Restorative sleep is essential! For the millions of people surviving – not thriving – due to a lack of restorative sleep, relief can be found in these 6 “physiology first” tips.
As you may know, the human body requires sleep to function properly. Despite this, according to the American Sleep Association, about 50-70 million US adults do not get enough sleep. Even the occasional lack of sleep can influence your body and result in negative consequences. In a NASA training exercise, after one day of sleep deprivation, people tended to be a little more irritable and less flexible. By day two, people were making mistakes, and by day three, they were hallucinating.
1. Lack of restorative sleep can cause an imbalance in the body’s neurochemical harmony. Amino acids such as free l-methionine, glycine, and magnesium aspartate support healthy neurochemical balance. Additionally, glycine promotes healthy sleep patterns and helps in reaching deep sleep quickly. See PERQUE Mood Guard ™.
2. We say “no” to melatonin and 5HTP and “yes” to tryptophan. Tryptophan is the source from which the body knows how to make 5HTP and melatonin. While 5 HTP may lead to quicker conversion to serotonin ( hormone helpful in sleep regulation) , tryptophan is safer long-term. Tryptophan has fewer interactions with medications and offers more benefits for sleep than 5HTP. When the pineal is rhythmically stable and receiving the necessary precursors, it can make the required melatonin as needed.
Start with enhanced uptake tryptophan with B6 and zinc to enrich serotonin and enhance melatonin production in a natural, physiological way. Take 30 minutes before retiring for the night. See PERQUE Sleep Guard ™.
3. Do not eat within three hours of retiring for the night. Eat foods that can be digested, assimilated, and eliminated without immune burden. Delayed allergy burdens can interfere with restorative sleep rhythms. Enhance GI mobility with bitters before every meal. See PERQUE DigestivAide™.
4. Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch and stay hydrated with water and alkalinizing beverages instead.
5. Incorporate relaxing rituals
Salt & soda baths Add one cup of good old-fashioned Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) and one cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in a tub of warm water. Soak for approximately 20 minutes. The bicarbonate makes the water alkaline. The magnesium contributed by the Epsom salts relaxes muscles in the tiny pores on your skin. Add calming essential oils like lavender, for an enhanced soothing effect
Abdominal breathing/Relaxation. During your soak, or separately, do five minutes of slow, deep, abdominal breathing and then 15 minutes of relaxation or active meditation. To delve deeper into active meditation, we recommend reading Active Meditation, the Western Tradition by Dr. Robert Leichtman.
Green dichromatic light. Get even more from your salt and soda bath by adding a green dichromatic light to your bathroom. These 150-watt, PAR 38 bulbs are made specifically for green chroma. They are different from all other bulbs because they don’t create just an illusion of color, they generate green wavelengths that go through your retina directly to the pineal gland. A resilient rhythmically harmonic pineal gland is better able to receive and assimilate multiple signals and results in a calming effect
6. Power down! Create a screen-free oasis. Keep these electronic devices out of the bedroom. Avoid looking at phones, computers, or tablets right before attempting to fall asleep. Blue light emitted from these devices can interfere greatly with falling asleep. Some even find value in turning off routers and other sources of electromagnetic fields at night.
As you fall asleep, see yourself receiving inspiration, insight, and guidance during the restorative sleep ahead.
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