Hello folks! Seasoned health coach and Primal Health Coach Institute Curriculum Director, Erin Power is back to answer all your questions about sleep, from why you\u2019re waking up in the middle of the night to the best natural ways to improve your sleep cycle. Got more questions? Post them over in our Mark\u2019s Daily Apple Facebook group or down in the comments below.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Jordan asked: Almost half of all adults struggle with insomnia to some degree, so, if it\u2019s any consolation, you\u2019re in good company. That being said, it\u2019s not ideal to feel like you\u2019re dragging yourself around all day, coping with sugar-laden snacks or venti-sized cups of coffee.<\/p>\n One of two nights of suboptimal sleep are manageable. But when it\u2019s a nightly occurrence? It\u2019s time to dig a little deeper.<\/p>\n According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, waking up at a specific time of the night (or early morning in your case) is a sign that something is off in the body since, as TCM teaches, different hours are associated with different organs and emotional states. Even if you don\u2019t follow that train of thought, paying attention to your body\u2019s signals can be a huge wake-up call (no pun intended).<\/p>\n It sounds like these 3 a.m. awakenings are a new thing, so start by looking at what\u2019s changed recently. Anytime you\u2019re doing something that\u2019s working, then suddenly it\u2019s not working, it\u2019s usually because some other element has changed. I know, this isn\u2019t rocket science, but in health coaching we like to start with the obvious. I like to start with the lowest-hanging fruit, which in my experience, is quite often a change in stress levels.<\/p>\n When you go to bed at night and life\u2019s other distractions have quieted down, the brain shifts into repair mode, and one of the tendencies that\u2019s somewhat inherent to that is processing the worries of the day. While you might fall asleep with ease, your 3 a.m. jolt could be caused by an activation of your sympathetic nervous system. Maybe you feel your heart rate increase or your thoughts start racing. If this is the case with you, be aware of what might be causing your stress and take steps to alleviate it before your head hits the pillow.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Another thing to look at is blood sugar balance, which is can also be a culprit for 3 a.m. wake ups. It\u2019s well established that high carbohydrate intake has been shown to increase the number of times a person wakes at night and reduces the amount of deep sleep. If you\u2019re used to using carbs as fuel and eating every few hours, blood sugar can drop during the night because your body isn\u2019t getting the constant glucose drip it\u2019s receiving during the day.<\/strong> It\u2019s just one of the reasons I\u2019m a huge advocate for getting off the Standard American Diet and snacking rollercoaster.<\/p>\n High carb isn\u2019t always to blame though. One study showed that a lower carbohydrate diet could also<\/em> impact sleep due to low levels of serotonin and melatonin. Researchers found that diets that were less than 50% carbs were linked to difficulty staying asleep \u2014 especially in men. There\u2019s also proof that some people who ate low carb are more prone to experiencing sleep apnea.<\/p>\n Take an honest look and get clear on what\u2019s changed in the past week or so. If you\u2019re under more stress, eating more carbs, or starting a diet like keto, get curious about what you can do to keep sleeping through the wee hours.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Tim asked: First of all, Mark has shared sleep tips and written about how to crush some quality sleep quite often, and he\u2019s always my go-to guy for information. But one of the things that jumps out at me from your question is that you acknowledge that you aren\u2019t getting much sunlight exposure these days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Sunlight exposure throughout the day is essential for syncing up our circadian rhythm, which has an important impact on sleep quality. This is one of the concepts I most love teaching my health coaching clients, because the notion that we need to engage with the sun at various times of the day is just so\u2026 natural. And, remember: we are<\/em> nature.<\/strong><\/p>\n Specifically, spending a few moments looking at early day sunlight helps encourage the onset of serotonin, the wakefulness hormone. Catching the mid-day rays during your lunchtime dog walk is great: it tells your body that the day is about half over. Finally, getting some exposure to the amber light of sunset tells the body to pack serotonin away and start thinking about churning out some melatonin \u2014 the sleep hormone.