Getting enough shut-eye every evening is the pillar of any successful wellness routine. However, when someone is stressed, overstimulated, or consumed by their thoughts, quality sleep is often one of the first wellness habits to fall by the wayside. Your sleep quality tends to be connected to other aspects of one’s health, such as emotional stability and gut health. Understanding how these different factors impact your sleep is crucial for you to avoid experiencing the potential adverse effects. Once these factors are identified, you may incorporate other methods to support you in achieving quality sleep.
Let us dive into general reasons why people struggle with sleeping, some tips for achieving quality sleep, and how best to support your gut health to avoid it negatively impacting your sleep.
Reasons Why You May Be Struggling to Fall Asleep At Night
Stress
Work, health, money, family commitments, and social affairs are all aspects of one’s life that can bring great joy but also high levels of stress. When stressful situations occur in our lives, it can be easy for our brains to become overwhelmed and consumed by said situation. Stress can lead to overthinking, which can contribute to insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder classified by the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night.
Consuming food right before bed
Eating a large meal before bedtime can cause acid reflux and general discomfort. Your body has not had the proper amount of time to digest the food you consumed, and stomach acid might travel up through your esophagus, creating what is known as heartburn. These symptoms will make it uncomfortable to try and fall asleep. If you are hungry close to bedtime, try for a light snack instead of a full meal.
Consuming stimulants
A stimulant is any substance that increases activity in your nervous system and brain. Coffee is one of the most common stimulants that people tend to consume. If you are a coffee drinker who struggles to fall asleep at night, coffee might be the culprit. If the stimulant has lingering effects far into the evening, it will be challenging to fall asleep. Consider switching out your afternoon coffee for tea instead.
Irregular sleep schedule
Sleep is an activity that often requires consistency. Your body will start to notice specific patterns surrounding sleep and will relax your body through these patterns. However, if you are someone who goes to sleep at irregular times every night, your body will start to struggle with preparing itself for bedtime. Try to create a schedule for your bedtime routine to help guide your body into a relaxing state.
Tips and Tricks To Better Your Sleep Quality In the Evenings
A bedtime routine is a great stepping stone in achieving quality sleep. Here are some ways to elevate your bedtime routine to help support your sleep quality.
Use an Eye Mask
Eye masks are affordable and a game changer to your sleep routine. Darkness is one of the most critical aspects of your environment regarding sleeping. Light can often disrupt the brain and eyes from falling into restful sleep. Wearing an eye mask is a straightforward way to ensure that no light is penetrating your eyes and causing you to struggle with sleep. They are also a great way to prioritize sleep when a dark room is only sometimes an option, such as on a plane.
Avoid Stimulation Before Bed
Stimulation causes the brain to become active, disrupting the body’s ability to fall asleep. Are you someone who falls asleep with the television on or scrolling through your social media? This can contribute to your restless sleep. If you want an activity to do before bed, consider opting for reading or journaling.
Participate in a Relaxing Activity
Our day-to-day routines are often characterized by a constant need to move. Optimizing your evenings before bed for relaxation is crucial to overall health. Relaxation offers us a variety of benefits and will look different for everyone. Pick a relaxing activity that speaks to you and include it in your bedtime routine. Some ideas include meditating, journaling, yoga, and painting.
How Best To Support Your Gut and Overall Health to Achieve Better Sleep
Your gut microbiome contributes to your sleep quality. If your gut microbiome is filled with harmful bacteria, it can disrupt sleep and limit your serotonin production, impacting your sleep. You must work to create a diverse gut microbiome filled with beneficial bacteria.
A probiotic supplement that helps with bloating is one of the best ways to produce beneficial bacteria in your gut. It helps promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and diminishes the chances of harmful bacteria from entering your system. Our Probiotic Renu contains bifido and lacto probiotic cultures to offer you the best support possible!
In addition to Probiotic Renu, our Sexy & Trim Wellness Kit contains a digestive enzyme supplement called Sexy & Slim that will elevate your sleep quality. A digestive enzyme supplement will help your body properly digest the foods you consume. When you experience indigestion, you are more likely to struggle to fall asleep without disruption. Our Sexy & Slim supplement also contains anti-inflammatory and relaxation properties that prepare your body for sleep.
Lastly, eating well-balanced meals that do not contain triggering or inflammatory foods is crucial to fostering an environment where your body can fall asleep without struggle. When you consume foods that your body might be sensitive to, it can trigger adverse effects, making it less likely for you to fall asleep without issue.
Gluten or dairy intolerances are incredibly common and contribute to issues such as irregular bowel movements, loose stool, and abdominal pain. Take time to evaluate if any ingredients in your meals trigger adverse effects and alter your meals accordingly.
Sleep is a part of our lives that should be noticed, and with the proper amount of care and attention, it can be an easy ride. Take a moment this week to evaluate your sleep quality and how you might better your routine.