If you aren’t sleeping well, it is just a matter of time before it will adversely
affect your health, even if you’re doing everything else right.
Certain nutrients, such as magnesium, potassium and vitamin D can play an important role in poor sleep if your intake is inadequate.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by your brain that helps with the timing of your circadian rhythms and with sleep. Its production is regulated by the pineal gland in your brain and is produced in response to darkness. Being exposed to light at night blocks melatonin production. So, it’s crucial to pay attention to your use of artificial lighting.
To promote good sleep, make sure you’re exposed to full natural light during the day, and avoid artificial lighting once the sun goes down, especially as bedtime draws near. Of course you can’t totally avoid lighting! But at best, minimise the amount of artificial light you’re exposed to, especially when it comes from tech devices.
To make your bedroom into a suitable sleep sanctuary, begin by making sure it’s pitch-black, cool, and quiet. Remember, even the tiniest bit of light can disrupt your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin. Even briefly turning on a light to go to the bathroom will disrupt this.
If you need a light during the night a Himalayan Salt Lamp is a better alternative than white light as the pink light doesn’t disturb the pineal gland and disrupt sleep.
You spend a third of the day sleeping so why not do it right?
Find more tips for a better night’s sleep here.