6 Tips For a Better Night’s Sleep

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Getting proper sleep is a lot like eating a proper diet and exercising in that we all know that we should be doing it, but few of us actually do. Regardless, getting enough quality sleep is critical for maintaining a healthy body and mind.

More and more, however, it seems that many of us have difficulty getting to sleep. This is likely due to a variety of factors, including stress, poor diet, or overconsumption of caffeine. Caffeine in particular is a culprit for many, as caffeinated beverages only grow in popularity. This is not relegated just to coffee and tea (although, with a coffee shop on nearly every corner in most major cities, coffee and tea are certainly not exempt from this), but the wide array of “energy” drinks that are commonly consumed by most Americans. Even things like our addiction to smart phones, computers and television are thought to play a role in our sleeplessness.

To remedy our sleeplessness, pharmaceutical companies have plenty of prescription options. Many of these, however, are addictive and come with a laundry list of side effects. Sometimes, these are necessary for some people, but certainly, there is a better, more natural way to sleep!

Getting enough sleep typically means between 6-8 hours per night on a regular basis. The amount of sleep you need is really like your thumbprint; it is unique to you and something you must deduce, yourself. Getting quality sleep means getting uninterrupted sleep in which you enter into deep, REM sleep. This is the kind of deep, restful sleep your body craves.

There is no silver bullet for a great night’s sleep, but there are some things you can do to assist yourself in getting a better night’s sleep.

1. Avoid caffeine, especially later in the day.
When you are on the Kaufmann 1 Diet, you are already likely avoiding caffeine all together, anyway. Most caffeinated beverages are discouraged while on the Kaufmann 1 Diet. But if you must imbibe, try to avoid drinking any caffeine in the afternoon.

2. Exercise.
The benefits of exercise extend far beyond just getting a good night’s sleep, but exercise is thought to assist in promoting more restful sleep.

3. Avoid backlit devices before bed.
Blue light is known to affect the hormones that promote sleep. If you are having a hard time sleeping, try putting away the phone or computer and turn the TV off well in advance of trying to go to sleep. If you feel you must answer one final email before bed, try shifting the color on your device away from the blue light end of the spectrum. Many devices have modes for this now, or there are screen guards that filter blue light out of your screen.

4. Try incorporating quiet times, prayer or meditation before bed.
This is important for stress reduction; incorporating times to relax your mind, meditate or pray before bed might help you ease into a more restful state and slip into deeper sleep.

5. Change your diet.
Diet is known to affect sleep. We recommend trying our anti-fungal program, the Kaufmann 1 Diet.

6. Try all-natural sleep aides.
While not pharmaceutical grade sleeping medicine, many all-natural sleep aides can work in conjunction with a broader, natural approach to getting good sleep. These include, melatonin, valerian root teas, tryptophan, and certain magnesium supplements.