Sleep hacks that are particularly helpful during the fall season!

Sleep is one of those things that come up so often when talking with people about their health.  Here are some sleep hacks that are particularly helpful during the fall season:

• As the days get shorter, it’s essential to adjust your sleep schedule to align with the changing light. Try waking up earlier to get exposure to morning sunlight, which helps regulate your circadian rhythm.
• In the evenings, reduce exposure to artificial blue light from screens by using blue light-blocking glasses or enabling “night mode” settings.

• Fall is the perfect time to adjust your room’s temperature. Ideal sleep temperatures are between 60-67°F (15-19°C). The cooler weather can help you achieve this naturally, but layering blankets can also ensure you stay comfortable.

• Switch to warmer, cozier bedding to prepare for cooler fall nights. Consider materials like flannel or weighted blankets, which can add a comforting, calming sensation to help you fall asleep faster.

• Enjoy calming fall-inspired herbal teas, such as chamomile, cinnamon, or spiced apple tea, in the evening. These teas can help promote relaxation and signal your body that it’s time to wind down.

• As the evenings get longer, it’s a great time to establish a consistent wind-down routine. Dim the lights, light a fall-scented candle (like cinnamon or pumpkin spice), and take 30 minutes to relax before bed with a book or meditation.

• Fall is full of hearty meals and tempting treats, but heavy foods can interfere with sleep. Try to eat dinner at least 2-3 hours before bed, and limit late-night snacking, especially spicy or rich foods that could cause discomfort or acid reflux.

• Certain essential oils associated with fall, such as cedarwood, clove, or frankincense, have grounding properties that can promote deeper sleep. Use them in a diffuser or apply them topically (diluted) before bedtime.

• Daylight Saving Time can throw off your internal clock. Start adjusting your sleep schedule gradually by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each day the week leading up to the time change to avoid a sudden shift in sleep quality.

• Enjoy brisk walks in the cool, crisp air during the day to soak up natural light and increase physical activity, which promotes better sleep at night. Activities like hiking or yard work can also help tire out your body, leading to deeper rest.

• Fall foods like pumpkin seeds, spinach, and nuts are rich in magnesium, a mineral that supports relaxation and muscle recovery, aiding better sleep. You can also consider taking a magnesium supplement or using magnesium oil before bed.

These tips can help you enjoy more restful nights as the season changes! Now here comes the “more info” pertaining to all times of the year!

• 4-7-8 Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale slowly for 8 seconds. This method activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation.
• Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for another 4 seconds. This rhythmic breathing can help slow the heart rate and calm the mind.

What? why? Mouth taping is a technique that involves placing a piece of tape over the lips to encourage nasal breathing during sleep. This practice has gained popularity due to its potential benefits for improving sleep quality, respiratory health, and overall well-being. This is a technique that I have started doing; I feel that it helps me emencely improve my HRV (heart rate variability) for better recovery and a restful night’s sleep. It is also known to:

• promote nasal breathing
• reduce snoring
• reduce sleep apnea symptoms
• reduce dry mouth and throat
• help balance CO2 levels
• Improve REM and deep sleep
• reduce the risk of sleep-disordered breathing
• may lower anxiety and stress

• This technique involves tensing and then slowly releasing different muscle groups in the body. Start from your feet and work your way up to your head, focusing on the sensations of release. It helps release physical tension and shifts the nervous system into a relaxed state.  Another option is making an appointment with a compression, deep pressure device. My favorite is the Flowpresso suit that applies deep pressure, compression and dynamic heat to relax the body as well as move the lymphatic system.

• Body Scan Meditation: Focus your attention on different parts of your body, consciously relaxing each one. This can help tune into areas of tension and actively release them.
• Guided Sleep Meditation: Use apps or recordings designed to lead you into a calm mental state, focusing on breathing, visualization, or gentle affirmations.

• Lengthening your exhalations triggers the vagus nerve, which plays a significant role in calming the nervous system. You can try exhaling for twice the length of your inhalation (e.g., inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds).

• Breathe slowly and deeply while focusing on positive emotions like gratitude or love. Breathing in sync with a steady rhythm (inhale for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds) while cultivating positive feelings can reduce stress hormones and calm the nervous system.

• Taking a cool or lukewarm shower before bed can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Cooling the body slightly mimics the natural drop in core temperature that occurs before sleep.

• Certain scents, like lavender, chamomile, and bergamot, have calming effects on the nervous system. Use essential oils in a diffuser or as part of a bedtime ritual to promote relaxation.

• Incorporate simple yoga poses or light stretches to release muscle tension. Postures like child’s pose, legs up the wall, or seated forward bends can help release built-up tension and activate the parasympathetic response.

• Writing down your thoughts before bed, especially things you’re grateful for or any worries weighing on your mind, can help release mental tension. This is an effective way to clear the mind and calm the nervous system.

• Listening to calming music, white noise, or nature sounds can relax the mind. Binaural beats or sound frequencies specifically designed for sleep (such as delta waves) can also help lower stress and anxiety levels.

• Limiting caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in the hours leading up to bedtime is key. These substances can stimulate the nervous system, making it harder to relax. Opt for calming teas like chamomile or valerian root instead.

• Staring at screens can over-stimulate the nervous system. Reduce exposure to bright lights and screens at least 30-60 minutes before bed. Use dim, warm lighting and practice eye relaxation techniques like palming, where you cover your eyes with your hands while visualizing darkness and stillness.

