Sleep— the body’s natural detox system.

When things seem off, it can be so easy to turn our attention to starting an exercise program or a new diet. But the truth is that a good night’s sleep is our body’s natural detox system. (And don’t we usually just feel better with a good sleep schedule, too?!)

Countless studies have shown that poor sleep has immediate negative effects on your hormones, physical performance, and brain function. Plus, a lack of sleep can also cause weight gain and increase the risk of disease— in both adults and children.

The news isn’t all bleak. Good sleep can help you make better food choices, exercise better, and achieve overall health.

How To Get Better Sleep Tonight

Increase bright light exposure during the day. Bright light at the right times plays into your body’s natural time-keeping clock known as your circadian rhythm. This affects your brain, body, and hormones, which helps you stay awake— and eventually tells your body when it’s time to sleep.
Reduce blue light exposure in the evening. Blue light — which electronic devices like smartphones and computers emit in large amounts — tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. Large amounts of blue light reduces hormones like melatonin, which we want to help you relax and get deep sleep.
Avoid caffeine late in the day. Caffeine stimulates your nervous system and may stop your body from naturally relaxing at night. Most studies agree that consuming caffeine up to 6 hours before bed significantly worsened sleep quality, so switch to decaf or stick with water about 6 hours before bed.
Aim to sleep and wake at consistent times. Again, we’re working with your body’s circadian rhythm here. It functions on a set loop, aligning itself with sunrise and sunset, so being consistent with your sleep and waking times can aid long-term sleep quality. If you can achieve this goal, you might not even need an alarm clock!
Take a break from alcohol. Alcohol can cause or increase the symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring, and overall disrupted sleep patterns. It can also lower nighttime melatonin production, which plays a key role in your body’s circadian rhythm.
Create the ideal bedroom environment for sleeping. Try to minimize external noise, light, and artificial lights from devices like alarm clocks. Make sure your bedroom is a cool, quiet, clean, and relaxing place that is used primarily for sleeping.
Set your bedroom temperature a little bit cooler. Body and bedroom temperature can also profoundly affect sleep quality. Some studies have found that the temperature we sleep at affects our sleep quality more than external noise. Around 70°F seems to be a comfortable temperature for most people, although it depends on your preferences and habits.
Set a pre-sleep routine to relax. Relaxing nighttime activities like listening to calming music, reading a book, taking a hot bath, meditating, deep breathing, and visualization, can help you fall asleep and improve overall sleep quality.

Maintain overall health during the day for a better night.

Functional medicine gets to the root of your physical or medical issues as opposed to masking symptoms using medications with harmful side effects. At Rob + Katie Truax, we are proud to offer functional medicine, mental health counseling, substance abuse life coaching, chiropractic care, clinical supplementation, and more to help our patients live long and healthy lives. We pride ourselves in our ability to deliver holistic services that address the specific needs of each of our patients. Whether you feel you need help to improve your mental or physical well-being, we have a chiropractor, clinical therapist, and other qualified clinicians on-site at our Santa Rosa Beach facility.