06/14/2022
A healthy sleep routine encourages optional nervous system function 🧠✨
Let’s focus on the DO’S of this post!:
We should be getting 7-8 hours of sleep EVERY NIGHT! Some of you may think, “I function just fine off of 4-5 hours a night”. Reflect on things like stress, body function, cognition, caffeine intake, etc. If you are drinking multiple cups of coffee a day, or feeling quickly agitated from life, maybe it’s times to hit the snooze button and sleep longer 😴
Incorporating a sleep hygiene routine is a great way to prepare the nervous system for sleep — our nervous system like to form habits from repetition✨
Exercise regularly! Exercise trains and conditions the autonomic nervous system (parasympathetic & sympathetic) to stress. This results in our nervous system adapting to stressors in our everyday life and enabling higher activation of our parasympathetic nervous system before bed 🛏
Manage stress & anxiety! 😵💫 No doubt, these are very difficult to manage. One strategy is journaling 🖊 This is great to implement and help organize the brain, regulating sympathetic and parasympathetic systems and less distracting thoughts at night when it is time to unwind 💆🏻♀️
Deep diaphragmatic breathing 🫁 will engage the parasympathetic nervous system, slow down heart rate 🫀 and increase our vagal tone! Try doing 10 belly breathes before falling asleep 💤
Do you have a sleep hygiene routine or tips/tricks that you follow to get a proper nights rest?
Comment below👇🏻
Dr. Celia ✨
