Welcome to a new episode of The Diet of Common Sense Podcast!
The Diet of Common Sense is a common sense approach for active people to stay healthy, improve energy and mental power! It’s the nutrition of entrepreneurs, busy professionals and other active people who lack time, but value their health and well-being.
Here’s the place where nutrition and research meet common sense.
The Diet of Common Sense Podcast brings you simple and actionable information to help you make the best decisions for your health and well-being, despite your limited time. Healthy Living, Simplified.
In this podcast episode, we’ll talk about Evening Routines for Relaxation and Sleep Management.
Humans spend roughly one-third of their lives sleeping. With so much of our lives spent sleeping, there’s no wonder that sleep is one key pillar of our health and wellbeing, and the lack of sleep can lead to serious health problems, as confirmed by science.
Listen to the full podcast episode or read the transcript below:
Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night? Just like diet and exercise, a good night sleep is important for a good health, for your immune system and even your mood and mental health. It helps your mind relax and reduces the stress of the day.
And with all this Coronavirus pandemic, many people have been waken up at night with stressful thoughts, and the chamomille tea and the „counting sheep” remedies proved unefficient.
We need to learn or relearn how to better cope with stress, anxiety and uncertainty. Or what makes a good evening routine for relaxation and sleep management.
Each year more than 50 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with a sleep disorder, and another 20 to 30 million experience intermittent sleep problems, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association.
Stress and modern life are the main causes of sleep disturbance that can induce a decrease in judgment, concentration and an increase in irritability. Lack of sleep is a problem for many individuals who are looking for natural, non-dependent ways to promote sleep and wellness while decreasing stress and anxiety.
Poor sleep can cause health-related issues such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, obesity, depression and others. Insomnia affects about one-third of the adult population. Statistics show that about 50-70 million US adults experience problems falling asleep, maintaining sleep or insufficient sleep.
So, what are some good sleep management solutions?
We looked at what strategies some celebrities and successful people use for less stress and a better night’s sleep.
Arianna Huffington – Founder of The Huffington Post
Her bedtime ritual starts with turning off all her electronic devices, followed by a hot bath with Epsom salts. „Sometimes I have a cup of chamomile or lavender tea if I want something warm and comforting before going to sleep. I love reading real, physical books, especially poetry, novels, and books that have nothing to do with work.”, she told Oprah.
Gwyneth Paltrow – actress
„I take an Epsom salt bath every night to wind down,” as part of her natural relaxation techniques. “I use a lot of organic essential oils on my pressure points.”, she told Elle.
Oprah Winfrey – TV star
Oprah is a definition of success and is known to simultaneously work on several projects at once. So how does she manage to stay calm and face the stress that comes with a busy life and success? Turns out that she’s having a bath before bedtime, it’s a ritual. She claims herself „a bathing professional”, having different bubble baths, salts, beads, and oils. Lavender oil is one of her favorites.
Bill Gates – entrepreneur and Microsoft billionaire
Bill Gates is known to be an avid reader and his bedtime ritual consists of reading anything ranging from politics to current events. Aside from the obvious benefits of learning new things, reading is also associated with stress reduction and memory improvement. However, before bedtime, it’s best to avoid heavy topics like business and instead focus on fiction.
According to Deepak Chopra, setting limits is key to his stress-free evening routine. “I stop working around 5:00,” he told Thrive. “[I] ideally go to bed before 10:00 in a totally dark room, with total silence and no technology.” When it comes to tech, it’s all about boundaries: “You use technology; don’t allow it to use you,” he adds. “It’s that simple.”, according to Thrive Global magazine.
Summing up relaxation strategies for a good night’s sleep, these can be anything from:
- A hot bath with Epson salts and essential oils
- Hot tea for relaxation, such as chamomile
- Reading books unrelated to business or work, such as novels
- Listening to relaxation music
- Practicing yoga exercises, even in bed
- Creating a relaxing environment for sleep with aromatherapy, essential oils and low lightning
- Digital detox, switching off all electronic devices at least one hour prior to bed
- Sleep inducing supplements with melatonin and valerian
- Avoid chemicals that disrupt sleep, such as nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol
- Eat lighter meals in the evening and at least two hours before going to bed.
Which relaxation tip is your favorite? What helps you relax and have a quality, restful sleep at night?
Experiment, and find the one or ones that you enjoy the most.
Please comment, subscribe, leave a review to help improve the listening experience.
