Tips to Help Reset Your Internal Sleep Clock
By Sara Butler
Fall is fast approaching and with it, school will be back in session and your free time may be going the way of the dodo bird. One problem people have when transitioning from one season to another is it throws off their internal sleep clock. If you don’t get enough sleep at night it can have a huge impact on your overall health. Here are a few easy suggestions to help you get your sleep back on track so you can be more rested and healthy.
You Need a Sleep Schedule
Sleep is just like everything else – you need to schedule it if you’re having a hard time making it a priority. With sleep it’s easy to create a schedule; all you have to do is wake up and go to bed at roughly the same time every day. This may mean the luxury of sleeping in on weekends is a thing of the past, but if you’re getting enough sleep during the week you don’t need to try to catch up on the weekend!
If you need to work at waking up earlier (or later), change the time you go to bed and the time you wake up in 15-minute increments until you reach the time you desire. This helps to transition you to a new schedule and will make things a lot easier for you and everyone else in your household.
Cure the Racing Thoughts
Some people have trouble sleeping at night because their mind goes down a rabbit hole once they lay down and try to relax. Studies have shown a great way to combat this is to find a cause in your life. That might mean volunteering or working pro bono for something you really believe in which can then make you feel more connected to others and give your life some meaning – and that can stop those racing thoughts.
You Are What You Eat
Quite often your night starts before you ever lay down to go to sleep. What you eat can have a huge impact on how well you sleep at night and how easy it is to get to sleep. Some foods have natural melatonin in them that will help you to feel drowsy and prepare your body for rest. Tart cherries, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and warm milk can help you to find the Sandman much easier.
If you’re having issues getting enough sleep at night, try these tips and see if it helps! If not, talk to your chiropractor about other strategies you might employ during your next visit to The Joint Chiropractic.