Incorporating some of these techniques into your bedtime routine will help shift the nervous system from high alert to a relaxed state, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle means that a person has been roused from one of the deeper stages of sleep, rather than naturally transitioning into lighter sleep or waking at the end of a full cycle. Sleep cycles typically last about 90 minutes and consist of several stages:

1. Light sleep (NREM stages 1 and 2): Easier to wake up from, involving relaxation of muscles and slow brain activity.
2. Deep sleep (NREM stages 3 and 4): Harder to wake from, essential for physical restoration and recovery.
3. REM sleep (rapid eye movement): The dreaming stage, important for cognitive processing and memory consolidation.

• Disorientation and Grogginess: Waking up during deep sleep or REM can lead to sleep inertia, where you feel disoriented, sluggish, or groggy for some time after waking.
• Interrupted Restorative Sleep: Deep sleep is crucial for physical recovery, and REM sleep supports emotional health and learning. Waking during these phases may reduce the quality of rest.
• Difficulty Falling Back Asleep: After waking during a deep sleep phase, the body and brain may struggle to quickly resume where the sleep cycle left off, potentially leading to difficulty in falling back asleep.

1. External Factors: Noise, temperature changes, or disturbances can abruptly wake you during a deeper sleep stage.
2. Stress and Anxiety: Mental overactivity can trigger waking, especially in REM sleep, where dreaming is intense.
3. Irregular Sleep Patterns: Inconsistent bedtimes or disruptions to your circadian rhythm (like shift work or jet lag) can lead to waking up mid-cycle.
4. Sleep Disorders: Conditions like sleep apnea or insomnia may cause frequent wake-ups throughout the night.
5. Diet and Stimulants: Consuming caffeine, alcohol, or heavy meals close to bedtime can disrupt sleep cycles.

• Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps regulate your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
• Create a Relaxing Sleep Environment: Make your room dark, cool, and quiet to avoid being woken by external factors.
• Avoid Stimulants Before Bed: Limit caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol, and avoid large meals in the evening.
• Use Sleep Cycle Tracking: Some smartwatches and apps can help track your sleep stages, allowing you to time your wake-up alarm to coincide with lighter sleep phases.
• Wind Down with Relaxation Techniques: Breathing exercises, stretching, or meditation can help reduce the likelihood of stress-related wake-ups.

If waking up during sleep cycles becomes frequent, addressing these underlying factors can help improve sleep quality.

In traditional Eastern medicine, particularly Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Chinese body clock (also known as the Chinese organ clock) is an ancient concept that associates specific times of the day with the flow of energy (Qi) through the body’s organs. This clock is divided into 12 two-hour intervals, with each interval corresponding to a specific organ system. Each organ is thought to have peak energy (Qi) flow during its designated time and to be linked to certain physical, emotional, and spiritual functions.

In terms of sleep, waking up at different times during the night is believed to be connected to imbalances in the energy flow through certain organs, reflecting potential physical or emotional issues.

Here’s how the clock relates to sleep patterns and common times people may wake up at night:

• This time is related to the endocrine system, responsible for the body’s homeostasis and hormonal balance.
• If you have trouble falling asleep during this period, it might be related to stress or issues with the metabolism. Calming activities like meditation or gentle stretching can help calm the body.

• The gallbladder is associated with decision-making and emotional processing.
• Waking during this time might indicate unresolved emotional issues, such as resentment or frustration, and may point to difficulties in making decisions or feeling stuck.

• The liver is responsible for detoxification, blood circulation, and managing anger and frustration.
• Waking between 1 and 3 AM is often linked to an imbalance in the liver, which can be caused by stress, anger, or toxic overload in the body. Emotionally, it may signal repressed anger or irritability.

• The lungs are associated with grief and sadness and are responsible for breathing and energy distribution.
• Waking at this time may indicate issues with grief, anxiety, or emotional processing. Physically, it can also relate to breathing difficulties, such as asthma, or an imbalanced respiratory system.

• The large intestine is responsible for releasing waste, both physically and emotionally.
• Waking during this time can be linked to feeling stuck emotionally or having difficulty letting go of something in your life. It may also signal issues with digestion or elimination.

1. Identify the Time of Waking: If you consistently wake up at a certain time each night, check which organ system is associated with that time. This can give clues to potential imbalances.
2. Address Emotional or Physical Imbalances:
   • Liver (1-3 AM): Practice stress management techniques like deep breathing, yoga, or journaling to release anger or frustration.
   • Lungs (3-5 AM): Work on grief or anxiety through counseling, mindfulness practices, or breathing exercises.
   • Gallbladder (11 PM – 1 AM): Reflect on decisions or unresolved emotions, and consider how to release inner conflict.

1. Dietary and Lifestyle Adjustments:
   • Liver: Reduce alcohol and processed foods to help detoxify the liver and improve Qi flow.
   • Lungs: Keep the air in your bedroom clean and free of allergens and practice deep breathing exercises.
   • Large Intestine: Add more fiber and water to your diet to promote healthy digestion and elimination.

1. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Meditation, calming teas (like chamomile or chrysanthemum), and acupressure on meridian points related to your organ imbalances can help down-regulate the nervous system.

The Chinese Medicine clock offers a holistic view of how emotional, physical, and spiritual factors intertwine with sleep patterns. By paying attention to when you wake and what the body clock says about it, you can work towards balancing your energy and improving overall sleep quality.

Do any of these entries resonate with you? Are you willing to try any of these techniques to improve your sleep? Let me know if this post was helpful.