Sleep Like a Baby – No, Really!

Make easy, simple changes to upgrade your sleep.

Joanne Varni

Articles\Health

better sleep benefits, heart health, joanne varni, longevity, mindfulness, sleep hygiene, sleep score

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There is a new buzzword in the health industry. Many doctors are creating content around longevity. And it’s not just about living longer; it’s about adding years of quality living for the time that we get to be here. There are several things that we can do to promote and enhance our own longevity. One of the single most beneficial actions we can take to improve our overall well-being and the longevity that naturally comes along with that, is to ensure that we maintain a good sleep score.

Sleep score and sleep hygiene are phrases that have recently become popular. A sleep score gives clear data on the quality of one’s previous night’s sleep. Sleep hygiene refers to the habits we create BEFORE we go to bed.

These terms are often used to promote products like smart watches, health devices, and smart rings. These devices can be very helpful because they provide feedback as to how you are sleeping. They monitor breathing, heart rate, heart rate variability, REM/deep/light sleep amounts, awake time, and latency (the amount of time it takes to fall asleep once in bed).

I was an early adopter of a smart ring and have used it on and off for years. I found it helpful early on, as it provided insights into my recovery that I didn’t realize. For example, when I ate dinner later in the evening, my heart rate didn’t drop as low as it would if I allowed about 3 hours between eating and going to bed. When our heart rate stays elevated, and to be clear, we can’t always “feel” that in our bodies, we don’t get adequate rest. The same results can happen from drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. Even the types of food and the quality of the food we eat can impact our ability to rest and recover, as digestion is very taxing on the organs. The cleaner the food, the easier it is to digest. Over time, I relied less on devices and more on creating healthy habits because I know what can impact my sleep.

The good news is you can make easy, simple adjustments without investing in a device (although I do think they are immensely helpful). With practice, as you come to recognize your sleep hygiene, you will likely become less reliant on the data devices share and more tuned into how you feel. All it requires is paying attention and making a few changes.

What are the benefits of better sleep? In a nutshell, not only does it support living a longer, healthier life, but it also enhances cognitive function, improves our immune system, gives us more energy to move, and aids in better heart health, to name a few.

Here are some things you can do to create good sleep hygiene. Try incorporating a few and let me know how it works for you!

Keep a sleep diary for 2 weeks. Monitor the last time you eat/drink before bed. Keep track of how you prepare for bed (reading, social media, TV, taking a bath, etc.). Adjust to see if adding/or removing certain patterns changes your sleep. Notice how often you have sleep disruptions (getting up to go to the bathroom or restless sleep).
Limit stimulating activities before bed. This includes reading or watching activating material at least 30 minutes before bed.
Eat 3 hours before you go to sleep.
Journal in the morning and before bed. This allows for a brain dump before and after sleep, so your mind isn’t overactive.
Using a guided meditation before bed can be very grounding. There are many free apps (the Insight app is one of many).
Monitor liquid intake two hours before bed. This can help with the need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
If worry persists, sit up in bed and gently massage your head, ears, and face. This will allow the energy/stress to move through you and not stay stuck.
Manage your body temperature during sleep. Sleep cooler. Sleeping with blankets made of natural fibers allows for better temperature regulation.
Ensure your hands and feet are warm before bed by using warm water for a foot bath or warming your hands.
Start identifying your best sleep time.
Keep your bedroom dark.
Consider wearing an eye mask.
Deal with stress by moving every day. Even a ten-minute walk can be helpful.

Joanne Varni

Joanne's philosophy as a yoga teacher is to help people who seek personal empowerment feel connected to their bodies, quiet their mind, stimulate a healthy nervous system, and release tension in the body caused by stress, anxiety, or trauma. Her teaching technique uses a combination of breath work, meditation, gentle asanas, somatic yoga, and neurogenic tremoring. Additionally, Joanne specializes in helping those with trauma (including PTSD) and has attended and completed her Level II certification in TRE (Trauma/tension release exercises) with Dr. David Bercelli. She is also certified as TSY teacher (Trauma Sensitive Yoga) under the renowned guidance of trauma researcher and pioneer Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (The Trauma Center at JRI). Joanne teaches classes, workshops, teacher trainings, as well as running retreats locally and internationally. She also teaches Yoga for Trauma Recovery at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose, California and has voluntarily taught yoga to women incarcerated at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas and the Center for Survivors of Torture in San Jose. Joanne is an ERYT500 and earned her 200 hour and 500 hour YA certification through Jennifer Prugh’s YA certified “JOY of Yoga” teacher training. She completed her Therapeutic Yoga teacher training with Cheri Clampett and Arturo Peal and her Yin Yoga Teacher training under Paul and Suzy Grilley. A twenty-year resident of Los Gatos, she enjoys spending time with her husband John, and children, Anthony, Steven, and Nicole.