Do you fall asleep easily?
Do you stay asleep all night?
Do you feel rested when you wake in the morning?
Do you sleep peacefully? (bad or vivid dreaming, restless leg, night sweats?)
Do you get 7-9 hours of sleep a night?
If you answered NO to any of the above questions then even if your not experiencing any emotional or external stressors – sleep deprivation is wreaking havoc:
On your hormones
your insulin levels
your body’s ability to repair and restore itself
your blood pressure
your energy
your concentration
even how quickly you age
Getting a regularly good nights sleep helps everything.
I love a star covered sky
but once I’m in bed I’m all about the SLEEP 💤
In my sleep poll over the weekend over 55% of you said that you just don’t sleep through the night 🥱🥱🥱🥱
Girl! That is rough!
And while I understand there can be multiple reasons:
babies that need to be tended to 👩🏿🍼
potty breaks 🚽
pets 🐶
kids of all ages
hopefully these are every once in awhile
but for many, waking up every night is the norm
SEEMS LIKE ITS FOR NO GOOD REASON AT ALL
It’s time for a solid night’s sleep 😴😴😴
There are several things that REALLY HELP!
First lets talk about cortisol
cortisol is nature’s first alarm clock – it rises in the body when we’re supposed to get up, stays up with us throughout the day then falls to signal its time for sleep (its not the only hormone involved in this process, but its a big one)
It also helps regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, inflammation in the body and so much more.
The hypothalamus & pituitary glands regulate how much we have in our system (by monitoring our blood levels and our stress) and they tell our adrenals when to increase or decrease the amount of cortisol they are secreting.
They also send signals when our body needs a quick boost. They signal the adrenals to give us an extra shot of to boost our energy to deal with a stressor or danger, then pull back to help us get back into a state of balance…
except for when they don’t
sometimes our cortisol clock gets so out of whack, for instance with a new baby? Things like a swing shift job, living through a natural disaster where our fight or flight response is activated around the clock or in chaotic, unpredictable patterns and cortisol levels can get all messed up.
Other factors like constant stress, messed up sleep schedules, not getting sunlight during the day, sickness, and on an on can create major problems for this system.
So for many who are struggling to sleep – that’s an important piece of the puzzle.
When is your energy the best?
Do you get tired in the evening? (a bolt of energy at bedtime is a good sign that your cortisol levels are banonkers)
not only can whack-a-doo cortisol levels make your sleep elusive – it can make it hard to lose weight, mess with your menstrual cycle, aggravate anxiety, depression, heart disease, head aches, memory issues, digestive issues (remember the ENS?)
and SO MUCH MORE
That’s why the herbs I’m highlighting in this article aren’t sedatives. while we do have sedative herbs, they aren’t the ones that I find to be most helpful for longer term sleep issues. What we need is help to calm our nervous system, regulate cortisol levels in the body which allows our bodies and minds to sleep more deeply at night but also better manage our stress levels during the day.
This is a WIN-WIN! right? Instead of a cycle of sedation and stimulation, we are working on rebalancing, replenishing and restoring.
Ashwagandha
I often call this one my gateway herb
Ashwagandha is by far my favorite herb 🌿 for stress – and especially for those who’s stress levels keep them from achieving deep sleep 💤
Several studies have shown that ashwagandha helps manage the stress response- regulating cortisol & glutamate levels, as well as rejuvenating muscle 💪🏻tissue, regulating blood sugar and balancing energy levels 🙌.
That means you can sleep 🛏 deeper and have more energy when you are awake (because it’s helping you better manage your body’s response to stress!!)
For convenience It’s available in tablet, powder, extract & capsules. And the dose depends on how rundown you are. 600-1200 mg is the dose shown most effective for healthy adults- larger doses are safe under the guidance of a qualified practitioner for those in need of deep rejuvenation and smaller doses can be appropriate for teens.
Most people do well taking ashwagandha just before bed 🛌.
Be aware that about 2-3% of the population experiences some agitation or describe feeling “wired” after taking it (if this has been your experience, don’t worry – we have many other great options). Ashwagandha, like most tonifying and cortisol helping herbs, needs you to be eating well in order for it to do its job. So if you’re in a period of life where you’re living off sugar and diet coke, this one is probably not the best choice. Don’t worry, there’s others that can help and then you can try Ashwagandha when you’re diet is in better shape.
Chamomile
let’s not forget the tried and true remedies
It’s easy to get carried away with all the amazing herbs out there 💚
I geek out over studies and get so excited about modern research and traditional texts…🤓
but one of life’s most simple pleasures is a cup of chamomile tea. 🍵
The secret is to make it strong – cover and infuse for 8-10 minutes:
2 Tablespoons of chamomile flowers to a cup of hot water (or 2 Teabags)
or
1/2 cup of flowers in 2 pints if you’re making a bigger batch (have company that needs to settle down?😬)
strain 💚
you’ll want to add a sweetener like honey 🍯after straining because this will be a bit more bitter than the tea you get from 1 little tea bag 💫
but oh the benefits this sweet little flower brings
it soothes the nervous system😫
calms the digestive system 🥴
and brings on sleep😴 to even the fussiest of grown ups 😭 (works for kids too) 😉
I also include it in my cold and flu tea – its great to soothe coughs 🤧😷 & low grade fevers🤒 too
(if you’re lucky enough to be local to SLC @greenthreadherbs carries the BEST chamomile I’ve ever had 💛)
Do you have it tucked away in your cupboard? If so -I hope you’ll dig it out and put it to good use.
