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Tools for Better Sleep
Health | October 28, 2019
Although I’ve already written about the importance of sleep many times, I understand that some people are only looking for tools that can help them improve their sleep. So, if you happen to be on the hunt for better sleeping gear, then let this be your guide!
Blue Light Blockers
The problem with blue light is that it interferes with our natural sleep cycle, which is known as our circadian rhythm. Think of it as a sort of internal alarm clock. Circadian rhythms are influenced by natural light and darkness. But when you’re exposed to blue light (particularly in the evening), it creates an imbalance by causing our body to think it’s still awake even though it should be winding down. When our circadian rhythm is thrown off balance, our hormones, quality of sleep, and recovery are all affected. Luckily, we can counter the negative side effects of blue light with special glasses that help to block them. When worn at night, they’ll keep the bright, artificial glow from devices like our phones and TV screens from messing up our circadian rhythm. The result? Better quality of sleep, recovery, and no more hormone imbalances. For more on blue light blockers (and my favorite brand), check out my post here.
[1] [2]
White Noise Maker
Do you live in a noisy neighborhood? Are your roommates night owls? Or are you ultra-sensitive to outside noise? Then consider buying a white noise maker (or sound machine). These devices work to cancel out distracting sounds outside the bedroom and help you to focus on relaxation and sleep. They create all types of ambient sounds, such as a rainforest, beach, birds chirping, gentle storm, and soft breeze.
There are many different types to choose from. Some work with your smartphone, others are just downloadable apps, and the old-school ones plug into an outlet.
Another type of noise worth looking into is pink noise. The difference between pink noise and white noise is their frequencies. From what I could understand, it’s often described as “white noise with the bass turned up.” Its bass frequencies are supposedly louder while its other ones are kept low. If you want to give pink noise a try, look for an app and read the reviews.
[3] [4]
Gravity or Weighted Blankets
Don’t be intimidated by the name! You will not be sleeping under a sack of bricks. Gravity, or weight, blankets are special types of blankets designed to create a sense of security and calmness. They’re filled with plastic pellets that make them weigh between 4 to 25 pounds (depending on how heavy you want it to be). Originally, weighted blankets were developed for children and adults with autism, with further research showing it may help to manage PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other disorders related to sleep and the nervous system.
Many users compare it to getting a nice “hug” or feeling of being “held”. David Fuchs, CEO of BlanQuil (a weighted blanket brand), says, “People compare a weighted blanket’s ‘hug’ to the feeling of the X-ray ‘apron’ the dentist puts on you. It secures you in one place.” There’s a psychological element to these blankets. According to Raj Dasgupta, MD, a spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, “It’s like having the best hug for a long period of time… a good alternative to life-long sedative hypnotic medications (sleeping pills) at night.” The added pressure from the blankets also triggers the body into releasing feel-good hormones in the brain, such as serotonin and melatonin.
Apparently, you can make your own at home, but for the sake of time and money, it’s better to buy one first. That way you can at least tell if it’s right for you.
[5] [6]
Black Out Shades (or Curtains/Drapes)
Why get a blackout shade for your bedroom? While the obvious answer is to keep out light (most are estimated to block at least 90%), the other reason is to turn your bedroom into a cave. No, I’m not joking! Maybe not a cave. But the perfect environment for sleep! Aside from making your bedroom completely dark, blackout shades can block out what is known as noise pollution. Noise pollution can be anything from street noise to the neighborhood dog. Another surprising benefit is their ability to save money on energy. Say what, now? In winter, blackout shades help to retain the heat from heaters, making the room easier to warm up once it gets chilly. You’ll be using much less heat to stay warm. During the summer, they repel heat outside of your room, keeping it nice and cool (and from you having to turn up the AC). So, what do you get? Lower bills and a happy wallet!
[7] [8]
CBD and Herbs
Sometimes you need to call in nature for backup. If you’re having trouble counting enough sheep or had a particularly exhausting day, then consider adding in some botanicals to help guide you to sleep. (Just a friendly reminder- always check with your doctor to make sure they won’t counteract with any medications or health conditions.) Some herbs to consider looking into include chamomile, valerian, St. John’s, lemon balm, passionflower, and lavender (especially as an essential oil or aromatherapy). You can either brew these into a tea or take them in supplemental form. Just know that as supplements they tend to be more potent, so be careful. They may end up working too good!
Also, I’d like to give an honorable mention to CBD oil. While I haven’t tried this yet (read more about my thoughts on marijuana and CBD here), many people online consider it to be a powerful sleep aid, so do a little research and find a brand with good reviews and a clean background. Many today are taking advantage of the CBD craze and are not selling pure CBD, so make sure that the brand is fully transparent about their manufacturing practices and offers lab results proving the CBD content of their product!
[9] [10]
OK, guys! These are some of the top tools for better sleep! Do you think I missed anything? Let me know what your top tools are, and maybe I’ll make a part 2!
