Things we would avoid or cut out:
- Get your phone and screens out of the bedroom
- Avoid Caffeine after 4pm or 5 hours before you want to start winding down
- Stay off your phone 1 hour before bed
- No food or drinks right before bed
- Reduce all blue light exposure in the evenings
- Reduce long naps during the day or irregular naps
Things we would recommend:
- Put WIFI on a timer switch at night and Turn it Off
- Finding the right Mattress, Pillow, and Temperature for you
- Have a designated Sleep Time and Awake Time
- “CALM” supplement from No Name Nutrition or Online
- Add a morning/daily routine with meditation
- Increase natural light exposure during the day
This portion of our website is designed to help you understand what stressors may be contributing to your symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments will never make you feel better but they will most definitely make you HEAL better. It’s the restoration of function that will stop the progression of breakdown that led you to us in the first place. With that being said, we understand it’s also important to feel better so use this Awaken Lifestyle portion of our website to identify what you may be doing to yourself that is contributing to the symptoms. Remember you can not out exercise a bad diet and you can not out-adjust a poor lifestyle!
Ideally you would be able to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. It’s important for your body to have a regular sleeping schedule. This is where your routines for the morning are just as important as your nightly routine. Creating a new normal for your body and mind to know when to rest and recover and when it needs to be alert and high functioning. Dr. Gabriel and Dr. AJ both like to start their day with a workout and some foam rolling or stretching.
For your nightly routine, try to make it a relaxing bedtime routine, such as listening to calming music, reading a book or taking a warm bath or hot shower. Dr. AJ likes to watch documentaries at night because they lull him to sleep.
Make sure your bedroom is cool. Your body temperature naturally decreases to initiate sleep. A bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees helps promote sleep. Dr. AJ prefers it to be as cold as possible.
Make sure your bedroom or sleeping area is quiet. Turn off noisy distractions such as a TV, iPads, Cell Phones, silence unwanted noise with earplugs or use “white noise,” such as from a fan, sound machine or an app. There are so many good apps out there now for sleep aid noises!
Make sure your bedroom is dark. Use blackout shades to block out unwanted light and dim the lights on your digital clock if you can.
Sleep on a mattress and pillows that are comfortable and supportive. Dr. Gabriel prefers a firmer mattress and pillows whereas Dr. AJ likes a very soft mattress and pillows. As long as you are able to sleep restfully one might not be better than the other, you have to figure out which one is better for you.
Try to finish eating meals 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Exercise regularly, regular fitness will help you relax and get the much-needed rest and recovery during the course of the evening. Even if it is a low-impact fitness routine, like walking, swimming or yoga. It is helpful for shutting down at the end of the day. It also helps the body with managing pain and stiffness and improving the quality of your sleep.
Try to limit how many caffeinated products you consume in the afternoon.
Alcohol and nicotine in your body can disrupt sleep and can cause unwanted bouts of waking. For optimal sleep, skip them close to bedtime or altogether.
Sleep plays a key role in your health.
Insufficient sleep can lead to an increased risk of obesity by 89% in children and 55% in adults.
Other studies conclude that getting less than 7–8 hours per night increases your risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
If you’re interested in optimal health and well-being, it’s recommended that you make sleep a top priority