Sleep is heavily undervalued in our society. It is estimated that about a third of the world's population experiences sleep deprivation!

 

Getting sufficient sleep is not only about the number of hours you are asleep for but it is the quality of those hours.

 

Short-term effects of sleep deprivation can lead to unhealthy food cravings and bad moods.

 

Long-term effects of sleep deprivation have much darker consequences 😟

 

Long-term sleep deprivation is associated with almost every chronic disease there is, such as diabetes, heart problems, alzheimer's and even obesity!

 

Not getting enough sleep leads to huge stress on the body.

 

A lack of sleep also effects our brains more than we realise! It causes the collapse of memory, cognitive function, decision making and learning. 🧠

 

 

How Your Bad Sleep Habits are Making You Gain Weight. 

 

Poor sleep increases your hunger hormone which is called Ghrelin. This leaves you dissatisfied and constantly wanting more food! 😋

 

Poor sleep not only increases your appetite, but it increases cravings for highly refined carborhydrates like sweets, pastries, snacks, and sugary drinks.

 

This is because your body is constantly looking for quick energy boosts. ⚡️

 

When you are sleep-deprived your body’s metabolism also slows down. This is a defence mechanism to conserve energy.

 

 

The Main Reason Why People are losing Sleep.

 

A Circadian rhythm is your natural sleep and waking patterns. It's just a fancy word for your "body clock".

 

As the sun sets, your brain tells your body to release melatonin, which makes you sleepy and ready for bed.

 

When the sun rises your body stops releasing melatonin and releases Cortizol to give you energy and wake you up.

 

As you can imagine, nowadays a lot of the time our bodies have no idea when it is daytime and when it is night-time. 

 

We are constantly exposed to unnatural light at night which decreases our melatonin.

 

Especially as a result of Blue Digital Light.

 

When you come into contact with blue light from your cellphone, the light receptors in your brain cause a decrease in melatonin production. 

 

Your body gets confused and thinks it's daytime which results in a spike of energy which makes it much harder to fall asleep.

 

Even if you do fall asleep your sleep quality is much poorer and you can wake up feeling tired even if you got enough sleep.

 

 

Best Ways to Improve Your Sleep:

 

1. Have Caffeine Before Noon

 

Caffeine stays in your system for at least 6 hours which means if you drink a cup of coffee at 3 pm the caffeine will still be in your system at 9 pm.

 

It depends on what time you plan to fall asleep but as a rule of thumb try not to consume caffeine after 12:00pm. 

 

Even if you do manage to fall asleep after consuming caffeine, your sleep quality is much poorer.

 

It is true that some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others but it still has an effect on everyone, even if you don't notice it as much.

 

 

2. Avoid Digital Blue Light 90 minutes before bed.

 

If you battle to avoid blue light an hour and a half before you sleep try to make smaller changes at first.

 

• Change the setting on your device to a warmer, dimmer display such as “night shift” on Apple devices. 
• Get yourself a pair of Anti Blue Light Glasses
• Try avoid blue light 30 - 60 minutes before bed.

 

 

3. Expose Yourself to Morning Light

 

When you expose yourself to morning light this helps you sleep better in the evening. It does this by helping you set your circadian rhythm which regulates your sleep-wake cycle.

 

 

4. Exercise in the Morning

 

Exercise will also help regulate your circadian rhythm.

 

It doesn't have to be heavy exercise but if you do not get up and move in the morning, your body will not release the appropriate hormones to wake you up and it will affect your sleep later that night.

 

 

5. Try to go to Sleep at the Same Time Every Night.

 

As you can imagine if you have big fluctuations with what time you fall asleep every night it will negatively affect your body clock (circadian rhythm).

 

6. Make Sure your Room Temperature is Cool.

 

Something called thermoregulation strongly influences your body’s sleep cycles. When it’s time for your body to rest, there is an automatic drop in your core body temperature to help initiate sleep. 

 

*Exercise should also be avoided later in the evening as it takes a longer time for your body to cool down.

 

7. Quieten your mind before bed 

 

If you are doing everything right but your mind is racing right before you go to bed you will find it difficult to sleep. 

 

We suggest distracting yourself from these thoughts in a way that works for you. 

 

• Listen to a guided meditation 
• Read
• Have a cup of your favourite tea (Preferably Chamomile to help sleep)
• Relax

 

8. Limit Alcohol and Other Unnatural Sedatives

 

Alcohol helps sedate you but being sedated and having good quality sleep are two very different things. 

 

Studies show that REM sleep is significantly disrupted by alcohol being in your system. You won’t be able to fall into deeper levels of sleep, and your brain and body won’t be able to rejuvenate fully.

 

 

Natural Supplements to Help You Sleep:

 

Sleepy Caps

 

Sleepy Caps are made of a blend of the best natural herbs to promote deeper sleep including:  

 

Valerian Root reduces the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, as well as improves sleep quality and quantity.

 

Hops is most commonly found in beer but also helps improve sleep. Long ago, in Europe, people began noticing that field workers who cultivated hop plants tended to fall asleep on the job more than usual. Studies have now concluded that taking Hops is very effective for sleep especially when mixed with Valerian.

 

Chamomile is widely regarded as a mild tranquilizer and sleep-inducer.

 

Passionflower boosts the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in your brain. This compound lowers brain activity, which can help you relax and sleep better.

 

Sleepy Caps will make you feel more relaxed and help you fall into a deeper sleep, which will leave you feeling refreshed, energised and ready to tackle the day ahead!

 

2. Red Kratom

 

Red Kratom is a bit stronger, if you are currently relying on strong medication to fall asleep, you may want to try Red Kratom.  

 

Red Kratom has a sedating/calming effect it helps with sleep and pain relief. It can act as a natural alternative to sleeping pills.