By Megan Bruneau
I didn't realize I had insomnia until I was in college, when a friend told me he'd "woke[n] up in the middle of the night" – and that was his whole story. I remember feeling confused – didn't everyone take hours to fall asleep, then wake up in the middle of the night six, seven, thirteen times like I did?
I've been a poor sleeper for as long as I can remember. Even in elementary school, I struggled to fall and stay asleep and had horrifying nightmares on the reg (Neurotic Meg goes waaaaay back). As a result, I've spent more than half of my life experimenting with everything from 5-HTP to Trazadone, Valerian Root to Amitryptaline, and Holy Basil to Xanax. I've done meditation retreats, participated in sleep studies, diffused lavender oils, listened to rain sounds, and repeated mantras. I've liberally drunk NyQuil without a hint of cold and eaten weed gummies that were so strong I couldn't see. And today I can finally say that, despite the occasional PMS or death-anxiety filled 5am night, my sleep has greatly improved thanks to making the following six changes:
1. I
It's okay if you resent me right now. Part of my job is telling you things you don't want to hear. But despite there being a weekly headline promoting the benefits of coffee, about 15 percent of us are known as "slow metabolizers" – meaning we don't process caffeine as quickly and are more likely to experience insomnia as a result. And no, it doesn't matter how early on in the day you consume it – unfortunately, we "slow metabolizers" are effed either way. I've since switched to decaf Americanos and Instagrammable nut-milk matcha lattes, which also provide the illusion I'm better than other people.
Fear not: there are things you can do to improve your sleep Pexels
2. I accepted I'm a night owl and shifted my work hours to accommodate
I tried to be a morning person once. Maybe twice (my memory is blurry because it was too early). I set an alarm, went for a run before work, and congratulated myself for being so 'Carpe diem.' This, if I recall correctly, lasted a few mornings in a row before I accepted what I've always known: I'm a night owl (which studies show is partially genetic), I hate running, and knowing I have to wake up to an alarm fills me with sleep-sabotaging anxiety. So when I began working for myself, I decided to set a "No meetings before 10am" rule. This doesn't mean I wake up at 9:45am every day – but knowing I can sleep in has alleviated said anxiety. Of course, I recognize that until we make the universal hours 10 to 6 instead of 9 to 5, not everyone has this luxury; but if you're childless and a night person like Yours Truly, consider asking your manager to work a shifted day. It's a win for them as well, as offering this flexibility helps with employee retention and productivity.
3. I learned how to keep my stress, blood sugar, and sex hormones in check
I'm not an endocrinologist, so I'm going to stay high-level here, but this one is huge: basically, several of our hormones have a major impact on our sleep (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, melatonin, and thyroid hormones) – and if they're out of whack, there aren't enough sheep in the dream universe to count our way to slumber. For example, being in a constant state of fight-or-flight (stress) releases cortisol that keeps us from falling and staying asleep. Or being hungry or eating too many or too few carbs can mess with our blood sugar and wake us up in the night. The key is to get to know your body and try to keep all these hormones in balance. Here are a few strategies that work for me:
- Get real about your stress levels: so many of us are stressed AF and don't even realize it. No, eye-twitching and ringing ears aren't normal. Neither is being at our boss' disposal 24/7 or "rising and grinding." Build whitespace into your calendar, learn to say "No" and ask for help, see a coach or therapist (Heyo!), and prioritize social connection. Try massage or acupuncture, and consider becoming a yogi or getting on the meditation app train (I love 'Simple Habit') – basically, anything that's going to put you into the "rest and digest" parasympathetic state. Finally, while exercise can be great for stress-management and sleep, prolonged cardio actually elevates your cortisol levels. Opt for strength training, dance, or a rec sport instead.
- Eat a blood-sugar balancing diet: blood sugar that's too high or too low will wake you up in the middle of the night. One of the easiest ways to do this is to make sure you're having carbs, protein, and fat at every meal, and that you're not going to bed too hungry or too full. Also, don't cut out carbs entirely, especially if you're a woman. They're a precursor to tryptophan and ultimately serotonin and melotonin, which help sleep onset.
- If you're experiencing other physical symptoms that suggest something is "off" (e.g. hair loss, poor concentration, irregular periods, weight gain or loss), consider getting your thyroid and sex hormones tested. Many people don't realize their insomnia is due to hormonal imbalances that usually require working with a professional to remedy.
