1. CIRCADIAN RHYTHM:
Make sure to follow your circadian rhythm, go to bed and get up at the same times day in and day out, our bodies love structure especially when it comes to regeneration and recovery.
2. TEMPERATURE & OXYGEN:
Sleep in a well ventilated and cool room. Fresh air is essential for our wellbeing make sure to get enough o2 at night. Did you know that your body temperature needs to drop in order for you to fall asleep? You can help your body with falling asleep by sleeping in 16-18° Celsius.
3. DARKNESS and SCREENS:
Sleep in complete darkness and do not use screen devices before you go to bed. Light distractions are a major stressor for our nervous systems. Blue light from screens and other light sources in your sleeping room can severely impact your nights rest. When it gets dark our bodies are triggered into producing melatonin. Melatonin lets us fall asleep and stay asleep. The aforementioned lights however influence and therefore diminish melatonin excretion. This results in poor, sleep quality, sleep duration, recovery and regeneration.
4. SUPPLEMENTS:
Take supplements that trigger the excretion of either Gaba or Serotonin before you go to bed. Supplementing can greatly improve sleep quality and duration. Gaba is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps to relax, wind down and keep a calm state of mind which is needed for restful sleep. Serotonin is a precursor to melatonin which is the hormone of sleep. Through elevating serotonin we do not only feel happy, relaxed and satisfied but we can also raise melatonin production which will improve all sleep and its related markers. Supplements of choice for Gaba would be Magnesia compounds or Taurine. 5HTP or L-Tryptophan can fucntion as Serotonin elevating substances.
5. CARBOHYDRATES:
Eat your carbs at night. Carbs will elevate serotonin, which is a precursor of melatonin, which is the number 1 sleep inducing hormone. So if you want to improve your quality of sleep eat your carbs later in the day preferably before you go to bed. This will give the nice and relaxed feeling that is usually connected to dessert or fast carbs in general, what we feel is the serotonin release if we are smart about it and lay down in a dark space we can in most cases fall asleep fairly easy.
