Learn more
Articles on Chiropractic, health and wellness
 Good quality sleep is a precious commodity these days, especially with so many screen based distractions that can keep us awake till all hours! Sleep is crucial for resting your brain and body, allowing your body to heal, rest and grow. It is the time your brain can ‘reset’ for the next day, flushing out by-products, converting memories from short to long term and consolidating learning from the day before. Most of us are aware of what happens when we get a poor night's sleep; feeling drowsy, trouble concentrating, poor decision making, craving sugar and caffeine.
So it’s time to improve your sleep, you know your body and brain will thank you for it. Read on to learn some easy-to-implement tips to improve your sleep! 1. Go to bed when you get tired. Seems obvious right? Yet most of us will push through that sleepy feeling, reaching for a sugary treat or deciding to watch one more episode. Start your bedtime routine when you start to feel sleepy (often around 9.30/10pm) and keep your phone away from your bedside when you do snuggle into bed! 2. Reduce light and noise in your bedroom. With a majority of people experiencing stress, we become extra sensitive to light and noise because your body is on high alert for any possible dangers. Try to remove as many stimuli from your room as you can, blocking out streetlights, covering bright alarm clock faces, even nightlights can be too much for some people. Noise is harder to reduce, consider earplugs if your situation allows. 3. No devices/screens 2 hours before bed, no screens in the bedroom. This is a big one. Screens emit blue light, which convinces your brain that it must still be daytime. This can alter your body's sleep hormone production and make it very difficult to get to sleep. While it may seem drastic, turning off the TV and putting away the devices 2 hours before bed can help your body to regulate itself properly and increase the quality of your sleep. If this is too ‘middle ages’ for you, you can try using blue light blocking glasses, and blue light filters on screens, but it is best to avoid screens altogether if you’re having difficulty with sleep. All devices have a ‘night mode’ or blue light dimming feature, just search your settings to find it- it will turn your screen a reddish/orange colour to overcome the blue. 4. Temperature and the environment in your bedroom. Your bedroom should be a sanctuary for rest and relaxation. Try to keep your bedroom tidy, no TV or other screens and create a restful, calm area to get your shut eye. The ideal temperature for sleep is between 18-20 degrees Celsius, so use heating or cooling to achieve this. Use your bed for sleep and sex, nothing else! No work, no laptops, no scrolling on your phone. 5. Increase your magnesium. Magnesium has been shown to help with relaxation and quality of sleep, as well as reducing muscle spasm and night cramping. An amazing supplement that can improve many aspects of your life, magnesium supplements can help support healthy sleep. We love the range from Amazing Oils- have a look here, or next time you are in for an adjustment. 6. Use a posture correction device before bed. To help calm your nervous system and relieve some stress, you can use a posture correction device (rolled up towel or half foam roller) for 15 mins before bed. This simple exercise helps to calm your brain and down-regulate your fight or flight response, which can help you get a more restful night's sleep. 7. Relaxation techniques before bed. Just like we do for the kids, a bedtime wind down routine can have benefits at any age. This will look different for everyone, depending on how you like to relax, but some ideas include: meditation, taking a hot bath, reading a book, listening to relaxing music, breathing exercises or visualisations. Anything that involves turning off a screen and allowing your mind to switch off before bed. 8. Get a good quality pillow. Your pillow can make a big difference to how you feel when you wake in the morning. Are you waking with a stiff and sore neck, shoulders or upper back? Your pillow could be the problem. A contoured pillow which supports your head, neck and shoulders, whichever position you sleep in, can help you to wake up feeling refreshed. Just remember, when changing your pillow, it can take up to two weeks to get used to the change, so expect a period of adjustment as your body gets used to the new level of support. We love the Complete Sleeperrr pillow from Therapeutic Pillow, check one out next time you are in for an adjustment! Or have a look at our online store here. 9. Get out in the sunshine! Bright daylight helps to regulate circadian rhythm and sleep hormones, helping your body know when it is daytime and night. Exercise itself is a great way to improve sleep quality, and exercising outside during daylight hours is an extra amazing way to help your quality of sleep. 10. Lavender and chamomile. Essential oils are becoming very well known for their uses in helping to calm and relax. A few drops of lavender oil or a sleep blend on a tissue under your pillow can help you drift off a little easier. Chamomile tea is also quite well known for its ability to help calm and relax, a cup of chamomile before bed can help you wind down. While it can feel like a good night's sleep is a long forgotten luxury, it is possible to wake feeling refreshed and ready for the day. Try just a couple of tips from our list, and see if you can make some changes to how you feel waking in the morning. Of course, this is all intended to be general advice, and if you are still experiencing difficulty with sleep, please consult a health professional for more specific advice.  Now that January is over, school is back and work is in full swing. It can be easy to find ourselves out of time and energy, with all those good intentions of getting more organised, getting fitter, or just being more active falling by the wayside with our busy life taking over.
But making changes to our lives doesn’t need to be difficult or time consuming. In fact, small changes that you are able to consistently apply wil have a bigger effect on your life in the long term than the complete overhaul we have usually think of. Research has shown us that when we do something consistently for 6 weeks, this then can become our norm. So any changes you want to make will take about 6 weeks of conscious effort, before you don’t even realise you are doing them any more. So what is it you want to change? Think small, daily changes that will add up over time, for example, decreasing your sugar/coffee/soft drink intake, increasing your activity by walking to school or work, committing to 10 mins of reading before bed, eating one extra vegetable every day. As they say, ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’, so while you may have a lofty goal in your head, these small changes are the way to getting there. So here are the key steps to introducing habits to your lifestyle for long term changes.
After your six weeks is up, check in and see how you went. Do you now do it without a second thought? Excellent, you are ready to add your next small sustainable change! When you are ready to add your next challenge, consider using habit stacking, doing the new change at the same time or just after the last change you introduced. This makes you more likely to complete the new change, and makes it easier to ‘find the time’ to complete the new change- for example, after your 10 minute walk, do 5 minutes of stretching. Each small change we introduce can help us to feel happier, healthier and more accomplished, and we don’t have to overhaul our lives to do it. We are much more likely to stick with small, sustainable changes, so what can you change to improve your life? |