the option to skip this section entirely and head straight to the bottom for tips and tricks to help you sleep.

Sleep is an anabolic state during which energy stores are replenished, tissues are regenerated and proteins are produced. Without enough of it, the body is unable to do its job properly during the day. A lack of sleep continuously has negative health outcomes and leads to a reduced quality of life. It’s a risk factor associated with several diseases including stroke, anxiety, depression, obesity, hypertension, headaches, dementia and fibromyalgia to name a few. These disease states are often linked to low-grade inflammation going back many years before symptoms actually appear. The markers for inflammation increase in people who suffer from insomnia or who consistently don’t achieve enough sleep. In fact, staying up late releases cortisol, which increases the production of molecules like cytokines, a sign of inflammation. There really is no substitute for a good night of zzzzzz’s.

In a survey of 1200 people in Australia, only four out of every ten people felt they had enough energy. There are many different reasons for this but one of those is a lack of quality sleep. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder (whether onset - getting to sleep or maintenance - staying asleep) and it affects an estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide while chronic insomnia affects 6% of the population. In Australia alone, approximately $310 million is spent on sleeping pills, annually. Three hundred and ten million dollars - per year. That is a lot of people trying to get some decent sleep! Don’t get me wrong, sometimes sleeping pills are needed, especially in acute or trauma situations and can help to reset the circadian rhythm and encourage the body back into the swing of things. Unfortunately however, they come with a range of risks such as dependency and withdrawal symptoms and negative effects on microbiome and nutrient absorption in the gut.

There can be many causes of insomnia including: Stress (large factor), lifestyle, pain, nutrient deficiencies/obesity and blood sugar imbalances. Often blood sugar can cause waking around midnight to 1am when the brain has used up all the glucose from the last meal. To provide more glucose, the body releases cortisol to stimulate gluconeogenisis to make more glucose available to the brain. If a person is stressed, the body will release adrenaline to kick start the process, leaving a person wide awake in the middle of the night.

And then… There is alcohol. How many people, after a big day of dealing with all things life, love to get home and pour themselves a large (what even is standard) glass of wine. I’ve been there. Alcohol consumption, especially over the past 18 months has increased dramatically (it’s an essential industry for our health during an immune based Pandemic apparently) and it affects our sleep on various levels. Alcohol has a two-fold effect just on the circadian cycle. It disrupts the circadian rhythm genes long-term leading to a reduction of a sleep cycle but it also affects Adenosine. Adenosine is a key regulator of our circadian cycle and a disruption to levels pathologically alters sleep patterns. Levels of Adenosine build up in the brain throughout the day promoting sleep later in the day when levels are highest. It inhibits neurons in the arousal systems and facilitates slow wave sleep. Alcohol increases levels quicker so that you feel sleepy. You might find you feel much more relaxed after a few drinks or fall into a deeper sleep initially. However, the REM cycle of sleep is disrupted so when you wake throughout the night (you might not even be aware) you most likely will not get back into a quality sleep inevitably leaving you feeling unrefreshed or slightly foggy the following morning/day. And for many people - this cycle repeats on the regular - sometimes nightly.

There is honestly so much more I could say here about sleep. It really is one of the main presenting complaints I see in clients resulting in fatigue, decreased digestive function, sugar and stimulant cravings, brain fog and overall reduced quality of life. BUT, more to the point, what exactly can we do about it…

There are many sleep hygiene areas but here are a few tips that might help you in getting to sleep AND staying asleep. I would also encourage you to book in to see a Nutritionist/Naturopath/Mental Health Practitioner if it is something really affecting your day-time alertness and ability to focus.

Prioritise Sleep - Try to get into bed at a time that will allow you at least 7-8 hours of actual sleep if it’s possible at this time in your life. Take time before bed to relax and unwind. Try to stick to a similar time schedule most nights.

Restorative Yoga/Breathing/Meditation - These practices prior to going to bed can be amazing to prepare the body and mind for sleep. Ask me for suggestions!

Dietary - Eat quality protein sources and consume small amounts of good fats to balance out hormones. Reduce or eliminate refined sugar, especially later in the day. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid and precursor to Serotonin and Melatonin, for example can be elevated in the evening by consuming some of the following: Pumpkin seeds, turkey, chicken, eggs, nuts, whole grains, brown rice, lentils, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, white fish and avocado (not overripe). Sufficient levels of Zinc can also improve quality of sleep. It can be helpful to have your current diet assessed to see what micronutrients might be lacking. Try to allow time (at least 2-3 hours) to digest between your last large meal and bed to reduce chances of any digestive symptoms such as heart burn or reflux from affecting your quality of sleep.

Stimulants - Reduce caffeine intake, especially after midday as for some people caffeine can have a half-life of up to 10 hours. Avoid alcohol before bed, particularly if waking during the night and try to have as many alcohol free nights per week as possible. If you are sensitive to stimulants avoid cacao/chocolate close to bedtime.

Hydration - Drink plenty of water throughout the day so you can stop drinking larger amounts approximately 90mins before bed to avoid needing to use the bathroom during the night.

Technology - Take away computers and distractions so the room is a technology free zone. If possible an hour or so before bed, dim lights, light a candle or use essential oils such as vetiver or lavender (weird being a Yoga teacher and all I know, but personally not a fan). TV/computer/phone screens emit greater proportions of blue light wavelengths that can cause the sleep promoting hormone - Melatonin, to be suppressed. Therefore more exposure to screens in the evening has the potential to inappropriately reset the body’s internal clock causing increased alertness and decreased sleep quality and initiation.

Daylight - Spending time in natural daylight/sunlight, especially right after waking up is important in maintaining alertness and your circadian rhythm. Try to avoid wearing sunglasses that block blue spectrum light every time you step outside (guilty).

Exercise - Just 20-30 minutes of daily exercise can help to balance your rhythm and significantly improve sleep quality.

Muscle Tension - Take relaxing baths (e.g. with magnesium chloride or Epsom salts) in the evenings or try acupuncture, float tanks, massage, sauna and/or regular stretching.

Supplements - There are many therapeutic dose supplements that may help with sleep management and getting you back to equilibrium such as amino compounds, herbal and adrenal tonics depending on your unique picture. Chat to your natural health practitioner who can prescribe the right product at the therapeutic dosage and timing of day that is best suited to you.

Struggling to get back to sleep during the night?

Put your legs up the wall for 10 minutes while breathing deeply.

Listen to a meditation, calming music or white noise on Spotify.

Yoga Nidra - Focus on each body part, scanning from your toes all the way up to the crown of your head. Do while laying down, breathing is relaxed and steady.

Warm herbal teas such as Chamomile.

Write down any thoughts into a bedside notebook - Do a brain dump.

If all else fails - get up and do something or read until you feel a call to go back to bed. Try to avoid turning on any bright lights if you do need to get up throughout the night.

At the end of it all - try not to worry about sleep or getting back to sleep - A few bad nights here and there are going to happen throughout your lifetime and you will go through life stages where it will be harder to achieve and that’s ok! The body is incredible and amazing at regeneration but it’s the long term changes we’re aiming for. Try to implement one thing at a time to improve your quality of sleep and as it becomes second nature, implement something else and let me know how you feel!!

HAPPY SNOOZING, Sarah Kate x