12 Simple Tips for Restorative Sleep

What is sleep and why is it important? Sleep is a complex biological process that is universal. Humans, birds, mammals, and every animal species studied to date sleeps. The total amount of sleep time is one of the main differences in how we all sleep. When we sleep, we are unconscious, but our bodies and brains remain highly active. Within the body, adequate sleep has a bounty of health benefits. Sleep helps boost our immune system, prevent infection, regulate the metabolic state, control our blood sugar, maintain a healthy gut microbiome, strengthen our cardiovascular system, detoxify our organs from accumulated heavy metals and chemicals, and last but not least sleep is the most powerful performance enhancer known to humankind. In the brain, sleep enriches a variety of functions, including our ability to process new information, memorize, learn, and make decisions logically. Insufficient sleep is a major contributing factor to numerous physical and mental conditions, including an impaired immune system, a higher cancer risk, blood sugar imbalances, depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s disease.Hence, sleep is critical for every component of our wellness. However, sleep is one of the most undervalued foundations of our health. Throughout developed nations, there is a global sleep-loss epidemic. According to the National Sleep Foundation, two-thirds of adults fail to obtain the recommended eight hours of nightly sleep. Scientists and sleep researchers such as Matthew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, California, have started to lobby doctors to “prescribe” sleep (not sleeping pills) to their patients. According to Professor Walker, “sleep is the most democratic, freely available, efficacious form of health insurance that we all could ever wish for.” (Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams) TIPS FOR RESTORATIVE SLEEP: Now that we know the importance of sleep, let’s dive in with some practical tips we can all put into practice to improve our sleep habits and sleep quality and fall in love with sleep. 1.  Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends. We all have a hard time adjusting to changes in our sleep schedule. Set a “go to bed” alarm and stick to a consistent routine. 2.  Avoid caffeine, or at least stop drinking caffeinated beverages by mid-day. Caffeine is a stimulant, and its effects can take as long as eight hours to fully wear off. 3.  Exercise daily, but not later than two to three hours before your bedtime. 4.  Avoid alcoholic drinks before bedtime. 5.  Avoid large meals late at night, and try to stop eating at least two to three hours before bedtime. 6.  Do not take naps after 3:00 pm. Late afternoon naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night. 7.  Relax before bed and stick to a bedtime ritual such as mediation, deep breathing, and reading. 8.  Take a hot bath or warm shower before bed. Keep your bedroom temperature cool—the cooler the better. For most people, the room temperature of 65-67 degrees Fahrenheit (18-19 degrees Celsius) is ideal for cooling the body toward sleep. 9.  Embrace total darkness in your bedroom for high-quality sleep and invest in blackout curtains if you live in urban areas where light gets into your bedroom. 10.  Aim for a gadget-free bedroom. Unplug unnecessary electrical devices in your bedroom and tape over any blue LEDs with electrical tape to protect the light receptors in your eyes from blue light during sleep. 11.  Get at least thirty minutes of natural sunlight exposure during the day. If possible, wake up with the sun or use very bright lights in the morning. After the sunset, minimize your blue light exposure from electronic devices by wearing a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses, or install a software such as F.lux on your computer to adjust your monitor’s color temperature and reduce the amount of blue light. You also can install amber or red lights in your home and use them at night, or use natural beeswax candles when the sun goes down. 12. Don’t lie in bed awake. If you can’t sleep within twenty minutes of going to bed, get up and do a relaxing activity. Seek advice from an expert if you have continued trouble sleeping. You may have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, which needs to be addressed properly.   REFERENCES “A Good Night’s Sleep.” National Institute on Aging. Reviewed May 1, 2016. Breus, Michael. “The 10 Simple Sleep Tips Guide To Better Sleep Tonight.” The Sleep Doctor. June 6, 2020. Fiorenzi, Michael. “How to Start Sleeping Better.” Start Sleeping. Updated May 31, 2020. “Healthy Sleep.” MedlinePlus. Updated April 20, 2020. Walker, Matt. “Sleep in Your Superpower.” TED Video, April 2019. Walker, Matthew. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. New York: Scribner, October 3, 2017. Hi there I’m Nira! I’m a Naturopath and Mind-Body expert. I love nature, nutritious foods, my daughters, deep connection with others, being authentic and honest. I’m here to help you master your physical and emotional health.  Facebook-f Instagram Pinterest-p Previous Post Back To Blog Home

