Resetting Your Sleep Rhythm
Resetting Your Sleep Rhythm
Having a baby often means getting up multiple times at night…however once the baby has grown to the toddler stage, I’ve seen many a parent say, “my kids now sleeping through the night, but I’m still on the night feeding schedule!”
This is not a good situation….being tired can mean less patience and less productivity at work amongst many other things….
A broken sleep routine is not only familiar to new parents. Pain, stress, and even Netflix can throw off your sleep rhythm.
Here are some key strategies to ‘reset your rhythm’:
- Expose yourself to daytime light–get outside at lunch, even if it’s just for 15 minutes whether its overcast or sunny. Doing this helps to normalize your cortisol so that your melatonin can naturally rise after sundown.
- Blue blockers at night: Wear low blue light glasses from 8pm onwards. This can block artificial light that can stimulate your brain and inhibit melatonin from rising. Many of my patients have benefitted from wearing these. https://lowbluelights.
com/ Keep in mind that historically all the light we had at night was from fire (red/orange light) and from the moon. - Don’t eat after dinner: fasting after dinner helps to allow cortisol levels to naturally come down. Conversely eating stimulates cortisol and can cause you to feel more awake therefore interrupting deep sleep.
Hope this helps your snoozin’!
For more information on how to keep you and your family healthy, I can help in a couple of ways:
1. Work with me one-on-one
If you would like to work directly with me and radically improve your energy-just send us a quick email erinmillshealth@bellnet.ca and we can set you up with a Naturopathic initial consult.2. Test drive my services
Email us at erinmillshealth@bellnet.ca and we can set you up with a complimentary 15 minute consultSincerely,
Kirsten Almon ND
and the Erin Mills Optimum Health team
(905) 828-2014
Check out our other blogs on sleep such as:
The most important mineral for sleep
Having difficulty sleeping? Try these Naturopathic Strategies
Disclaimer
This information and linked articles should be taken for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for health care advice.
Enjoy these testimonials. However, a result for one patient may not be typical of all patients. Our aim is to help you have an excellent experience at our Mississauga office and to help you reach your health goals.
Dr. Kirsten Almon has a Naturopathic Family Practice in Mississauga at Erin Mills Optimum Health with special interest and training in fertility (helping couples conceive naturally as well as improving outcomes for couples using assisted reproductive technology), pregnancy, birth, postpartum and pediatric care. She loves seeing children for "naturopathic well child visits" and consults on common issues such as food introduction, how to avoid colds, flus and ear infections. Dr. Almon is the co-author and instructor of a Doula course specifically designed for Naturopathic Doctors and teaches across Canada.
Leave A Comment