“Sleep is the part of the day when we're in a defenseless state, but it's also when our body and mind recover the resources we've lost. It's the deepest and most complete form of rest.”, shared Gergana Radovich, holistic therapist and sleep expert, guest on the new episode of our RealTalks podcast.
Gergana explored the topic in depth and gave us plenty of advice from her professional experience on how to lower stress levels and reach that so-longed-for calm, light sleep. Building on our conversation with her, we're giving you a few ideas focused on everyday processes that could optimize the quality of active rest.
Physical activity
By putting strain on our muscles, we «release» the tension built up from a stressful, emotionally charged day. When we lie down mentally burdened, that problem still sits in our mind, even though we want to rest. The brain keeps working even while we sleep, and the moment it isn't busy processing current information, it overproduces cortisol, better known as the stress hormone.
Exercise supports numerous processes in the body. Besides lowering stress levels, it helps release endorphins and reduces daytime sleepiness. Whether it's the gym, yoga, swimming, or hiking in the mountains – active movement is a foundational aspect of calm, restorative sleep.
Supplements
Everything we give our bodies matters for sleep quality. Supplements are an extremely valuable resource for calm sleep. There are a few specific ones that influence its quality, and with consistent, correct intake, results aren't long in coming.
Vitamin D
There are many receptors in the brain that are influenced by the body's vitamin D levels. It plays a vital function for brain activity, and accordingly regulates sleep quality too. More frequent sun exposure and taking the right supplements could help bring calm back to our sleep. Fish oil - a supplement rich in vitamin D, offers many benefits for cognitive function, such as maintaining good memory, improving concentration, and the ability to learn new information.
Collagen
Collagen contains the amino acid glycine, which supports and improves sleep quality. People who struggle to fall asleep can take their daily dose of hydrolyzed collagen with dinner, or right before bed, to be as close as possible to the moment they fall asleep.
Magnesium
One of the most popular remedies for dealing with insomnia is exactly this - magnesium. It plays a role in regulating the neurotransmitters responsible for sleep quality. Adding magnesium to your routine can improve sleep quality, especially in people with a magnesium deficiency. There are different types, with magnesium glycinate being the most suitable for such disturbances. On our blog we take a closer look at the different forms of magnesium and their advantages.
What should you avoid?
Our harmful habits can throw off our motivation and desire for light sleep, to the point where it becomes little more than a mirage. What are the activities in each of our days that get in the way of the ultimate goal - quality rest?
Caffeine in the evening
The caffeine found in coffee, energy drinks, and certain foods is capable of throwing off the body's wind-down for rest. What starts as a harmless habit, coffee can turn into an «enemy» of our calm, keeping us from falling asleep when we planned to.
Opinions differ on when it's best to stop consuming caffeine for the day so it doesn't affect the quality of our rest. According to Dr. Deirdre Conroy of the University of Michigan, everyone reacts differently to caffeine, but she advises her patients to leave at least 8 hours between their last coffee and their nighttime sleep. Of course, this window is strictly individual for each person, and it's a good idea to track how your own body reacts to caffeine at different times of day.
Large amounts of alcohol
We often don't stop to think about how alcohol might affect our sleep, yet it plays a key role in how we feel the next morning. It's not just the typical symptoms like bloating and feeling unwell - fatigue from insufficient sleep is also observed after a significant amount consumed the night before. This is because alcohol shortens the overall stage of sleep, which leads to unexplained fatigue during the active part of the day.
Most noticeably, alcohol consumption affects the sleep phase known as «Rapid Eye Movement» (REM). This is the moment when we're in our deepest sleep and have our most vivid dreams, the ones we're most likely to remember. In addition, REM sleep supports brain activity, since during this phase the brain processes and stores the information it received during the day. This process is essential for optimal cognitive function in the long run. Excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks causes more frequent waking and prevents us from reaching a state of deep calm.
Overeating
Overeating puts stress on the body because of the weight of the food. Large amounts are processed slowly by the stomach, which uses up more energy than usual. This disrupts the whole body and can negatively affect sleep quality, leading to frequent waking and a restless mind. It's good practice not to eat right before bed, so the body can prepare for the rest that's coming.
Going to bed late
In our conversation with Gergana, she told us about a case she sees often in her practice - most people who come to her complain that they're unable to go to bed and get up early. The specialist pointed out that this problem comes down to mindset, and if we've accepted something as true, it will be so. For her, it's more important to focus on waking up earlier, and that way the body will naturally «reset» itself to get tired earlier than usual.
“Digital time”
An increasingly pressing problem among people is spending too much time staring at the screens of phones, computers, and TVs. For some people, falling asleep with a movie playing or a phone in hand has become a mandatory part of their evening routine.
Numerous studies show people's need to rest from looking at the screens of the digital devices that surround us everywhere. One of them shows that the mere presence of a smartphone in a person's room doesn't particularly affect sleep quality, but frequent use right before sleep irritates the mind and causes eye discomfort and chronic sleep deprivation.
Conclusion
The calm sleep we long for is the result of a combination of factors. All of our activities, and everything we take in, are reflected in the quality of our sleep. Food, supplements, movement, and stress are all responsible for how we feel, both during the active part of the day and when we rest.
