J.36/ How to sleep better and improve your energy levels
There are many factors that can affect our sleep which then in turn reduces our energy levels. Things such as stress, reduced melatonin, poor sleep hygiene are all factors which can affect our quality of sleep.
On my questionnaire before our initial consultation, I have a question that asks how you’re sleeping, it’s so rare for someone to say it’s great, I know a lot of my clients really struggle with low energy and high stress, it’s a common theme. It’s no surprise because we’re all under so much pressure, work pressure, family pressure, social pressure, our own expectations we put on ourselves. Sometimes we just need to step back, take a breath and look at the bigger picture, if we don’t nurture our health and wellbeing, we won’t be able succeed.
To help improve your energy levels you first need to be a detective and work out why you’re lacking in energy, some causes of low energy can be stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, lack of exercise, poor immune health, gut dysfunction or a nutrient imbalance. I always like to start with a B vitamin to help boost energy levels in conjunction with solving the root cause of the low energy.
If you’re having trouble with sleeping there are a few main culprits, stress is usually the big one that effects most people, if stress isn’t the main driver I then look into pain levels as this can be a huge sleep disturbance. Other factors can be poor diet, lack of exercise and poor sleep hygiene. Having a sleep routine is as important for adults as it is for children and I know a lot of us do the very things we shouldn’t do before bed. Having good sleep hygiene includes having a nice bath or shower before, no screens at least 30 minutes before bed, having a blue light filter on your devices and making sure you take the time to see the afternoon sun (this allows our body to start increasing Melatonin naturally by seeing the sun go down). These all help the body unwind and cue it for knowing it is sleep time, if you find you’re having repetitive thoughts when it’s time for sleep I like to suggest writing down those thoughts or practicing mindfulness techniques to switch your mind to something else.
To help support sleep I do like to recommend lifestyle changes, but I also like to support each individual with supplement and herbal support as well. My favourite nutrient for relaxation and sleep is Magnesium, it has so many uses in the body and does wonders to help unwinding from the day. There are many options for herbs for sleep and stress and it really does depend on the individual patient for what I give them. It’s a great idea to reach out to a health professional such as myself to help with boosting energy and to help with insomnia, this way you ensure you’re getting good quality supplements that are safe, effective and just right for you.
