Let’s Talk About Sleep
How does your body know when it's time to sleep? Our brains have an internal clock called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This clock creates the day-night rhythm. Have you heard of the circadian rhythm? This determines when we wake up and fall asleep, our moods and emotions, and when we feel hungry or thirsty. It also affects our core body temperature, metabolic rate, and even release of numerous hormones. Even without exposure to light, our brains still regulate when we wake up and fall asleep. Here's the deal, though: we live in a modern world full of external factors that can affect our sleep. How many times have you stayed up later to finish a project or dragged yourself out of bed in the morning for a workout? Have you ever pulled an all-nighter? We have gotten really good at manipulating our sleep habits to fit our lifestyle. The problem is that we are hurting ourselves in the process. Don't think getting less than 8 hours of sleep a night affects you? Think again. Research shows we are frequently unaware of the deleterious effects of sleep deprivation. Trust me, you want to maximize your sleep.
5 key factors that affect how much and how well we sleep:
LIGHT EXPOSURE
Before we even talk about light exposure around bedtime, we need to talk about light exposure during the day. Remember the circadian rhythm we spoke about earlier? Getting exposure to natural sunlight early in the day and throughout the day helps your internal clock function properly. There are so many external factors that can throw off our internal clock. One relatively easy fix is getting outside periodically throughout the day or even sitting near a window. By keeping your internal clock running smoothly, your brain will better know when to go to sleep and start releasing the appropriate sleep chemicals. Additionally, exposure to sunlight or light from screens past sunset can delay the release of melatonin. When released, melatonin signals to your brain that it is soon time to sleep, and you begin to feel drowsy.
Get outside early and avoid screens in the evening.
TEMPERATURE
Ambient room temperature, bedding, and clothing all play a role in regulating your temperature for sleeping. To initiate sleep, your core temperature needs to decrease by 2-3 degrees, which is why it's easier to fall asleep in chillier rooms. Ever wanted to know why you sleep better in a colder room? Melatonin levels are dictated by the loss of daylight and drop in temperature that coincides with the setting sun. Most sleep experts recommend 65-68 degrees, but it's okay if you like it cooler or warmer. Your hands, feet, and head tend to control your body's temperature the most, so if you feel hot, try untucking a foot or a hand. Another tip for regulating temperature for sleep is to take a bath. Baths can induce 10-15% more deep NREM sleep because when you get out, the blood vessels that dilated quickly radiate out inner heat, and your core temperature drops.
CAFFEINE
You knew this was coming. Coffee lovers, I am not coming for you. I drink coffee several times a week and have come to enjoy the ritual of savoring a hot beverage in the morning. Caffeine, in whichever form you consume it, mutes the sleep signal in your brain. Basically, you can get sleepier but don't know it because the caffeine has blocked your brain from knowing it is tired. Because the sleepiness chemical is continuing to build, this leads to the caffeine crash many of us experience mid-afternoon. Something else to know is that the quarter-life of caffeine is 12 hours, meaning that if you drink coffee at noon, 25% of the caffeine is still in your brain at midnight. Everybody is different with how their body reacts to caffeine consumption. Some people have a more efficient version of the enzyme that degrades caffeine, while others are more sensitive. With this being said, pay attention to your personal caffeine consumption and how it affects your sleep. It may be worth regulating how much coffee you drink the week of competitions to ensure that you aren't kept awake at night.
ALCOHOL
Contrary to what you might think, alcohol is not a helpful sleep aid. In fact, alcohol doesn't actually induce natural sleep. If you have felt sleepy after drinking, alcohol acts as a sedative, meaning it allows you to feel tired but doesn't help your sleep. Alcohol is one of the most potent suppressors of REM sleep, which is when you dream and play a role in learning, memory, and mood. Moreover, alcohol fragments your sleep, causing brief awakenings throughout the night, meaning that your sleep is less restorative. Obviously, everyone is different with their alcohol habits, and I am not here to judge you. The biggest takeaway from this particular point is to understand the effects of alcohol on your sleep so you can make informed decisions about your alcohol consumption. *I personally recommend avoiding drinking the week of competitions and the night before long or hard workouts.*
STRESS
Have you ever experienced trouble falling asleep? You're in bed all nice and cozy, maybe even tired, but as soon as your head hits the pillow, your mind is racing. When we have higher cortisol levels and adrenaline levels, we feel more alert (need a refresher on what cortisol is and how it affects you? head here). The easiest way to lower these levels is to activate the rest and digest response. This can be done through relaxing and calming activities like journaling, meditation, light yoga, and even reading a book. While we're on the topic of reading before bed, it is essential to note here that we're talking about reading an actual book, not reading on your phone or tablet. In a study comparing 5 nights of reading on an iPad compared to 5 nights reading a book, participants experienced a lag in melatonin release for several days. They also felt less rested and sleepier throughout the day and lost significant amounts of REM sleep.