Top 10 Benefits of Infrared Saunas

Brief History of the Sauna The story of human perspiration and using contained heat for healing, relaxation, and detoxification is nothing new. Our ancestors used fire not only to cook their food, but also to heat the body and rid it of infectious disease. The first heat therapy was developed in East Africa with the intention of inducing profuse sweating, curing disease, and optimizing health. The great Finnish tradition of sauna use is thought to date back as far as 7000 BC. “Sauna” means “bathhouse” in Finnish, and the Finns are credited with being the worldwide connoisseurs of heat therapy. Roman and Greek bathhouses paved the way for modern spas. During the Ottoman Empire, Turkish Hammam grew in popularity, and people used to initiate deep states of relaxation by using hot air rooms followed by cool water. Sweat lodge ceremonies, which are associated with Native American cultures, are practiced today to heal and to purify the mind, body, and soul. In the late nineteenth century with the advent of electricity, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg created the first “Incandescent Light Baths,” where his patients entered a cabinet-like structure heated with exposed light bulbs that generated profuse sweating. In 1969, NASA took an interest in the variety of infrared wavelengths (near-, mid-, and far-infrared). In 1965, a Japanese doctor received the first patent to create a ceramic infrared sauna using far-infrared wavelengths. In 1979, the first full-spectrum infrared saunas were introduced into the US market and today. Infrared sauna use is one of the most effective holistic health modalities with many health benefits.Hence, sleep is critical for every component of our wellness. However, sleep is one of the most undervalued foundations of our health. Throughout developed nations, there is a global sleep-loss epidemic. According to the National Sleep Foundation, two-thirds of adults fail to obtain the recommended eight hours of nightly sleep. Scientists and sleep researchers such as Matthew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, California, have started to lobby doctors to “prescribe” sleep (not sleeping pills) to their patients. According to Professor Walker, “sleep is the most democratic, freely available, efficacious form of health insurance that we all could ever wish for.” (Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams) TOP 10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF INFRARED SAUNAS There are different types of infrared saunas, including far-, mid-, and near-infrared. Clinical research shows that various parts of the infrared spectrum are more effective than others at providing different health benefits. However, near-infrared therapy (NIR) offers the most health benefits due to the combination of incandescent infrared lamps and the healing power of sauna heat. They penetrate deeper than far-infrared rays and use a range of light energy with profound healing and regenerative effects at a cellular level.The following are my top 10 compelling reasons to indulge in an infrared sauna, which is one of the safest and most powerful ways to increase your overall health and well-being. 1. DETOXIFICATION:  The main reason I personally use an infrared sauna is to detox heavy metals and industrial chemicals. There are more than 80,000 registered chemicals in the world. Heavy metals and chemicals accumulate in our bodies causing disease and different health conditions. The skin is our major detox organ, and through sweating, you will release deeply held fat-soluble toxins and heavy metals. Sauna use also improves lymph circulation, which aids in removing accumulated toxins. When detoxification, heat, and infrared light are combined, a synergistic and powerful therapy is created that leads to amazing health benefits. 2. ENHANCED IMMUNITY: After an infrared sauna session, the number of white blood cells is increased, showing that sauna use enhances the immune system and eliminates foreign pathogens and cellular waste products. Heating the body through sauna therapy is the body’s natural mechanism to fight infections. Raising body temperature by about 2 degrees and inducing a “fake fever” (hyperthermia) in a sauna assists the body to kill bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Therefore, regular sauna use significantly reduces the incidences of colds, flu, upper respiratory infections, and other infections. 3. SLEEP IMPROVEMENT: One of the amazing infrared sauna health benefits is feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and renewed—leading to a deeper, more restful sleep. The rise of body temperature promotes muscle relaxation and a sleep-inducing response. The lowering of cortisol levels helps the body to de-stress and relax. Furthermore, infrared heat causes endorphins to be released, which in turn induces calmness by relaxing the body. Using an infrared sauna in the evening, prior to bedtime, helps to lull your body into some of the best sleep. Take a lukewarm or cool shower after the sauna to bring your body temperature down. The combination of heat exposure with cold thermogenesis in the evening works like a dream and helps you to sleep like a baby. 4. SLEEP IMPROVEMENT: One of the amazing infrared sauna health benefits is feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and renewed—leading to a deeper, more restful sleep. The rise of body temperature promotes muscle relaxation and a sleep-inducing response. The lowering of cortisol levels helps the body to de-stress and relax. Furthermore, infrared heat causes endorphins to be released, which in turn induces calmness by relaxing the body. Using an infrared sauna in the evening, prior to bedtime, helps to lull your body into some of the best sleep. Take a lukewarm or cool shower after the sauna to bring your body temperature down. The combination of heat exposure with cold thermogenesis in the evening works like a dream and helps you to sleep like a baby. 5. INCREASED WEIGHT LOSS: Infrared saunas aid in weight loss by heating the body’s core temperature to induce sweating. The result is increased blood flow, oxygen consumption, and heart rate, which much like moderate exercise, has shown to help with burning fat and body shaping. Near-infrared rays also help to rebuild connective tissue, and in turn, reduce the appearance of cellulite. In addition, sauna use can modulate appetite and increase metabolic rate, which may help with weight maintenance

