How To Get Better Sleep

Sleep is one of the most critical aspects to contribute to a well-rounded and healthy lifestyle. Studies have found that quality sleep affects weight loss, mood, and performance. Everyone should strive to achieve restful sleep through implementing a nighttime routine, finding the right supplements, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here’s everything you should know about making your quality of sleep (and life) better:  

Supplements 

There’s a new update in the wellness space — one of the most popular sleep supplements has been recently banned by the FDA. The FDA decided to no longer allow Phenibut to be bought over the counter, prescribed by a doctor, or placed in any supplement. Phenibut was a supplement used to help people sleep better; Dr. Alice says that most of her clients felt well-rested the following day after taking it. While the United States is joining Australia with a ban on this specific sleep supplement, there are other ways that you can achieve restful sleep.  

There are basic and more naturopathic supplements like Magnesium, B6, and taurine that will help you fall asleep. It’s essential to keep in mind that sleep supplements are not a cure-all — you can’t take sleep supplements with a poor lifestyle, sleep routine, or habits and expect to get quality restful sleep. While naturopathic supplements (such as botanicals) benefit most, some people need something stronger to assist with their sleep hygiene.  

Peptides 

Dr. Alice considers peptides to be a mid-range intervention when it comes to sleep issues. Peptides are injectables that people turn to when they need something stronger than botanicals. Here are the two most common peptides that help our clients get better sleep:  

1. 1. Delta-sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) is administered every 14 days. It increases luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone.  
   2. CJC 1295/Ipamorelin is administered five days a week, with two days off. Our clients have experienced fat loss as a side effect! 

Some practitioners have used peptides for over a decade and swear by the fantastic benefits that their patients have experienced. Peptides are great because they not only help people sleep better and for longer, but they have other benefits as well. These injectables are known to assist with losing weight, improving mood, and they have antiaging benefits.  

Nighttime Routine  

The most fundamental step to better sleep is to establish a nighttime routine. We recommend that everyone tries to find something that’s relaxing and adaptable for a nightly routine. Dr. Alice suggests sleep hygiene as a baseline intervention for better sleep.  You should take the time to formulate a nightly routine that works for you. It’s important to mention that sleep hygiene — or the habits, routines, and lifestyle choices surrounding sleep — is incredibly subjective. What works for one person may not work for another! 

Dr. Alice admits that she enjoys reading case studies on her phone with the low-light mode on before playing a five-minute meditation that puts her to sleep. While blue light can have adverse effects, her nighttime routine works for her. You should find what works best for you — whether that be reading a book, drinking a sleepy tea, or meditating.  If you’re using the nighttime to stress out about the happenings of your life, you’re engaging in counterproductive activities. It’s essential to rest and digest at night. The timing and efficacy of staying up and worrying about life are simply counterproductive as there are very low chances that you will fix any of your problems at night. It’s essential to allow your body to properly rest so you can function optimally throughout the day.  

It’s interesting to note that the circadian rhythm involves both the up and the down in the cycle. Essentially, your evening routine and sleep quality could be enhanced by your morning routine — and your sleep routine could improve your daily routine as well.  

Find Peace of Mind 

To obtain restful sleep, you need to switch your body into a parasympathetic state that allows you to have peace of mind and body. Peace of mind is another subjective factor that influences how well we’re able to rest at night. You should ask yourself some questions about why you may not be getting enough sleep or low-quality sleep. Here’s a small checklist of questions you should start asking yourself:   

• Have you been dieting for a long time?  
• Are you overexercising?  
• Are you exercising too close to bedtime?  
• Are you eating too far or too close to bedtime?  
• How’s the temperature in your room? What about the lighting?  
• Do you have the right bed and pillow that’s comfortable to you and supports the natural curvature of your spine? 

We want to encourage everyone to do their best to get restful sleep every night. Studies have shown that ‘catch up’ sleep isn’t very effective, so it’s necessary to prioritize your sleep to lead a healthy lifestyle. Body composition goals are enhanced with adequate rest: research has shown that dieting in conjunction with poor sleep can lead to loss of lean mass, while sufficient sleep helps ensure your diet leads to fat loss. In fact, your brain will quite literally begin to break down brain mass and brain tissue because of sleep deprivation, so you’re taking care of your whole body when you sleep well! You will undoubtedly improve your life by improving your sleep.