Who doesn’t want more sleep?

Have you ever found yourself literally counting sheep at 2 am just to see if it works?  Or laying there in the dark an hour after your spouse has nodded off? I used to get so frustrated with this that I would get up and exercise or do the dishes. It felt like such a waste just laying there in the dark. Then I got frustrated with that because I was wrecked throughout the day. Ugh, what do I do?

Well, you aren’t alone. While you are there awake throughout the night there are about 45% of Americans there with you according to studies. So I guess it’s a big deal. So big in fact we have exploded the coffee industry!

Seriously there are some simple real things that you can do to help get some serious zzz.

  1. Cut the carbs and grains at Noon

There is a cycle to everything.  Eating sugary treats and carbs messes up your metabolism cycle. You will find that if you are having a problem with this you will wake up between 12 and 3 at night. So in the afternoon focus on your veggies, fruits, water, protein and good fat.

  1. Eat some fat

Good fats are imperative to a healthy, functional body.  Those fats will help maintain and balance out your hormone cycle. Start a hormone fight because you are eating too much sugar and not enough good fat and you will be counting a ton of sheep. Consider adding some fish oil or flaxseed oil to your diet. Or you can even consider BulletProof coffee. Yum

  1. Bedtime routine

We are creatures of habit and our bodies love routines. Interesting enough, this is one of the top bits of advice for helping your children get to sleep, hmmm. Keep a consistent bedtime and routine. Wind down your day with quiet activities. Exercise, loud music and TV are not your best bets right now.

  1. No screens

Those little screens trick the pineal gland in your brain into thinking it is daytime and then throws off your melatonin hormone. Shut them down when the sun goes down. Keep your room dark. And whatever you do, if you wake up in the middle of the night, never, ever pick up your phone!

  1. Your Bed Just isn’t Getting it Done

Now just because you slept for eight hours doesn’t mean that you really slept. If you are waking up tired, still fatigued, sore or in pain; well something obviously didn’t work for you. You might want to think about your mattress. How old is it? Is it the most supportive for you. If you have a different mattress in the house give that one a try just so you know. If you need a new one, the folks at Urban Mattress Fort Collins know just how to find the perfect fit for you.

  1. Journal those thoughts out

Now I am no psychologist but just like you I know that my emotional space between my ears can keep me up for hours with frustrations, worries and sometimes exciting creative thoughts.  You might have to do more, but simply taking five minutes to journal that out will give you enough expression and outlet to “put it to bed” for the night.

  1. Your spine is hurting you.

Are you waking up in pain or can’t get comfortable? If it’s not your mattress and your neck or back still hurt, maybe you have a spine problem. It is very common for people to wake up in the middle of the night or morning with spine pain and nothing seems to help. Forget the pain meds because over the counter and prescriptions will mess up your hormone cycle and then you start over.  In a recent study, chiropractic was shown to be the best solution for spine-related pain.  It was 5 times more effective than medication and 3 times more effective than acupuncture. If aches and pains are disrupting your sleep, give this Fort Collins chiropractor a call.

Do you have some other tips? Let us know.