Pressed Sip and Learn
Smarter Sleep: The Neuroscience of Better Rest
with Rachel Posner
Sleep Hygiene Checklist:
Light: Keep waking spaces bright and sleep spaces dark.
Try getting natural light upon waking - take a morning walk if possible.
Avoid phone/screens 2 hours before bed and keep your bedroom as dark as possible.
Nutrition: Eat well and stabilize your blood sugar.
Avoid eating 2 hours before bed.
Blood sugar spikes or crashes in the night disrupt sleep. If you are waking up in the middle of the night, try a spoonful of nut butter or other low sugar, high protein snack before bed.
Moderate alcohol intake, which may make it easier to fall asleep initially but leads to sleep disruption throughout the night.
Physical activity:
Daily exercise promotes good sleep however, intense exercise can activate your sympathetic nervous system.
Exercise close to bedtime should be relaxing and gentle with a focus on diaphragmatic breathing.
Temperature: Keep your room cool - ideally between 60 and 70 degrees.
Consistency: Your body likes rhythms. Do your best to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, including weekends.
Stress management: Stay on top of stress throughout the day.
Stress before bed raises cortisol levels which disrupts sleep so give yourself some relaxing downtime before bed.
Explore mindfulness practices for sleep and stress management!
Mindfulness Practices for Sleep
Gentle Movement
One of the most effective ways to destress is to move.
That said, before bed, the movement should be slow, gentle and relaxing.
Take 5-10 minutes to pay attention to your breath and the sensations in your body.
Take a couple of stretches or try a restorative pose like legs up the wall for a few minutes.
A Calming Breath
You can do this breathing exercise anytime you’d like to settle and relax. Feel free to stand, lay down or sit. Give yourself a minimum of 3 minutes.
Start by noticing how you are breathing. Don’t worry about taking a huge inhale, just let the breath move a little lower in the body until you feel your belly moving more than your chest.
Begin 4-part breathing. Inhale, take a pause at the top, and then exhale and take a pause at the bottom.
Take 5 - 10 rounds of breath and count the length of your inhale and your exhale with an intension to slow things down.
Try to make the exhale longer than the inhale - up to twice as long.
Notice if that helps your thoughts slow down and your body relax.
Stay with this as long as it feels helpful.
Journaling or lists before bed
When your mind is spinning with “to-dos” and “don’t forgets” it can help to take a moment to journal or make a list before going to sleep. This is a great way to assure your mind that you will attend to all of those concerns in the morning.
Body Scan
A body scan is a great way to distract your mind from whatever thoughts are holding you back from sleep.