10 WAYS to PUT A STOP To Bad Sleep Destroying Your Blood Sugars!

Summary

This video offers holistic tips to combat insomnia and improve sleep quality without side effects. It covers sleep hygiene, the importance of sunlight, avoiding stimulants, and establishing a relaxing bedtime routine. It also touches on the benefits of exercise, the role of supplements, and the ideal sleep environment. The video emphasizes the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) over medications and suggests natural sleep aids like tart cherry juice and melatonin, warning against the long-term use of antihistamines due to potential dementia risks.

Takeaways

• 😴 Disturbed sleep can have negative impacts on daily life, affecting memory, concentration, mood, and even leading to serious health issues like depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
• 🌞 Good sleep hygiene involves getting sunlight during the day, avoiding napping, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and heavy workouts or large meals before bedtime.
• 🛌 Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help improve sleep quality and reduce the time spent tossing and turning in bed.
• 🚫 Reducing screen time before bed, including avoiding the use of phones, tablets, and computers, can help prepare the mind for sleep.
• 🥛 Drinking warm milk, herbal tea, or tart cherry juice before bed may help promote sleep, although scientific evidence varies.
• 🏃‍♂️ Regular exercise can improve sleep quality, but it's important to avoid strenuous workouts close to bedtime to prevent overstimulation.
• 💊 Supplements like lemon balm, hops extract, chamomile, valerian root, passionflower extract, GABA, tryptophan, and melatonin may help with sleep, but it's recommended to check out specific sleep support blends for a combination of these ingredients.
• 🌡 Keeping the bedroom cool, especially for those experiencing menopause, can aid in better sleep, and using a flashlight instead of turning on lights during the night can reduce sleep disruption.
• 🛌 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective, low-risk treatment for insomnia that can be more beneficial than medication in the long term.
• 💤 Brief Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia focuses on the behavioral components of sleep improvement, such as sleep restriction and stimulus control, and can be a more convenient alternative to medication.
• 💊 Over-the-counter sleep aids may have limited evidence supporting their use and can come with side effects, so natural remedies and good sleep hygiene practices are recommended.

Q & A

What are the potential negative effects of disturbed sleep on daily life and health?

Disturbed sleep can lead to a lack of energy, impaired memory, concentration, and mood during the day. It can also increase the risk of serious health issues such as depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

What is insomnia and how does it manifest?

Insomnia is a complex sleep disorder characterized by poor sleep quality or frustration with sleep quantity. It can affect people of all ages but tends to increase with age and affects women more than men.

Which factors can contribute to sleepless nights besides physical issues?

Factors such as medical disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, psychiatric problems, and the use of certain medications and substances like caffeine, alcohol, glucocorticoids, diuretics, and antidepressants can contribute to sleepless nights.

What are some daytime habits recommended for better sleep hygiene?

Getting adequate sunlight, avoiding napping, and steering clear of substances like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can improve sleep hygiene. Additionally, avoiding intense workouts or overeating before bedtime is advised.

What should be part of a bedtime routine to promote relaxation?

A bedtime routine should include a chill and fun activity that lasts for about half an hour, signaling to the mind that the bed and bedroom are for sleep. The bedroom environment should be quiet, dark, and consistent with regular bedtime and waking times.

Why is it advised to avoid screen time before bed?

Screen time, including the use of TVs, computers, tablets, and phones, can disrupt sleep due to the blue light emitted, which can interfere with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle.

What are some natural drinks that might help with sleep?

Some natural drinks that may aid sleep include warm milk, chamomile tea, and tart cherry juice. These are believed to help with sleep due to their content of certain chemicals and lack of caffeine.

How does exercise impact sleep and what is the recommended timing for exercise before bedtime?

Moderate to vigorous exercise can improve sleep quality by promoting deep sleep. However, it's recommended to avoid exercise within two hours of bedtime as it can release endorphins and increase body temperature, potentially making it harder to fall asleep.

What are some supplements that can help with sleep and where can they be found?

Supplements such as lemon balm, hops extract, chamomile, valerian root, passionflower extract, GABA, tryptophan, and melatonin can help with sleep. They can be found in sleep support blends like the one offered at sugarmds.com.

What is the recommended room temperature for optimal sleep and why?

The ideal room temperature for sleep is between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. This cooler temperature helps the body's natural sleep process and can be particularly beneficial for those experiencing menopausal hot flashes.

What is CBT-I and how does it differ from over-the-counter sleep aids?

CBT-I, or cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia, is a therapeutic approach that combines cognitive therapy, educational interventions, and behavioral interventions to address sleep problems. Unlike over-the-counter sleep aids, which may have limited evidence and potential side effects, CBT-I has a low risk of side effects and is considered a first-line treatment for insomnia.

Why should one be cautious about using over-the-counter sleep aids and what is an alternative?

Over-the-counter sleep aids may have limited evidence supporting their use and can cause side effects such as anticholinergic side effects and daytime sleepiness. An alternative is melatonin, which has a more favorable side effect profile and may help regulate circadian rhythm disruptions.