Lately, it seems likechronic inflammationis to blame for most every ailment. Research continues to suggest that low-gradeinflammationplays a key role in the top health conditions affecting Americans today, including heart disease, diabetes, depression, cancer and autoimmune conditions. So, is inflammation also to blame for an inability to geta good night’s sleep?
To be honest, my initial thoughts when I was asked to write this article were that this may be taking the inflammation blame game a little too far. I knew that a lack of adequate, good quality sleepcould trigger inflammation, as well as exacerbate existing inflammation, through my research over the past few years. But I wasn’t so sure of the opposite—inflammation causing sleep issues—could be substantiated.
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Here’s the good news though: A few tweaks to daily routines—particularly during the day—can make a big difference in easing inflammation-related sleep issues later than night. Check out these six tips for better sleep!
1. Consider talk therapy
Regular talk therapy is helpful when dealing with issues causing stress or worry, so it makes sense that alleviating some of this could help sleep. However, I was surprised to discover that it’s one of the most effective strategies for treating ongoing insomnia and sleep disturbances, withseveral studiessuggesting that cognitive behavioral therapy works as good as, or better than, prescription sleep medications. While seeing a therapist or counselor solely for sleep issues may not be the first approach that comes to mind, it may be worth considering. For those already in therapy, discussing sleep issues may be worth sharing at your next appointment.
2. Get some light in the morning
The body is supposed to start secreting the sleep hormone melatonin a few hours before your bedtime (that time you naturally start to get tired), and melatonin levels are supposed to peak in the middle of the night to help you stay asleep. However, disruptions to circadian rhythm can alter melatonin secretion, making it not only hard to go to sleep, but also get up in the morning and be alert during the day.Exposure to bright lightduring the morning after waking can help realign rhythms and the timing of melatonin secretion.
3. Engage in physical activity or active meditation
4. Stick with routine
Most of us function better when we follow a routine or daily schedule, but this is especially true for the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Going to bed and waking at vastly different times within a week can lead to contribute to inflammatory and encourage insomnia and sleep issues. Consequently, most sleep experts advise establishing a healthy bedtime routine, which includes going to bed around the same time each night. Regular mealtimes are also important for sleep. Astudy examining the sleep of 6,000 workersfrom 29 companies between 2017 and 2019 found that a strong association between irregular mealtimes and sleep disturbances.
5. Skip the nightcap
A cocktail, beer or glass of wine often relaxes you since alcohol is a sedative. Consequently, it’s not uncommon for people to have a drink or two, in part to make falling asleep easier. However,alcohol causes sleep to be less restfulright around when the time the body is supposed to be entering that deep restorative deep sleep state. In fact, a drink before bed is a greater risk factor for poor sleep than heavy caffeine intake during the day. It’s important to know the more you consume, the more restless your sleep, and the greater the potential for inflammation.
6. Create a healthy sleep environment
Making your bedroom conducive to sleepis important for all, but particularly those with sleep issues. This means making sure your bedroom is comfortable, dark, cool and free from technology, and most sleep experts suggest avoiding doing other things like work in your bedroom or bed. If you are struggling to fall asleep, move to a different place briefly before coming back to bed to try again.
Carolyn is known for her ability to not only simplify the science behind healthy eating, but also make it quick & delicious. Her work is regularly featured in publications like EatingWell, Real Simple, Parents, Health, and Allrecipes. In 2019, she releasedMeals That Heal: 100 Everyday Anti-Inflammatory Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less,a cookbook that teaches readers how to use the healing powers of food in quick, family-friendly recipes. Her next cookbook,One Pot Meals That Heal, is scheduled for release in Spring 2022.
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