How To Get The Best Night’s Sleep β’ Kath Eats
I admit Iβm a little sleep obsessed, and I have been since my kids were born! Here are some of my go-to sleep aids and how to get the best nightβs sleep.
How I actually look when I wake up ; )
I think I am still recovering from when my kids (now 6 and 12) were newborns. Iβve always been someone who needs a decent nightβs sleep to function and those early years really drain you! Couple that with increased sensitivity to alcohol as Iβve aged, plus aging in general, and sleep is more important than ever!
I got the idea for this post with the intention of sharing some Apple Watch data. For a while I was chatting with friends about sleep, and we decided to track our sleep. I quickly realized that it was so difficult to gauge trends because I do not sleep in a laboratory! We know if you do a science experiment you canβt have too many variables, and my life is ALL variables! From a random smoke alarm going off, to Birch waking up to late soccer games and even what I ate that day, sleep varied so much I wasnβt really able to draw any conclusions. But like most things in health β what matters most is how you feel.
Generally I am a decent sleeper though, and if I have a normal healthy routine, I usually have a pretty normal nightβs sleep (no alcohol, no late workouts, no kids coming up in the night). My goal is 8-9 hours, uninterrupted. I know it was a great night if I wake up at 6:30 with no alarm and the last thing I remember was reading my kindle! Itβs not always this grand though, so here are some ways I optimize sleep!
How To Get The Best Nightβs Sleep
The Setting: Sleep Room Favorites
Our bed
Iβve had a Tempur-pedic Cloud Supreme mattress for over a decade now. (Remember the Sleep Number saga??!) I think the model I have is closest to the newer version of Tempur-Cloud a medium firmness. I am OBSESSED with it. I canβt stand anything with coils (who wants to sleep on coils!?) and we love that the bed does not move if someone shifts (Sleeping on coils while traveling is awful). Whenever we decide to get a new mattress, I will consider a Naturepedic memory foam (like the EOS), as I really like this company, too. Thatβs what we got for Mazenβs bed and I have a discount code in that post.
I also love ourΒ Pottery Barn Raleigh bed. Itβs solid, and the fabric has held up well (even with the random stain I made worse during our move!).
Room Temperature
This article says βheat is the enemy of sleepβ and I couldnβt agree more!! It recommends 60-65 degrees, which I admit is pretty darn cold in the summer. We keep our thermostat at 68 degrees at night, and anything warmer is too hot!
Body Pillow
When I was having some shoulder muscle pain (which Iβm pretty sure now was NOT related to sleep) I started to use a king sham as a body pillow. I have a Lily Silk pillowcase on it that is so cooling. I put it vertically next to the bed and in the night will use it for side sleeping. The extra support is great.
An eye mask is also great for blocking out all light!
Favorite bedding
Iβve been using these 400-thread count sheets from Target for a decade now. Theyβre pure cotton and a great price for the quality. While Iβm sure there are plenty of super luxurious sheets out there, these are just such a good value.
White noise air purifier
We have this air purifier that serves as our white noise. It makes a nice white noise sound and also works to clean the air at night. I have it set up with an Amazon smart plug so it turns off automatically at 7am.
Sleep Dos and Donts
Consistent Bed Time
A consistent bedtime is so important for me! I have a strong body clock and tend to get tired and wake up around the same time every day, regardless of when I go to sleep. Bedtime is between 9:30 and 10 and wakeup is between 6 and 7!
Avoid alcohol
The older Iβve gotten, the more sleep is my number one reason for choosing not to drink. That said, I do still drink alcohol. Usually if I have one, my sleep is only a little impacted. But if I have 2-4 drinks (a few times a year party night occasion), boy do I pay for it! I toss and turn and never get deep sleep. One of those nights will set you back to prioritizing sleep the whole next week.
CBD / THC
The main reason that I became interested in CBD and THC was due to their connection to deep sleep. Green Compass is the company I buy most often, and they have several products designed to help with sleep.
- Unwind THC Jellies β These are Green Compassβ strongest product, containing 2.5mg of THC and 25mg of CBD. These taste SO good, kind of like a ginger mojito. Think βalcohol replacement.β Youβll want to try these on a night that you need the βultimate chillβ followed by deep sleep. If you are new to THC, take Β½.
- Full Spectrum Tincture β Iβll have this before bed to support sleep which is what I do if I ever have insomnia and want faster results and no sugar on my teeth (from a Jellie).Β OR Iβll use it in the middle of the night if I have insomnia. Shake the bottle, draw up a dropper of oil, dispense under your tongue, hold for a minute (just count to 60) and swallow the rest. This allows maximum absorption in your sublingual glands. I really like the natural mint flavor because thatβs often what I have in my mouth around bedtime teeth brushing, too.
- Sleep Better Nano-Jellies β These Blackberry flavored Jellies contain CBN, the cannabinoid known for its sedative properties, along with Ashwagandha, Lemon Balm Oil, and Passionflower to promote calm. Take 30 minutes before bed. Donβt worry, they wonβt knock you out. I take them on nights when I really need good sleep. Like if I slept poorly the night prior because of a sick child or other interruption.Β
AGZ
New by AG1 is AGZ! I received a sample of AGZ a few weeks ago, and itβs become a part of my nightly routine a few nights a week. The ingredients are clinically studied adaptogens, herbal extracts and minerals to promote a great sleep including: Magnesium L-Threonate, Ashwagandha, Saffron, L-Theanine, and Valerian root. You mix the powder with hot or cold water or milk about 90 minutes before bedtime to encourage a wind down. It tastes like hot chocolate with only one gram of sugar since itβs sweetened with stevia and monk fruit.
Tips For Insomnia
Even with good sleep habits, insomnia hits me from time to time. Most often thatβs from alcohol, but sometimes itβs because I have a late workout (like an 8pm soccer game) or didnβt eat enough dinner. I realized when I was pregnant with my boys that my insomnia is often related to what Iβve had to eat (or not) in the evening. A late workout can zap my stores, even if I donβt feel hungry, and wake me up.
Have Protein At Bedtime
My birth doula used to tell us pregnant ladies struggling with insomnia to have some almonds or protein at bedtime. This can help prevent midnight wake ups.
Lemonade in the night
Another pregnancy trick that I learned and still use is to drink lemonade in the night. This juice quickly hydrates and gets sugar to the blood stream. I swear my insomnia is often blood sugar related. Once I can convince myself to get the energy to get out of bed and go downstairs for a few swigs of juice, it almost always puts me back to sleep. If you donβt have juice in your fridge, you can try anything with quick sugar: dried or fresh fruit, honey or maple syrup, etc.
Reading fiction on my kindle
Occasionally, my insomnia is related to having too much on my mind. And the best thing for that is to turn my mind off. Reading fiction on my kindle is a great way to take my mind from my life and into a story. So after Iβve had lemonade, Iβll read my kindle in the dark and usually am drowsy again in 10 minutes or so. This is the number one reason I am team kindle β no lights necessary and you can be on your side deep in the covers with your kindle propped up to read yourself back to sleep!
Cover your ear
I learned this trick from a massage therapist I saw once. She told me she has an unusual comfort thing with covering her ears while she slept. It makes her feel extra secure. I started trying this and it works for me, too! Bonus that the comforter also mutes sounds in the night.
I hope these tips might also help you get your best sleep ever! Feel free to share more of your own in the comments below.
