downtime: rest, RECHARGE & UPLIFT

​Despite the amazing technological advancements that benefit us, there’s a delicate balance to be stricken and a time and a place to put down the tech.  A recent study from Common Sense Media shows that screen time use for entertainment is at an all-time high for both children and adults alike.  According to their research, our innately tech-savvy children from 12-18 years of age spend an average of 9 hours a day in front of their electronics while those from 8-12 years log 6 hours of daily screen time.  Even the screen time of those 8 years old and younger has risen to nearly an hour a day.
 
Many healthcare professionals feel that appropriate screen time should be something to the effect of a few hours a day.  Time spent in excess of these hours can have adverse socioemotional and physical health implications including, but surely not limited to: eye strain, sleep-wake cycle disruption, “text neck” and additional unhealthy posture changes and physiological effects.  Although most of us know that it’s in our best interest to minimize the time that we spend staring at a screen, so many of us too regularly fall short of this goal.
 
With this shortcoming in mind, here are just a few tips and tricks that may assist with tuning out and turning off, and with dropping in to some delicious downtime and deep restful sleep!
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1. Disengage from devices (phones, computers, tablets, e-readers etc.) at least one but ideally two or more hours before your head hits the bed. The short wavelength blue light that’s emitted from screens (and fluorescent bulbs and LED lights as well as the sun) is more adept at affecting our sleep hormone (melatonin) than any other color/wavelength.  Normally, the brain’s pineal gland begins to release sleep-inducing melatonin a few hours before bedtime but blue light exposure (after the sun’s natural source of it has set) can delay or disrupt the pineal gland’s melatonin release, resulting in increased alertness into the wee hours and a reset of the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) to a later schedule.  In addition to taking longer to fall asleep, REM sleep (dreamtime) may also be minimized and result in difficulty waking or increased fatigue or grogginess upon waking.  This is especially problematic for teens, whose circadian rhythms are already naturally shifting; resulting in even greater feelings or ‘jet lag’ and the associated lack of focus and interest that can accompany fatigue and insufficient restful sleep. 1,2  Minimizing exposure to sleep-disruptive blue light may in turn minimize adverse effects upon melatonin production so, if you do read after sundown and before bed, consider print versions of your reading materials.  If not choosing print versions, dim the screen light and select the nighttime feature on your device and consider blue light blocking glasses.   Blue light blocking eyewear  is available in prescription, over-the-counter magnifying “cheater/reader”, and no magnification and can be found in various brick and mortar and online locations.
2. Creating a boundary and avoiding working while in bed can help the body to associate the bedroom with rest or sleep or activities other than business duties.  Hint: this may also have a beneficial effect upon healthy libido too.  Do keep in mind, though, that it can take a few weeks to establish a new pattern, train the body to adjust to healthy new habits and begin to then reap results so don’t give up after just a week or two if not seeing immediate benefits.  
3. Get outside daily! Not only does the vitamin D that we make through sun exposure assist with bone health, it can also help support healthy sleep and wake cycles and can affect nociception or “pain receptor” activity (as sleep deprivation is related to abnormally increased sensitivity to pain).3,4  Although research is still exploring the relationship between vitamin D production/intake and sleep and this vitamins many mechanisms of action upon the body, it is clear that getting out into the sunshine (and without sunglasses) for a short and appropriate amount of time can have far-reaching effects on so many bodily systems.
4. Avoid caffeine approximately 6 hours prior to retiring for the evening.5 Although this substance may be a driving force in our rise and shine routine, reliance upon its central nervous system stimulation effects and excess intake can take its toll and rob us of healthy sleep.  In addition to pick-me-up effects, coffee or other caffeinated beverages may come with some health benefits but be sure to allow ample time for its metabolism and consider a cup of refreshing peppermint or a nourishing and adrenal supportive herbal tea in the afternoon, so that caffeine's stimulating effects don’t rob you of your precious zzz’s.
5. Schedule sleep time rituals that set the stage for healthy rest. This may look different for each individual but could be something as simple as beginning any combination of the following  a couple of hours before bedtime: sipping a cup of warm caffeine-free organic chamomile lavender tea, doing some light stretches or restorative yoga, enjoying a warm bath or shower, dimming the lights throughout the home, breaking out a light read, playing some delta brainwave music or listening to a recorded sleep meditation.
6. Aim to avoid eating too close to bedtime (and be mindful of what you ingest if you do) as digestive difficulties due to indigestion can wreak havoc with restful sleep.
7. Consider discussing supplementation with your healthcare provider, as magnesium, vitamin D,  B-complex vitamins, nervine herbs, essential oil capsules or other supplements that are designed for safe internal use may assist with restful sleep, by calming the nervous system, minimizing leg cramps and supporting you in other areas that may present challenges and stand In the way of a good night’s sleep and a healthy you!  Hint: Poor rest can affect stress and cortisol levels too and play a role in sabotaging efforts to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, healthy weight, healthy mood and more!
8. Consider a few drops of an organic Essential Oil or Essential Oil blend that’s safe and designed for use in the diffuser, on the pillow, or for topical application on the body.  Inhalation of the vapors that result from steam distillation and concentration of the precious chemicals within organic plants can elicit many physiological benefits including calm, focus, and mood improvement. When choosing essential oils, you may wish to consider those, such as lavender, Roman chamomile, clary sage, cardamom, bergamot, hops, spikenard, sweet marjoram or vetiver, which are known to contain chemicals that help calm and soothe frazzled nerves and induce sweet sleep. Blends of these which are specifically designed to help aid sleep, bust stress and support mood are available-- and may be best if collecting essential oil single notes and blending your own formulas is not up your alley.  Note: Some essential oils and blends can even be used by little ones but be sure to choose an oil or blend that is safely and specifically designed for babies and, as always, discuss the use of essential oil and supplements with your doctor, pediatrician and healthcare provider any time you are interested in including new items into your (or those you care for) health care regimen.
9. Breathwork! Can be done alone or coupled with essential oils but breathwork that aims to lengthen the exhalation can help support the vagus nerve to release neurotransmitters that aid in supporting a calm restful state of mind and overall being.6