I'm not an endocrinologist, so I'm going to stay high-level here, but this one is huge: basically, several of our hormones have a major impact on our sleep (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, melatonin, and thyroid hormones) – and if they're out of whack, there aren't enough sheep in the dream universe to count our way to slumber. For example, being in a constant state of fight-or-flight (stress) releases cortisol that keeps us from falling and staying asleep. Or being hungry or eating too many or too few carbs can mess with our blood sugar and wake us up in the night. The key is to get to know your body and try to keep all these hormones in balance. Here are a few strategies that work for me:
- Get real about your stress levels: so many of us are stressed AF and don't even realize it. No, eye-twitching and ringing ears aren't normal. Neither is being at our boss' disposal 24/7 or "rising and grinding." Build whitespace into your calendar, learn to say "No" and ask for help, see a coach or therapist (Heyo!), and prioritize social connection. Try massage or acupuncture, and consider becoming a yogi or getting on the meditation app train (I love 'Simple Habit') – basically, anything that's going to put you into the "rest and digest" parasympathetic state. Finally, while exercise can be great for stress-management and sleep, prolonged cardio actually elevates your cortisol levels. Opt for strength training, dance, or a rec sport instead.
- Eat a blood-sugar balancing diet: blood sugar that's too high or too low will wake you up in the middle of the night. One of the easiest ways to do this is to make sure you're having carbs, protein, and fat at every meal, and that you're not going to bed too hungry or too full. Also, don't cut out carbs entirely, especially if you're a woman. They're a precursor to tryptophan and ultimately serotonin and melotonin, which help sleep onset.
- If you're experiencing other physical symptoms that suggest something is "off" (e.g. hair loss, poor concentration, irregular periods, weight gain or loss), consider getting your thyroid and sex hormones tested. Many people don't realize their insomnia is due to hormonal imbalances that usually require working with a professional to remedy.
4. I found supplements that work for me*
Given you're not me, I encourage you to do your own "me-search" on this one. However, over the years I've learned prescription sleeping pills knock me out but leave me groggier than a sleepless night (not unlike alcohol, which millions misuse as a sleep aid). So instead, I've found four supplements I rely on to mitigate insomnia:
5. I optimized my sleep environment
I'm still never going to be a person who sleeps on planes, WeWork couches, or girls' trips. This is because one of my hacks has been to optimize my sleep environment and basically cut off all stimuli from the outside world. For me, this means a cool, quiet, dark room and earplugs, a mouthguard, a fan, and a dark item of clothing draped over my face (I find sleep masks just give me more anxiety...anyone else?). I've also accepted this could mean I'll be single forever but hey, at least I'll be rested.
Oh, and I recommend the flux app on all your devices to minimize the melatonin-thwarting blue light. Gamechanger.
6. I let go of my belief that I need sleep to function
Okay truthfully we do need sleep to function, and chronic sleep-deprivation is linked to all sorts of problems. But as anyone who's gone to work after a sleepless night knows, we survive. Foggily and irritably, but we survive. And at 3am as your mind tells you all kinds of catastrophic stories about the world ending the next day, this can be a helpful reminder.
Given you're not me, I encourage you to do your own "me-search" on this one. However, over the years I've learned prescription sleeping pills knock me out but leave me groggier than a sleepless night (not unlike alcohol, which millions misuse as a sleep aid). So instead, I've found four supplements I rely on to mitigate insomnia:
- Basis by Elysium: I take this every day and it's definitely made my sleep deeper and less interrupted. It improves cell functioning and while clinical trials have yet to prove its impact on sleep, anecdotal support (beyond my own) indicates it improves sleep quality and duration.
- Beauty zzZz by HUM Nutrition: On nights I know I need an extra boost (certain times of the month, for example), I take one of these and it knocks me out – without the next-day grogginess of a prescription sleeping pill.
- CBD oil by CBD For Life: CBD everything is like, so hot right now. And unlike potent weed gummies (never again...), this hemp tincture def helps me quell anxiety and get some Zzz's.
- Magnesium Glycinate (I use Pure Encapsulations): This magical mineral is necessary for a number of bodily functions, a couple major sleep-related ones being stress management and muscle relaxation.
5. I optimized my sleep environment
I'm still never going to be a person who sleeps on planes, WeWork couches, or girls' trips. This is because one of my hacks has been to optimize my sleep environment and basically cut off all stimuli from the outside world. For me, this means a cool, quiet, dark room and earplugs, a mouthguard, a fan, and a dark item of clothing draped over my face (I find sleep masks just give me more anxiety...anyone else?). I've also accepted this could mean I'll be single forever but hey, at least I'll be rested.
Oh, and I recommend the flux app on all your devices to minimize the melatonin-thwarting blue light. Gamechanger.
6. I let go of my belief that I need sleep to function
Okay truthfully we do need sleep to function, and chronic sleep-deprivation is linked to all sorts of problems. But as anyone who's gone to work after a sleepless night knows, we survive. Foggily and irritably, but we survive. And at 3am as your mind tells you all kinds of catastrophic stories about the world ending the next day, this can be a helpful reminder.
No comments:
Post a Comment