<\/p>\n Adding a morning walk and an after-dinner walk \u2014 just 15 minutes or so \u2014 is a simple way to spend just enough time in morning and evening sunlight, respectively, so you can get your sleep-wake hormones purring like a kitten.<\/p>\n And here are some more good ideas:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ali asked: Ask most people what they use for a natural sleep aid, and chances are you\u2019ll be overwhelmed by folks singing the praises of magnesium and melatonin. And for good reason as they relax nerves and muscles, and help adjust your circadian rhythm, respectively.<\/p>\n As a health coach, it\u2019s not in my practice to recommend specific supplements (although Mark has a great article about a few of them here), but if you ask me, there are even better sleep aid solutions that don\u2019t require popping a pill.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re open to the idea that you shouldn\u2019t have to take something to get your body and mind to unwind, try deep breathing and meditation \u2013 two of my favorite relaxation techniques<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Most of us have the habit of taking quick or shallow breaths. Or worse, completely holding our breath for periods of time. When you\u2019re getting ready for bed tonight, spend a few minutes taking slow, deep breaths, in and out from your belly<\/strong>. This naturally causes you to relax, which reduces the stress hormones that block melatonin (and prevent you from getting a solid night of shut eye).<\/p>\n Doing a body scan can also help. This is type of mindful meditation combines breathwork with consciously relaxing your muscles. When you\u2019re ready to give it a go, lie down in a quiet, comfortable place, starting at your head and working down to your toes. Notice any areas of tension you\u2019re feeling, then direct your breath to that spot. Research backs it up too, saying that doing a 20-minute body scan before bed can help you sleep longer and wake up less frequently during the night.<\/p>\n What\u2019s your go-to for a better night\u2019s sleep? Tell me in the comments below.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been going to bed at 10 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m. for a few weeks. For some reason, I\u2019ve started waking at 3:15 a.m. and can\u2019t go back to sleep. Any ideas on what\u2019s causing it?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat Waking Up Early Really Means<\/h2>\n
Are you:<\/p>\n\n
When Blood Sugar is to Blame<\/h3>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m lacking energy and am generally tired most of the day. According to my Fitbit, my sleep quantity is good, but my sleep quality is poor. I eat primal 95% of the time, though I\u2019m not really trying to eat low carb. I supplement with magnesium, fermented cod liver oil, fermented skate liver oil, kelp, and probiotics. I do drink two large cups of butter blended coffee in the morning that\u2019s half decaf, and I\u2019m not getting much sunlight exposure these days, except for a dog walk at lunch. Other than ditching the coffee, any suggestions on how to improve my deep and REM sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
Artificial light from computers, tablets, and phone screens messes with your circadian rhythm, so if you need to finish work late at night or can\u2019t stop scrolling social media, put on a pair of blue light blocking glasses to help reduce the impact on your sleep cycle.<\/li>\n
Even a small amount of light can disrupt your sleep. Black-out blinds are a great solution for the summer months, but can also be a huge help year-round. If new window coverings aren\u2019t in the cards, get yourself a sleep mask.<\/li>\n
Your body temperature always rises at night, so keep your room cool (between 60-67?F \/ 15.6-19.4?C) to prevent overheating. Or get yourself a ChiliPAD. You won\u2019t be sorry. I absolutely love mine.<\/li>\n
You might be tempted to wind down with a fine glass of Rioja, but alcohol late at night can interrupt your REM cycle too, leaving you feeling drained and groggy the next day. Alcohol can also cause you to snore more. Something to keep in mind if you care about the person sleeping next to you.<\/li>\n
In addition to emitting low levels of blue light, the temptation to respond to emails, check your Instagram feed, or make late-night purchases can be hard to resist when your phone is sitting right there on the bedside table. Instead, put it out of arm\u2019s reach, preferably in the next room.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
\u201cWhat are the best sleep supplements that don\u2019t include magnesium or melatonin?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nNatural Sleep Remedies That Aren\u2019t Supplements<\/h2>\n
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