 
Don’t forget that setting the stage for proper sleep and establishing healthy patterns can begin at any age.  Also, keep in mind that most of these tips involve dietary and lifestyle choices. Healthy habits ideally start at home in our youth—but it’s never too late to form new health-supportive habits for ourselves!

Please feel free to leave any questions or comments to which I can reply and please reach out if you're interested in joining me for any of the yoga, breathwork and meditation/manifestation classes that I offer.  See current schedule here! 

I'm also available for Scientific Aromatherapy education and Make-n-take classes and DIY workshops for those of you who'd like to host an event or talk about a time for your next studio gathering with me.  Just reach out via the contact page and we can connect!

References

1. (2019, May 31). How blue light affects your children's sleep. Retrieved from https://blog.providence.org/archive/how-blue-light-affects-your-children-s-sleep
2. (n.d.). The Sneaky Ways That Blue Light Can Interfere With Your Kids' Sleep. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-blue-light-affects-kids-sleep
3. Mead, M. N. (2008, April). Benefits of sunlight: a bright spot for human health. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290997/
4. Oliveira, D. L. de, Hirotsu, C., Tufik, S., & Andersen, M. L. (2018, August 3). The interfaces between vitamin D, sleep and pain in: Journal of Endocrinology Volume 234 Issue 1 (2017). Retrieved from https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/234/1/R23.xml
5. Drake, C., Roehrs, T., Shambroom, J., & Roth, T. (2013, November 15). Caffeine Effects on Sleep Taken 0, 3, or 6 Hours before Going to Bed. Retrieved from http://jcsm.aasm.org/viewabstract.aspx?pid=29198
6. May 9, 2019 Longer Exhalations Are an Easy Way to Hack Your Vagus Nerve. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201905/longer-exhalations-are-easy-way-hack-your-vagus-nerve?fbclid=IwAR3iX5G-C6-EspLPbF4SzVc61sRESB0cQev2VSkujpI-S8A--1e8UypSDmE