7 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP NATURALLY

Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, decreased defenses, irritability, and, logically, feeling without energy throughout the day. Long-lasting, restful sleep is key to health and beauty. It is during these hours that our body takes the opportunity to repair and regenerate itself.

Follow the following tips to improve your sleep naturally:

Establish a routine

Our body constantly follows rhythms and cycles: digestion, the secretion of hormones, metabolism, the response to stress or the circadian rhythm (sleep). Each system works in balance with the rest, so if your circadian rhythm is unstable, it can lead to hormonal imbalances, constipation or lowered defenses.

Try to go to bed at the same time every day and sleep at least 6 to 8 hours a night and avoid naps longer than half an hour as they can affect the quality of your night's sleep.

Practice yoga and meditation

The practice of yoga and meditation decreases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Perform a series of restorative yoga poses followed by a few minutes of meditation before bed. Avoid very intense exercises two hours before going to bed since the release of endorphins can wake us up.

Photo: Lucía Liencres

Use essential oils

Lavender essential oil has always been used in aromatherapy for being a natural relaxant. Try putting a few drops on your pillow to help you and see how it helps you fall asleep.

Disconnect in bed

No need to take your cell phone or tablet, watch series in bed until midnight or spend time answering emails before going to bed. The lights of these devices together with the electromagnetic fields interfere with the neurotransmitters in our brain and make it difficult to fall asleep and its quality. Turn everything off and unplug at least 30 minutes before going to bed.

Receive sunlight

It is important that we get sunlight for the health of our pineal gland and to have adequate levels of vitamin D. This gland is one of the places where serotonin is produced, and then its transformation into melatonin. In the winter months, do not lock yourself up at home and try to go outside, in full light, at least 20 minutes a day.

Reduce your coffee and alcohol intake

Caffeine is a stimulant, so avoid tea, coffee or chocolate before bed. Incorporate ORGANIC MACA into your breakfast to regulate your sleep and ORGANIC MATCHA tea if coffee makes you too nervous. Alcohol, on the other hand, dehydrates us and makes it difficult for our liver to do the detoxification work it does when we sleep, which prevents us from having a restful sleep.

Eat foods rich in tryptophan

To produce melatonin, the sleep hormone, and serotonin (happiness hormone, precursor of melatonin) we need the amino acid tryptophan. And in what foods can we find it? Protein-rich foods, such as eggs, plain yogurt, lean meats, fish, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or spirulina, contain all essential amino acids in their bioavailable form. Banana, pineapple or organic cocoa are also good sources of this amino acid.

Alicia Lamothe
Health Coach