Talking about relaxation, apps such as Calm and Audible are releasing new guided meditations, bedtime stories, sound baths that you can listen to before going to sleep.
Performers such as Diddy and Nick Jonas, as well as wellness enthusiasts including Arianna Huffington or Sara Auster present these meditations, bedtime stories, sound baths, soundscapes and more.
Some of these titles include:
Goodnight Smart Phone – by Ariana Huffington
Sleep is central to every part of our lives, and a good night’s sleep begins by putting aside the day’s worries. But in today’s technology-saturated world, saying goodnight to the day is harder than ever. Allow author Arianna Huffington (Thrive, The Sleep Revolution) to guide you to a peaceful night’s slumber as she performs Goodnight Smartphone: a classic tale reborn for the modern age, when the hardest thing to say goodnight to is not the moon but our phones, our email, our social media, our always-on digital selves.
Listen as Arianna borrows from the traditions of children’s bedtime stories to create this modern age adaptation for adults, and learn more about her daily sleep regimen in her introduction. Exclusively written for Audible, available only in audio.
The Perfect Swing Bedtime Story – Read by Nick Jonas
Hear singer, songwriter, and actor Nick Jonas lend his voice to the history of one of his favorite subjects: baseball.
This unique story is written specifically to help you drift off, with no clear beginning, middle, or end, so you don’t need to follow the details too closely. In it, you’ll hear Nick Jonas describe how Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams reached legendary status, and how they shaped the three components of a perfect swing.
What is the perfect swing? You might be asleep before you find out.
This title is part of a collection of audio experiences created to deliver your best sleep during this difficult time. Brought to you in collaboration with Thrive Global.
Rest and Digest , Sound Bath Designed for Sleep – guided by Sarah Auster in combination with Thrive Global.
I’m thrilled to be part of Audible’s collection of new sleep, relaxation and meditation content created in collaboration with Thrive Global. I specially designed this recording with the intention for rest and, ultimately, sleep. I softly guide your breathing to help slow your heart rate and relax your body, so you can linger softly in the pre-slumber state, and access a gentle transition into restful sleep.
Sara Auster is the leading voice in sound bath experiences. She is sought out for her unique ability to create and hold space for diverse communities all around the world, including individuals, small groups, and gatherings ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of people. Sara’s goal is to elevate the way the world engages with sound and the act of listening.
A Sound Bath is a way to access a moment of peace and rest, an opportunity to gather in community, and a space for healing.
To learn more about sound bath and this Audible collection, follow the link in the podcast description below.
The Sleep Revolution – with Arianna Huffington. Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time
In this new audiobook, Arianna reveals all the ways that our inability to get enough sleep impacts our lives; undermines our decision making; compromises our health, our athletic performance, our work lives, our relationships and even our sex lives; and causes us to lose control over how we interact with others and engage with the world.
She discusses the latest science on sleep, explores the importance of dreaming, tackles how technology changes our sleep cycles and explores ways to get better and more restorative sleep. Later in the book, she looks at sleep aides and the role of the sleep industry in compromising our efforts to get a full night’s sleep.
To learn more about The Sleep Revolution, follow the link in the podcast description below.
Cape Cod National Seashore – By ecologist Gordon Hempton. Amazon’s Best Seller in Sleep Disorders
Unlike canned nature sounds created in a studio, renowned acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton travels the world recording remarkable locations that capture the essence of the place itself. His lifelong mission is to preserve nature through sound, and his soundscapes are produced with such care and quality that you feel as if he has truly brought a slice of the world into your home.
Few things are as soothing as the lull of the ocean, and in this piece, Gordon celebrates the sounds of the Atlantic as only he can. Relax, close your eyes, and experience the waves crashing onto the wet sand like the earth’s own breathing.
This title is part of a collection of audio experiences created to deliver your best sleep during this difficult time.
A best in class collection of guided meditations, bedtime stories, sound baths that you can listen to before going to sleep. You can find the links to these Audible works in the podcast description below.
Also worth mentioning to help improve relaxation and sleep quality is yoga, or another form of gentle, stretching activity.
Yoga is a gentle and restorative way to wind down your day. A national survey found that over 55% of people who practiced yoga claimed it helps them get better sleep. Also, over 85% said yoga helped them reduce stress.
What about the relaxing power of aromatherapy? How can aromatherapy help when it comes to better sleep and stress relief?
