Dear Friends,

Whether you have a good or bad day largely depends on whether you had good or bad sleep the night prior. Sleep is a non-negotiable biological necessity; it is mother nature’s attempt at immortality. 

So let’s talk about what sleep is and isn’t. Is “sleep” the equivalent of “rest”? If your definition of rest is doing nothing, then sleep is NOT rest. When you sleep, your body is working its tail off to repair and replenish itself after a hard day’s work.

Poor sleep = poor repair; poor repair = poor aging. Ah… the phrase “beauty sleep” comes to mind. A good night’s rest can be miraculous. Have you ever gone to bed looking like absolute crap, then woken up feeling brand new? That is the miracle of sleep. 

The depth of sleep is important, because the deeper you sleep, the more work the “construction crews” in your body get done without interruption. Throughout a night’s sleep, your body circulates through what is called a sleep cycle, or different stages of sleep, multiple times. There are 4 stages in a normal sleep cycle: N1 (Lightest Sleep), N2 (Light Sleep), N3 (Deep Sleep), and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). Of the 4 stages, Deep Sleep and REM are where the magic happens. Deep sleep is believed to contribute most to body recovery, growth, and supporting immune function. REM sleep is critical for cognitive functions like learning, memory, and creativity. [1]

So, how can you optimize your Deep Sleep and REM sleep?

First, don’t sedate yourself with substances like alcohol, THC, or sleeping medicine in order to fall asleep. Unconscious (sedated) and sleeping are two different things. When you sedate yourself to sleep, your construction crew is layed off. They are not working.  

Second, find ways to improve your sleep hygiene. And no, I don’t mean a shower before bed every night! Sleep hygiene encompasses daily habits and changes you can make to your environment that help manage stress and regulate your circadian rhythm, or “body clock,” all for a better night’s sleep. As a whole, we tend to have more consistency with our morning routines than our nighttime routines. Below are some nighttime hacks that, with consistency, may help your sleep quality. Also listed are our favorite supplements to support a rejuvenating sleep.

Like Meat Loaf sang in Paradise By The Dashboard Light: “Let me sleep on it.” Seems like some of our best work, answers, and outlook come with a good night’s rest.

Quality Sleep Action Points

1.  Eliminate caffeine, nicotine (stimulants) and alcohol (a sedative) a few hours before bed. 
2.  No technology an hour (ideally 2) before sleep. Blue light affects your circadian rhythm or “body clock” and can cause wakefulness when you should be winding down.
3.  Make a nighttime ROUTINE! Sleep efficiency needs to have continuity.
4. Form regular bedtimes to coincide with your natural circadian rhythm anchors.
5. Increase the amount of sleep you get before midnight.
6. Use blue-light blocking glasses or screen protectors while using your devices/screens to avoid a decrease in melatonin. 
7. Listen to light music before bed.
8. Go to sleep earlier, wake earlier. Aim to follow the sun’s rhythm

9.   Avoid eating an hour before bed.

10.  Go to sleep when you are tired – try to avoid the second wind!

11.  No news or violent TV before bed

12.  Firm bed with padding for comfort

13. Keep it cool- body needs to sleep cool around 65 degrees
14. Supplements to aid if needed. See below for supplement support that may meet your specific needs
15. Be cognizant of your bedroom environment:

• Light
• Noise 
• Smell
• Bed comfort
• Temperature

      16. GOOD GOD don’t look at your 401(k) balance 

Supplements and nutrition:

1. Mintran: stands for mineral tranquilizer – will calm the racing mind without making you groggy. This is our first GO TO because of its versatility as it helps to release muscle tension and supports a calmer nervous system
2.  EZ Mag: natural source of magnesium, which is also a muscle and nervous system relaxant
3.  Magnesium Lactate: straight source of highly absorbable magnesium for calming
4.  Ashwaganda Forte:  helps you stay asleep for when your “tired but wired” 
5.  Ashwagandha Complex: also for the tired and wired
6.  Kava Forte: calming agent of CNS (central nervous system aka brain!); “peace elixir”
7.  Valerian Complex: aids in falling and staying asleep
8.  California Poppy Complex: calming agent and natural painkiller
9.  Chamomile 1:2 herbal liquid
10.  Chamomile tea
11.  Melatonin: just tells you to start sleeping, but doesn’t help you stay asleep. Decreases with blue light exposure
12.  Lavender essential oil: Available through Young living or DoTERRA 
13.  Balance Doterra essential oil: I place a few drops of this ground blend under my nose at bedtime. Available through DoTERRA
14. Read Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor. This book gives great breath techniques for relaxation, calming, etc. Available on Amazon

*All supplements are available at the clinic.

*Any supplement above without a link can be purchased here using the code 79EEDG 

*Buying supplements online will get shipped right to your door.

[1] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep

God Bless, 
Dr. Dan