Sources:
[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
[2] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/melatonin-and-sleep
[3] https://www.saatvamattress.com/blog/does-white-noise-help-you-sleep/
[4] https://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-mind/sleep/article/pink-noise-sleep
[5] https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20180402/seeking-better-sleep-under-a-weighted-blanket
[6] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317037.php
[7] https://www.tomorrowsleep.com/blackout-drapes
[8] https://innuwindow.com/blog/the-benefits-of-blackout-curtains/
[9] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/teas-that-help-you-sleep#section7
[10] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sleep-aids
Private Member |
ellijay, ga, united states
Expanding on the white noise machine…Brown noise!! It’s like white or pink, but a lower tone and (from what I understand?) supposed to be even better for sleep. I have an app I switch on on my ipad (I think it’s called “white noise”. I can’t remember.) and it has brown noise as an option. I find it much more soothing than white, personally! 🙂
And I’ve found that CBD works wonders for me! I do still have difficulty STAYING asleep (oof. In bed at 9:00, up at 5:00…but in and out once 1am hits). But as far as GETTING to sleep, that’s been a game changer for me!!
Private Member |
I’ve been hesitant to try anything like white noise. Similar approaches in the past have not worked for me despite feeling relaxed.
Private Member |
ellijay, ga, united states
For me, it’s not enough by itself to get me to sleep. It’s just something that’s there to cover up other noise…basically the same thing as having an overhead fan on, but without the breeze. 😉 I’ve had to use some form of white noise generator since I was young: I’ve always been a light sleeper, and we lived near the lake…where bands would play at a local nearby lake-side restaurant until 2 in the morning. 😖These days, I need it to mask the noise of our 4 rambunctious cats who like to tear around the house at all hours of the night. 😂It’s great for keeping things even, sound-wise. I’m still looking for the right thing to keep me from waking up from non-noise-related reasons, though. 😜
Private Member |
Shoot, tell me about! I live in a noisy household and understand your pain. lol. Its funny to me how this is one of my challenges in life, just trying to get a restful night. As for waking up from non-noise related issues, that depends on the problem. Hopefully insomnia isn’t a frequent problem for you.
Private Member |
Cut back on caffeine and practice better sleep hygiene (i.e. sleep at same time every day, don’t eat too close to bed time, etc.).
Private Member |
st. peter, minnesota, usa
I live right next to a busy highway (as in semi trucks rumble by 30 feet from my bedroom window). So I keep a fan running next to my bed all night to help drown out the sound. I also use blackout shades so the headlights don’t disturb me. I try to follow a strict sleep wake cycle (I wake at 5:30 every day now, even weekends). I try to go to bed by 9:30, but that doesn’t usually happen because the rest of the family are night owls and sometimes we have concerts and dances and don’t get home until midnight (I usually take a nap on those days). I also use CBD (I am fortunate to be near a good company that does show test results and also offers tours of their labs and farms) and melatonin if I’m not feeling sleepy early enough.
Before all of this I had a horrible time and honestly only slept well during a winter storm that halted all traffic (or on vacation in quiet places). The road noise is incredibly disruptive.
But, sticking to this strict sleep schedule has helped me to stick to the ZGym schedule. So far the best I’ve ever (not ever, just since I developed health problems ten years ago) been able to do. This time I haven’t been getting sick with colds when I try to exercise daily (which used to happen… I could only exercise two or three days a week or I’d get sick).
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
some say moon phases has an effect. here is an interesting info I read about “waking up in the middle of the night”. Which happens to me sometimes and can’t go back to sleep as I have “brain chatters” that prevents me from sleeping in. The only thing I can do, is get my mind soothed by something else…reading something I like. I usually try breathing, but doesn’t stop the brain chatter.
WAKES UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Most likely cause is Insulin Resistance
Explanation:
This problem lying behind this symptom is either an adrenal symptom or a problem with glycogen (stored sugar). With adrenal fatigue, the hormone cortisol spikes in an opposite way. Normally in the body, hormones go through a circadian rhythm, with cortisol at the lowest point at 2:30am in the morning, and cortisol at its highest at 8:00am. But during adrenal fatigue, you get a spike of cortisol at 2:30am, making you more awake in the middle of the night, even more than during the day. Then you’re completely exhausted in the early morning when you should be waking up when the alarm clock goes off. Have you ever woken up by your alarm clock and said, “If I could just sleep now, I could probably sleep the best?” Then we know your hormones are “out of balance” in this manner of speaking. Normally, the liver should store sugar and release it slowly through the night and if this doesn’t happen, the sugar level can go up or down, bumping you out of the sleep. The name for this is insulin resistance (IR). IR will also force you to urinate through the night and this is merely because your blood sugar levels are off
Private Member |
michigan, usa
I wish there was a tool that made my kids sleep 😂😂 Iv average 6 hours on a really good night for The past 9 years. But 5 out of 7 nights my kids are up every few hours- especially my 2 yr old who has only slept a handful of times about 5 hours straight his entire 2 years of life. I probably have a very unhealthy sleep schedule and there is nothing I can do about it until the kids start sleeping 🤷♀️
Private Member |
ellijay, ga, united states
Ok, this isn’t related to the article, buuuuut…OMG THAT THUMBNAIL!! 😍I’m a sucker for dogs, anyway…but I have a special place in my heart for terriers, I gotta say! 😛Furballs of energy and humor!
Not trying to detract from the article or anything! Awesome stuff!! 😊
Private Member |
lublin, poland
For me only earplugs work! And avoiding caffeine.