by Arvin Jenab, ND, Naturopathic Doctor
Sleep is a fundamental aspect of human health and wellbeing, yet many struggle to achieve restorative rest on a consistent basis. In today’s fast-paced world, factors such as stress, technology use, and irregular schedules can disrupt our sleep patterns and result in common symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and decreased resilience to everyday stressors. Additionally, we are learning sleep is important in a wide range of conditions, and poor sleep has been shown to increase inflammation, increase risk of heart disease, contribute to obesity, weaken our immune system, and directly impact our mood.
While there are a number of more traditional ways to address sleep issues with medication and sometimes behavioral therapy and altered sleep hygiene, there is growing interest in integrative approaches. This article explores the principles and benefits of integrative approaches to sleep and offers practical strategies for improving sleep quality naturally.
Integrative providers recognize that sleep disturbances often stem from a combination of physical, psychological and environmental factors. Some examples include underlying conditions, diet and lifestyle, stress and emotional health, light exposure, circadian cycle imbalance, blood sugar, hormones, and more. This whole-person approach to evaluating a patient will then inform integrative treatments aimed at improving sleep quality and overall wellbeing.
A Whole-Person Integrative Approach
Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and stress management play a significant role in sleep quality. Sometimes simple changes can lead to marked improvements in sleep quality. This may include adopting a balanced diet that ensures healthy blood sugar control, establishing a regular exercise routine, and practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation to reduce stress levels.
Sleep hygiene refers to a set of behaviors and habits that promote healthy sleep patterns. Implementing consistent sleep hygiene practices, such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, minimizing exposure to light and sound, and ensuring optimal temperature regulation can all lead to better sleep.
Mind-body therapies, including acupuncture, massage therapy, mindfulness-based practices such as biofeedback, help promote relaxation, reduce anxiety and stress, and help establish healthy bedtime routines. There are a growing number of tools available to track sleep, promote relaxation, and practice biofeedback right from your home!
Diet plays a crucial role in sleep regulation, with certain nutrients and dietary habits influencing sleep quality. Diet can help regulate blood sugar, maintain a healthy digestive system, improve temperature regulation, promote healthy circulation, and more. For example, eating heavy meals late at night can disrupt sleep, so timing what and when you eat can improve sleep.
Herbal and nutritional supplements can be used to address underlying conditions and promote general wellness or be targeted to promote relaxation and sleep. There are many options from herbs such as passion flower, chamomile, lavender, to nutrients such as magnesium, L-theanine, and a wide range of neurorestorative nutrients that promote sleep.
Practical Tips for Integrating Sleep Solutions:
Keep a Sleep Journal and Use a Sleep Tracker App or Device. This can help identify patterns in your diet, environment and mind that may be impacting your sleep.
Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine. A consistent bedtime routine signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Relaxing activities can include reading, gentle stretching, tea time, or taking a warm bath to promote relaxation. Watching or listening to the news and being on an electronic device do not count as relaxing bedtime routine!
Make Your Bedroom a Sleep-friendly Environment. Keep it cool, dark and quiet. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows, avoid doing work or watching TV in your bedroom, and minimize exposure to electronics and blue light before bedtime – this includes lights and emission from modems, alarm clocks, chargers, etc.
Practice Stress-Reduction Techniques. Chronic stress can significantly impact sleep quality – not only because of the tension in our mind, but also because it contributes to physical tension in our body, affects our blood sugar, disrupts our circadian cycle, and throws off our cortisol levels. Incorporate stress-reducing practices such as mindfulness meditation, biofeedback, deep breathing exercises, nature walks, or progressive muscle relaxation. A gratitude journal and affirmations are also effective!
See an Integrative Provider. If you’re struggling with chronic sleep issues, consider consulting with a healthcare provider or sleep specialist who can help identify underlying causes and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. As we have mentioned, sleep can be disrupted by a number of different factors – these include underlying conditions that may be undiagnosed. Some common examples include nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, blood sugar imbalances, sleep apnea, medication reactions, mood disorders, or cardiopulmonary diseases.
Integrative approaches to sleep offer a whole-person and personalized approach to improving sleep quality while address overall health. By identifying the underlying factors contributing to poor sleep, you and your provider can take active steps to correcting and optimizing the conditions that will ensure you are healthy and sleeping well.
