Page 19 - The Dispatch Febuary 2017

TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT
within a healthy range for my age (see graph below for your initially, consuming alcohol before bed significantly increases
age group). It usually takes me about 15-20 minutes to fall the likelihood of waking up throughout the night and tossing
asleep at night once I’m in bed, so I set my alarm to accom- and turning. Additionally, research shows it is difficult to stay
modate for that time as well. in REM sleep (the deepest stage) when you consume alcohol.
A good tip is to not drink alcohol three hours before your
LEARN HOW TO FALL ASLEEP FASTER You may be saying, bedtime. I have since adjusted my nightly ritual to replace my
sure this sounds great in theory, but I never know when I’m glass of red wine with a relaxing cup of chamomile tea. This
going to fall asleep at night, so how would this work? Focus- allows me to enjoy a tasty, soothing beverage and unwind,
ing on creating better sleep friendly conditions in both the while also reaping the benefits of falling asleep faster (cham-
bedroom and your nightly routine, could be just the ticket. omile promotes relaxation) and staying asleep (cutting alcohol
intake).
Limit caffeine intake to the morning and early afternoon,
avoiding caffeine six hours before bedtime. Remember, MAINTAIN GOOD NUTRITION AND EXERCISE “Healthy eat-
chocolate contains caffeine, and could be impacting your ing leads to healthy sleeping,” according to the National Sleep
ability to fall asleep. Reach for fruit for dessert instead. Foundation. The NSF recommends a diet that is high in fiber,
low in added sugars, that emphasizes vegetables and fruits,
Plan on eating dinner 3-4 hours before your bedtime, since and low-fat proteins rich in B vitamins such as fish, poultry
it takes that long typically to digest food and steer clear of and eggs. Studies show that B vitamins may play a role in
overly spicy, rich, or heavy meals that cause indigestion and melatonin production, regulating sleep cycles. Maintaining a
heartburn and can keep you up at night. healthy body weight also reduces the risk of developing sleep
disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea. Exercising for
MAKE YOUR BEDROOM SLEEP FRIENDLY Taking cues at least thirty minutes a day can assist with this, and has also
from nature can lead us to peaceful sleep. According to the been shown to promote quality sleep.
National Sleep Foundation, “At night there is an increase of
darkness, decreased activity and cooler temperatures that For additional resources and articles on sleep, check out
all contribute to our bodies feeling sleepy.” Aim for your the National Sleep Foundation’s website, www.sleep.org. I
room to be cool (60 to 67 degrees or so), dark (try sleep recommend the articles on napping, sleep hygiene, signs and
masks to achieve this) and quiet (ear plugs or white noise symptoms of sleep apnea, and how to improve sleep during
machine can help). Also begin to slow your physical and a deployment. Awareness is the first step in positive change.
mental activity to also quiet your body and mind. Which You have the power to make the sleep you have been dream-
brings us to... ing about, a reality!

CREATE A RELAXING BEDTIME ROUTINE Take thirty min-
utes to an hour to wind down. Maybe you lower the lights 90-MINUTE SLEEP CYCLE
in your home and disconnect from TV and phone screens.
This triggers the release of melatonin, the natural chemical Stage One- This is the lightest sleep stage when you
that helps put you to sleep. You could sip on some herbal can be easily awoken and where you may feel like
decaf tea, listen to relaxing music, meditate, reflect on the you’re falling or have sudden muscle twitches
things you are thankful for, anything that is helpful to you.
This time helps us transition from active to passive, sympa- Stage Two- During this second stage, your heart rate
thetic nervous system (“fight, flight, or freeze”) to parasym- slows, your muscles contract and relax, and your body
pathetic nervous system (“rest and digest”) and ultimately, temperature decreases as you prepare to go into deep
awake to asleep. sleep.

LEARN HOW TO STAY ASLEEP What if your issue isn’t Stages Three and Four- You’ve now entered the deep
falling asleep at night, but staying asleep at night, or both? sleep phases where brain waves slow down and it be-
Often people struggle with waking up throughout the night comes more difficult to wake up. This is when the body
disrupting sleep cycles and reducing time spent in deep repairs muscles and tissues.
sleep, where important healing and restoration occurs. So
how do we improve our ability to STAY asleep?
REM- In this final stage, your heart rate, breathing and
eye movement all speed up and your brain becomes
REDUCE ALCOHOL INTAKE I know you may be thinking, more active, processing things that you’ve learned
“but a nightcap helps me fall asleep!” Trust me, I was resis-
tant to this at first too. Though it might help you fall asleep during the day; where dreaming occurs.

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