Tulsi
Looking for something simple to help you get through the day?
What if you could reach for a tea that not only soothes your nervous system, improves physical endurance, sharpens cognition, benefits digestion, reduces mucous in the nasal cavity and the lungs and helps to balance cortisol levels, blood sugar and cholesterol? 🙌🏼 #showmetheherbs
Would that help? 🧐
Holy Basil or Tusli Basil has so many remarkable properties – in Ayurveda it is classified as a Rasayana herb – one that nourishes a person’s growth to perfect health and promotes long life. Remember how rhodiola gets in and does the deep work that benefits so many processes in the body?
Tulsi operates in much the same way.
Its useful to know that there are several types of Tulsi –
1-Rama – this sweet herb has green leafs and purple flowers and an aromatic smell similar to cloves and is used similarly as a culinary herb.
2-Krishna- this is also known as purple leaf tulsi and also has a clove like smell but a peppery taste. Its useful for infections, sore throats, respiratory issues, skin issues, indigestion and insomnia.
3-Vana- with its light green leaves and a lemony smell and flavor, this is the one that is most prized for its benefits to energy, memory and improved oxygen in the bloodstream.
Knowing which herb you are getting is important so make sure you purchase from reputable sources and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
With studies that show benefits ranging from improved skin conditions, anti-aging benefits, improved mood, memory and focus as well as weight loss and digestion – its important to know which herb is best for you.
Rhodiola
Rhodiola is an adaptogen that works behind the scenes to build up the body’s ability to withstand all kinds of stress… And Rhodiola does an amazing job at that..
I’ve got an entire article on Rhodiola that you can find here to learn more about its benefits, appropriate dosing and more.
I reach for this herb often and can’t help but think of it as a gift from our loving Creators who knew we’d be up against tough odds in this life…
There are SO many others, but I’m going to skip the sedatives and go straight to another one that does a phenomenal job. So much I
I get goosebumps just thinking about –
Reishi
Reishi or Lingzhi or ganoderma lucidum is the most widely studied herb in the world. Known as the Immortality Herb it is being used in aggressive cancer treatments, depression, neurodegenerative diseases (like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s) and is especially revered for its immune boosting and calming effects. Think about that for a minute- with what we know about cortisol and stress it makes sense that foods and herbs that help regulate our stress response really are boosting our immune system by helping our bodies do what they need to in order to be well.
Last years cold and flu season was more than humbling for many – one of the worst we’ve seen in decades. Reishi is one of the herbs I turned to in our own home to help boost immunity and to help our special needs son return to health after a long battle with pneumonia. I’m a huge fan of @hostdefence and @mushroomharvest brands. They are doing amazing work in bringing many medicinal mushrooms to the west in sustainable ways.
I have several articles here on the Blog that can help you learn more about this amazing herb and how to use it.
Essential Nutrients For Sleep
Before I let you go – making sure your essential vitamins and minerals are in optimum ranges can often be the difference between a good nights sleep and a rough one.
Magnesium =check out these articles about magnesium in foods, herbs & More
B-12 – a cofactor in the basic processes of methylation, energy regulation, mood and sleep!
vitamin D -we are seeing more and more research pointing us to understand that this important vitamin acts as a signaling hormone for some really important processes in our body. I have several resources for you to check out here.
iron deficiency is a huge player in fatigue and makes it really hard for anyone to sleep deeply, regulate their hormones or have the energy they need when levels are low. Lots of good information here
and even selenium – which is essential for endocrine function and a health nervous system. Learn more here.
all of these nutrients are intimately connected to the processes that need to happen while we sleep which means low levels of any of these big guns – which are often depleted by stress, sickness, sugary foods and more- makes it hard for our bodies to rest deeply.
If you’re regularly waking up at 3 or 4 am and can’t get back to sleep, that’s a good sign that you may not be getting enough to eat.
Or getting enough nutrients, so your body is raising cortisol levels in order to help make up for the lack and boom – you’re awake (thanks body)
The importance of sunshine
If you or someone you love is in a rough cycle right now, falling asleep super late and sleeping in super late – one of the best things you can do is get up to see the sunrise and make sure you get out to see the sunset at night. The rays of light that flood the earth at those times of day also help to reset cortisol, reduce inflammation and improve our circadian rhythms.
I’ll have some more information for you about this soon, but it is such an important piece of the puzzle to remember to make sure you are getting daily.
And don’t forget about the power of an epsom salt bath – (or foot soak if that’s a better option!)
You’ll find so many of my favorite products on my Fullscript account
And I’m always happy to chat if you have specific questions – you can set up a free 15 min call here.
Until next time 💙
Be Well