The Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Sleep, According To A Functional Medicine Expert

According to the CDC, adults should get 7 hours (1) of uninterrupted sleep every night for optimal health. However, 35% of people (2) - about 1 in 3 Americans - regularly sleep less than what is recommended.

After years of consulting patients in my telehealth functional medicine clinic, I have seen the far-reaching implications poor sleep can have on a person’s health. But it’s never too late, or too difficult, to take back control of your sleep.

These are some of my favorite natural tools to help you fall and stay asleep so you can wake up feeling rested, refreshed, and ready to tackle the day.

1. Weighted blankets

Designed to mimic a technique known as deep pressure stimulation that uses hands-on pressure to relax the nervous system, weighted blankets have been shown to help improve insomnia in individuals with ADHD, (3) anxiety, (4) and chronic pain. (5) Depending on your personal preference, you can get weighted blankets anywhere between 5 to 30 pounds.

2. Magnesium

To facilitate better sleep, magnesium supplements are best taken right before bed. This is because magnesium acts as fuel for your body’s GABA receptors that help regulate your body’s sleep system. Magnesium is typically found in powdered form to mix easily with water.

To help with this, I formulated The Magnesium with 4 different forms of Magnesium to be taken daily. 

3. Chili pads

Your body’s core temperature should naturally drop while you are sleeping, but that doesn’t always happen depending on certain environmental factors and certain health problems. Brands like ChiliSleep have designed specialized sleeping pads and blankets that help regulate your temperature while you sleep so you can get the deep, restorative sleep you deserve every night.

4. Warm showers

Taking a warm shower or bath is another way to lower your body’s core temperature for optimal sleep. Instead of heating your body up, the warm water stimulates (6) blood flow to your feet and hands which causes your body heat to escape quicker, thus cooling you down.

5. Superfoods

Late night eating has always been a taboo. But if you pick the right snacks, they might actually help you fall asleep. Certain foods like walnuts and sweet cherries naturally contain melatonin - your body’s “sleepy time” hormone - that helps your body relax and wind down. These foods are also a better alternative to melatonin supplements as these can mess with your body’s natural melatonin production and further perpetuate a poor sleep-wake cycle.

6. Block blue light

Melatonin regulates your body’s sleep-wake cycle by dropping in the morning to help you wake up and gradually increasing throughout the day so you are ready to hit the pillow at night. However, exposure to blue light from your phone or computer can actually inhibit melatonin production. Limiting screen time in the evening is the best way to encourage healthy melatonin levels; but if you can’t unplug completely, wearing amber colored glasses can help mitigate your blue light exposure.

7. Meditation

Racing thoughts are not exactly the best foundation for a great night’s sleep. Anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes of meditation can be enough to quiet your mind enough to help you fall asleep faster. Meditation looks different for everyone, but apps like Headspace and Calm have specific nighttime meditations that you can use regardless if you are new to meditation or have been practicing for years.

8. CBD oil

CBD oil is a superstar when it comes to reducing anxiety. While further research needs to be done to learn more about how CBD can influence sleep, studies have shown (7) that CBD’s ability to lower anxiety helps individuals with insomnia improve (8) their overall sleep quality.

9. Black out curtains

Sunshine alerts your body that it is time to wake up. If you are exposed to sunlight too early, it can interfere with your production of melatonin and cause you to wake up before you’ve slept enough. Blackout curtains and blinds shut out excess light pollution and can be especially helpful if you work irregular hours or night shifts. They can also help regulate room temperature by keeping your room cool or locking in heat.

10. Music

By lowering anxiety and blood pressure, listening to music before bed has been shown to be a simple and affordable way to improve sleep. In fact, one study (9) found that students who listened to music every night improved their sleep after just three weeks.

Rehabbing your sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Not only will you feel better rested and enjoy your day-to-day more, cultivating a bedtime routine will lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle for years to come.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe. 

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