Taking Control of Your Sleep-Wake Cycles
3rd January, 2010 - Posted by Maude -
As we talked about in our previous post Sleep is Nourishment, and getting enough sleep on a regular basis is one of the most powerful things you can do to nourish yourself.
Sleep cycles can be easily thrown off by a number of factors, so sometimes sleeping when we want and how we want is not as easy as it sounds. Travel, diet changes, falling in love, hormonal changes related to aging (puberty, menopause, etc), erratic work schedules, poor bedtime habits (like falling asleep in front of tv), and a host of other variables can either throw us off our schedule or get us stuck in a sleep/wake cycle that seems beyond our control. Sometimes people end up on the vampire schedule - up all night, sleeping most of the day - and sleep cycle disruption becomes a major impediment to basic life functioning. Some people suffer from chronic insomnia, either unable to fall asleep or unable to stay asleep. Insomnia can be maddening (we might do another entire post on that). A host of problems can beset our sleep.
None of us really has to be at the mercy of our sleep/wake cycle. There is actually quite a bit that can be done to re-set one’s clock and sleep when and how we want. Often these are things we don’t want to do. But the choice is yours. Remember, if you want to be high, be high, and if you want to be low, be low, cause there’s a million ways to go, you know that there are.
If you’ve decided you do want to take charge of your sleep/wake cycle here are some resources we recommend:
1. Use common sense basics.
This article from HelpGuide.org is a nice summary of the conventional wisdom on tips for getting better sleep. Getting regular exercise, getting the tv out of your bedroom, avoiding caffeine, not eating late meals, and keeping a regular bedtime (yes, even on the weekends) are just a few of the recommendations. But really, read the whole article. It’s a good resource.
2. Use your smart brain and your will power to take control of the situation.
Another good resource comes from our friend Steve Pavlina, ace blogger and all around smart guy who blogs on Personal Development for Smart People. Two of Steve’s most popular articles are really helpful looks at sleep. His first article How to Become An Early Riser is a great look at taking control of your cycles. But even more helpful is a related article on How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off. Regardless of what time you want to get up, whether you consider it early or just reasonable, Steve’s approach can put you in the driver’s seat of your wake up time.
3. Re-set your biological clock by changing your circadian rhythm.
Another great way to take control of your sleep/wake cycle is a method for re-setting circadian rhythms using light therapy. Sleep timing is mainly controlled by the circadian clock, which also controls temperature fluctuation and enzyme production. The circadian clock works together with a neurotransmitter, adenosine, that inhibits lots of the bodily processes that happen during the waking hours. Adenosine is created over the course of the day and as these add up, the high levels of adenosine lead to sleepiness. Before sleepiness can be experienced your pineal gland also has to release the hormone melatonin, which is a major factor in creating that sleepy feeling. A good description of this process is this well-researched article from lighttherapy.com.
How can you go to sleep if you don’t feel sleepy? Anyone who has struggled and failed with changing their cycles knows that the answer is it’s difficult, if not impossible. Melatonin production is stimulated by bright light early in the day and a decrease in the evening. Using light therapy for 15 minutes every day at noon can cause more melatonin to be released earlier in the evening and initiate that sleepy feeling. It is important to use the light EVERY DAY. It often takes 1 or 2 months to see the desired results so some patience is required. This is not a quick fix but a long term solution. Some practitioners also recommend dawn/dusk light simulators and these can be helpful as well.
There are those who recommend using over the counter melatonin supplements, often people who are making money from it. While melatonin supplements can be helpful as a short-term or emergency aid, long term use of melatonin can cause your body to reduce or stop making its own. A fairly good article on melatonin from the University of Maryland Medical center is here. The best melatonin for you is always what is made by your own body. You can also stimulate melatonin with natural light, though it may be more difficult to use it as to re-set the circadian rhythms since there may be days when natural light is not available. Natural light is still important whether using light therapy or not. Susun Weed suggests recommends sleeping in a completely dark room at least 15 minutes of sunlight daily as an important component of a healthy immune system and to combat depression.
Don’t forget that there is a natural rhythm to the seasons that also affects our sleep cycles. Modern life brings us out of sync with the earth to an intense degree. To the extent that we can stay connected, eating with the seasons and sleeping with the seasons, our connection to our world is strengthened. If you want more sleep in the winter, give it to yourself! It’s natural. We do recommend adding the extra sleep at the end of your day, if possible, and keeping your waking time the same for maximum health.
Of course, drinking your herbal infusions also connects you to the earth through ingesting natural plants and nourishing you in the most natural form. Drinking your infusions on a regular basis can be an aid in your search for better sleep.
Tags: life, nourishment, Sleep
Posted on: January 3, 2010
Filed under: Nourish Your Body, Uncategorized
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