Let’s have a closer look at essential oils and their properties, as backed up by science.
Studies have shown that some essential oils can help with stress relief and promote better sleep. The essential oils fragrances work by sending signals to the brain to release neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and endorphins that are associated with feelings of peace and happiness. The inhalation of volatile components is believed to impact our bodies through the nervous system. Inhalation of essential oils may be a safe alternative to other chemicals or drugs for mild to moderate insomnia.
Aromatherapy was also found to help reduce anxiety and depression in women with postpartum depression. The study indicated that aromatherapy was effective in the improvement of mothers’ sleep quality.
The 8 most researched essential oils for sleep management include: lavender, sandalwood, cedarwood, bergamot, ylang-ylang, vetiver, valerian and of course, chamomile.
Aromatech – Premium Scenting Solutions for Home & Business
Discover how to enhance environments with scent. Enhance your home and office environments with Scent & Nebulizing Diffusers.
Aromatech – Scenting Solutions for Home & Business. Diffuse luxurious & relaxing scents in your living room, bedroom, or bathroom.
Scent your entire house at once through your air conditioning system with Aromatech state-of-the-art diffusers.
The variety of sleek and minimalist scent machines cover areas small or large, fit for any home. Transform yours today.
For more information about Aromatech products, follow this link.
Incorporating small habits of relaxation into your own evening routines will help you have a more restful night – and a happier and productive morning. Nightly habits can seriously improve your well-being.
Last but not least, if you experience problems falling asleep over a longer period of time, seriously consider talking to a doctor about your sleep troubles. Talk to a qualified professional to help you with professional advice and even medication, if necesarry.
Sleep problems , including snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, sleep deprivation, and restless legs syndrome, are common.
A good sleep is necessary for optimal health and can affect hormone levels, mood and weight. Left untreated, it can compromise your health and well-being both short and in the long term. The symptoms of anxiety, depression, behavioural or mood disorders can be caused or worsened by sleeping problems.
Massage – can improve insomnia by improving the sleep quality, perhaps because they trigger the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can help you feel calm.
Adequate sleep is necessary for healthy functioning, and quality sleep is vital to health and wellness. But an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans experience sleep issues that affect their health, often leading to low work performance, slow reaction time, obesity, higher risk of long-term disease, and substance abuse.
So, if you’re having problems falling asleep, maintaining sleep or experience difficulty to concentate during the day, you’re not alone.
Those who sleep less than 8 hours per night are experiencing “sleep debt,” which cannot be reversed by sleeping more during the weekend. Your best bet is to get 7-8 hours of night sleep on a regular basis for a good immune system, health and wellbeing.
Which relaxation tip is your favorite? What helps you relax and have a quality, restful sleep at night?
What other topics would you like to hear about or receive in your inbox?
Please comment, subscribe, leave a review to help improve the listening experience.
Also, please subscribe to my e-mail list to never miss a podcast episode and receive exclusive content & good deals right in your inbox! You can find the subscription link in the podcast description below.
To your health and success,
Sarah
——
Audible – Listen anytime, anywhere
Perfect while doing housework, exercising or just before bed. Start your free-30 day trial.
Audible – the world largest audiobook library at your fingertips. Your first 30 days are free, then it’s £7.99 a month. Cancel any time. Save up to 80% on selected titles. Sound good? Here’s how it works.
https://www.audible.co.uk
or
https://www.audible.com/
Your free 30-day membership comes with:
• Your choice of 1 audiobook + select Audible Originals
• Exclusive guided wellness programs
$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime. Click here.
Products mentioned in the podcast episode:
“Goodnight Smart Phone” by Ariana Huffington
“The Perfect Swing” Bedtime Story Read by Nick Jonas, in colaboration with Thrive Global
Rest and Digest, Sound Bath Designed for Sleep, guided by Sarah Auster in combination with Thrive Global
The Sleep Revolution – with Arianna Huffington. Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Tim
Cape Cod National Seashore – By ecologist Gordon Hempton. Amazon’s Best Seller in Sleep Disorders
Aromatech – Premium Scenting Solutions for Home & Business
References:
AMTA; Massage Therapy Can Help Improve Sleep; October 2012; www.amtamassage.org/approved_position_statements/Massage-Therapy-Can-Help-Improve-Sleep.html
Mayo Clinic Staff; Insomnia; Mayo Clinic; www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/basics/complications/con-20024293
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24720812
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22789792/