Retraining My Sleep Schedule

How did you sleep last night?

Or the night before? 

If you have issues with falling or staying asleep, you’re not alone. When I talk about my experience with chronic insomnia and sleeping issues – waking up at 3am, unable to fall asleep due to racing thoughts, and feeling fatigued throughout the day – other people seem to be dealing with the same thing. 

In a new Consumer Reports of 4,023 U.S. adults, 27 percent of U.S. adults said they had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep most nights, and 68 percent—or an estimated 164 million Americans—struggled with sleep at least once a week.

In a culture of hustle, sleep and rest lose priority. Even Bill Gates admits to pulling multiple all nighters and advises against it.

My issues with sleep go back to middle and high school – topical steroids were messing with my stress hormones and I averaged a 4-5 hours of sleep per night. In college, my sleep schedule became even more out of whack, so I relied on self medication to sleep: alcohol, heavy carbs, benadryl, nyquil, zzzquil, melatonin, cbd oil, etc. 

Nothing worked more than a temporary fix.  

After a few miserably sleepless nights at the end of 2019, I committed to prioritizing my sleep schedule and and began trialing new methods to help me fall asleep and stay asleep. My sleep schedule is a work in progress and I want to share some of the things that have been working for me:

Magnolia Bark Extract

Originating in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Magnolia bark extract comes from a flowering tree native to China and is used to promote sleep and relaxation, decrease anxiety, treat asthma, depression, gastrointestinal disorders and more. Magnolia bark contains several natural, bioactive compounds that function as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-allergic agents — two of the most well-known are honokiol and magnolol.

This article thoroughly explains how the magnolia bark extract impacts sleep and stress: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/02/27/magnolia-bark-affects-sleep-health/

I started taking magnolia extract in the beginning of January. Within days, my sleep was already improving. I started feeling drowsy and had an easier time falling asleep. I also noticed that I wasn’t waking up at 3am every night. However, I do notice some drowsiness in the mornings after taking magnolia extract. 

Magnesium + Electrolyte Balance

One of the 24 essential vitamins and minerals— magnesium is a mineral that is essential for hundreds of chemical reactions in your body. Unfortunately, studies suggest that about 50% of people in the US and Europe get less than the recommended daily amount of magnesium (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22364157). Low magnesium levels can throw many of the body’s functions off course, including problems with sleep. Insomnia is a common symptom of magnesium deficiency.

Here are some articles that further explain how magnesium levels affect stress and sleep:

I’ve been taking a magnesium supplement for a few years and notice a big difference when I don’t take it. I use a mix of magnesium supplements and epsom salts baths.

SAD Lamp/Light Therapy

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at a cyclical throughout the year, usually in the fall or winter. Light therapy is used to alter brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing SAD symptoms. 

Here are some articles that explain more about SAD and light therapy for insomnia:

I’ve been using a sun lamp in the winter for a couple years to combat seasonal depression. Recently, I’ve made a point to use my sun lamp for at least an hour every morning at my desk. Here is the lamp I’ve been using: https://www.amazon.com/Circadian-Optics-Therapy-Spectrum-Minimalist/dp/B075H39NDL?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_11

Blue Light Glasses

The use of artificial lighting and electronics may contribute to sleep problems. These devices emit light of a blue light disrupts your brain’s natural circadian rhythm. Blue light glasses essentially block out blue-light waves — some studies suggest that these lenses help improve sleep overall when worn hours before bedtime.

Since I spend the majority of my day looking at a computer screen, I opt to use my bluelight glasses throughout the work day in additional to wearing them hours before bed. 

Cutting Off Caffeine

It’s no secret that caffeine affects our quality of sleep, but it’s important to be mindful of your caffeine consumption throughout the day if you find yourself struggling with sleep. 

For healthy adults, the FDA recommends no more than 400mg of caffeine a day. What does 400 mg of caffeine look like?

I limit myself to a max of 2 cups of coffee per day, no later than 11am.

Ending the Stress Cycle

After reading Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski, I learned that completing the ‘stress cycle’ is the most effective way to avoid burnout and emotional exhaustion. Whether its a walk, run, workout class and just dancing around your room, get moving at the end of the day. There are other ways to end the stress cycle that you can read about in the articles below:

Focusing on Rest, Not Sleep

Don’t try and force yourself to sleep: doing so only made me feel more miserable. When I started to focus on resting in bed – rather than putting pressure on getting sleep – I’m able to relax easier. 

Prior to this year, I was averaging 3-4 hours of sleep per night – sometimes less. Gradually, I’ve been able to fall asleep earlier and stay asleep longer, and last night I slept a full 8 hours for the first time in years. If you try one thing on this list, I recommend you start with Magnolia Bark Extract – hands down the most effective and gentle sleep aid I’ve used and it has a host of other health benefits. I’d love to hear from you what works for you and what doesn’t. Leave a comment below or reach out via Instagram.

Thanks for reading along.

Leave a comment