Time-Restricted Eating – The Secret of Health & Longevity

What Is Time-Restricted Eating? Time-restricted eating (TRE) refers to limiting food and beverage intake to certain hours of the day without attempting to reduce caloric intake. TRE is not a diet, it is a lifestyle. The focus for time-restricted eating is on aligning the times that you eat with your body’s innate 24-hour circadian rhythm. That means maintaining a regular and consistent eating schedule along with regular fasting periods every day or most days.Researchers at the Regulatory Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies discovered that when you eat may be as important as what you eat. Time-restricted eating gives the body much-needed downtime during which it can undertake cellular repair and restoration rather than digestion. The researchers at the Salk Institute performed an experiment with genetically identical mice focused exclusively on the time restriction for feeding the mice. They gave one group of mice 24-hour, 7 day a week access to a high-fat, high-sugar diet. The other group had access to the same amount of food, but they had to eat all their food in an 8-hour window. Over the first 12 weeks of the study, the mice on a 24/7 schedule gained weight and developed health issues while mice on an 8-hour schedule were completely protected from the diseases normally seen with a poor diet. After 18 weeks, it was found that the mice who followed the 8-hour eating window weighed 28% less on average and improved their glucose tolerance.Dr Satchin Panda, the lead scientist of the study, commented that the time-restricted eating mice lost weight and had normal blood sugar and cholesterol level. Dr Panda concludes: “Remember we did not change the diet and we did not reduce their calories. Timing made the magic”.While this study was in mice, studies involving humans have shown that TRE has also resulted in improved overall health. BENEFITS OF TIME-RESTRICTED EATING Time-restricted eating, when done the right way, elicits powerful health benefits. Dr Panda and other researchers discovered that maintaining a daily feeding-fasting cycle can prevent and reverse many chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and dementia and microbiome conditions like acid reflux, heartburn, and irritable bowel disease.Some of the proven benefits of TRE in both animal studies and human trials include: Enhanced weight loss and reduced fat mass Increased lean muscle mass and tissue Improved sleep Improved blood sugar control and 24-hour glucose levels Reduced inflammation–a key marker of longevity Improved heart function and cardiometabolic health Reduced metabolic disease Healthy liver function Improved brain health and cognitive function Improved ketone body productionIncreased energy Delayed aging and increased lifespan Optimal Time to Utilize Time-Restricted Eating Time-restricted eating is not about counting calories; it is solely about when you eat. You still need to eat healthy, unprocessed, whole foods, but within a compressed feeling window. Dr. Panda found the best results for weight loss are after a full 12 hours of fasting. That means a 12-hour compressed feeding window followed by 12 hours of fasting. After you incorporate the 12-hour fasting practice for a while, see how you feel and whether you may want to try a longer fasting time. A common version of time-restricted eating is so-called “16:8” fasting where all of the day’s calories are consumed within an 8-hour window, leaving 16 hours for fasting, including the hours during which a person is asleep.There is no strict rule about when during the 24-hour cycle it is best to fast. However, sticking to a consistent feeding-fasting cycle is important. Dr. Panda’s research shows it’s better to eat a more carb-heavy meal the first half of the day when insulin response is better. Personally, the easiest way for me to incorporate TRE is to eat breakfast later and dinner earlier. Most likely, you will find that your system adjusts to the new timing within 2 to 4 weeks of being on TRE.Some researchers including Dr. Satchin Panda believe that the moment you drink any beverages that are not water, such as tea or coffee, you break your overnight fast. The hypothesis is that the taste of anything, including tea or coffee, can cause the release of certain hormones that either make you hungry or may disrupt some of the circadian rhythm and autophagy benefits of TRE. A word of caution: although time-restricted eating health benefits are powerful, discuss your plans with your health care practitioner. Those with blood sugar imbalances or hormonal issues may need to address these issues first before embarking on a time-restricted eating plan.   REFERENCES FoundMyFitness, “Dr. Satchin Panda on Time-Restricted Feeding and Its Effects on Obesity, Muscle Mass & Heart Health.” YouTube video, 1:31:33, June 30, 2016. Hatori, M.; Vollmers CH.; Zarrinpar, A.; DiTacchio, L.; Bushong, E.A.; Gill, SH.; Leblanc, M.; Chaix, A.; Joens, M.; Fitzpatrick, J. A. J.; Ellisman, M.H.; Panda, S. “Time-Restricted Feeding without Reducing Caloric Intake Prevents Metabolic Diseases in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.” Cell Metabolism. June 6, 2012; 15 (6): 848-860. Jamshed, H.; Beyl, R.A.; Della Manna, D.L.; Yang, E.S.; Ravussin, E.; Peterson, C.M. “Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves 24-Hour Glucose Levels and Affects Markers of the Circadian Clock, Aging, and Autophagy in Humans.” Nutrients 2019. May 30, 2019; 11(6), 1234. Longo, Valter D., and Satchidananda Panda. “Fasting, Circadian Rhythms, and Time-Restricted Feeding in Healthy Lifespan.” Cell Metabolism. June 14, 2016; 23 (6): 1048-1059. https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdf/S1550-4131(16)30250-9.pdf Panda, Satchin. The Circadian Code. The Circadian Code Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books, 2018. Hi there I’m Nira! I’m a Naturopath and Mind-Body expert. I love nature, nutritious foods, my daughters, deep connection with others, being authentic and honest. I’m here to help you master your physical and emotional health.  Facebook-f Instagram Pinterest-p Next Post Back To Blog Home