Sleep is a pillar of a healthy lifestyle. Getting 7–9 hours of sleep each night is the first thing most of us should try when looking to improve overall health and wellness. But we are also busy and things happen, whether it’s staying up late for a project at work, a child who wakes up in the night, or waking up and not being able to fall back asleep. There are as many things, or more, that can disrupt getting eight hours of sleep as there are hacks to trying to sleep better.
So for those days when you start your morning feeling like you just want to crawl back in bed, here are a few tips to not only survive the day, but thrive.
Start the day with water
Instead of drinking coffee first thing in the morning (which we will get to in a minute), fill up a large glass of water. The body is already behind the curve and having a glass or two of cold water begins the process of revitalizing. That’s what we are going after with most of these tips — small things that can help nourish the mind and body to a better state. Not only does water help hydrate the body, but drinking cold water has been shown to slightly increase adrenaline and put you in a more wakeful state.
“Cold triggers the stimulating hormone adrenaline,” says internist Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.
Meditate
Meditating isn’t just good for calming an active mind. It’s a great way to tap into the restorative power of sleep, without actually sleeping. If we spend just 10 to 15 minutes in the morning meditating, it’s like taking a power nap. The process of stopping to sit in stillness for just a few minutes provides the brain a healing moment before starting the day.
Meditation has been shown to boost Growth Hormone and DHEA and reduce overall levels of Cortisol. Meditation will also repair the mind through increasing Alpha, Theta and Delta Waves, similar to sleep.
We often find meditating when tired makes it easier to get into deeper states of Delta wave activation, and access your core being. While we don’t anticipate anyone levitating, spending a few minutes meditating is also setting ourselves up for a better sleep.
Go ahead and start the coffee pot before sitting down to find your inner OM.
Drink coffee, but not too much
The order of the next few is up to personal preference, but if we didn’t get sleep caffeine is going to be our friend. The trick here is not having too much. Caffeine will stimulate brain activity and provide quick bursts of energy. But it’s not going to overcome the restorative benefits of sleep. But with so many benefits, having a couple cups of coffee after not getting enough sleep is really going to help.
Mixing in tea, especially later in the day, will provide a slower and more sustained release of energy. Think about adding in some green tea or even non-caffeinated herbal teas, such as American Ginseng.
Get out in the sun
The sun is life. Getting outside into the sun early in the morning will not only recharge the body’s cells, it will reset the circadian rhythm to help with getting a better night’s sleep. It also just feels good to spend 15 minutes under the natural light.
Put your naked feet on the ground
For a one, two combo…spend a few minutes walking around outside without shoes. Allowing the body to come in direct contact with the ground, often called Grounding or Earthing, can allow the body to neutralize and dissipate a positive charge built up over time. Grounding has also been reported to reduce inflammation, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep and increase energy.
“Mounting evidence suggests that the Earth’s negative potential can create a stable internal bioelectrical environment for the normal functioning of all body systems. Moreover, oscillations of the intensity of the Earth’s potential may be important for setting the biological clocks regulating diurnal body rhythms, such as cortisol secretion”
Take some shrooms
We aren’t talking about magic mushrooms, although that would make for an interesting day. The evidence is around two mushrooms, Chaga and Cordyceps. People who are sleep deprived have a lowered immune system and are at a higher risk of getting sick.
Chaga mushrooms bust the immune system, provide a potent antiviral property and reduce fatigue. Chaga increases the production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) as well as T lymphocytes, both of these substances stimulate the immune system. Along with the immune boosting affects, Chaga has been shown to reduce fatigue through increased muscle glycogen and reduced lactic acid.
Cordyceps, on the other hand, is known for boosting athletic performance, increasing overall energy, protecting the heart and also strengthening the immune system.
Both of these mushrooms can be taken in a capsule form as a supplement, or even made into a mushroom tea. So here is another opportunity to provide your body a little burst of energy, while not relying on caffeine.
Level up breakfast
Without sleep your brain will be craving a boost. A smoothie allows us to pack in tons of easily digestible nutrients into a simple, great tasting drink. The smoothie should have a balance of protein, good fats and a little fruit. We are looking for slow, sustained energy and power packed nutrients.
Here’s a Shiny Happy Power Smoothie recipe to boost the morning.
½ Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk or Bone Broth
½ Avocado
2 Scoops Collagen Peptide Protein Powder
1 Scoop Athletic Greens
1 Tbsp Hemp Hearts
½ Cub Blueberries or ½ Banana
Get the blood flowing
We shouldn’t be trying to set personal records (PRs) without adequate sleep. We risk injury due to sloppy form, lack of coordination, and general fatigue. Our body also isn’t primed for recovery after a strenuous workout without adequate sleep. In fact, not getting enough sleep can increase muscle loss by as much as 60%.
With that said, get the blood flowing. It can be as simple as going for a walk, doing a few minutes on the elliptical, or a simple Yoga flow. We aren’t trying to break the body down or improve performance, but a few minutes of simple exercise will improve overall well-being and prepare the body for a better nights sleep.
Putting it all together
Now that we have some ingredients to biohack a sleepless night, hopefully this helps you create the formula for successfully thriving the day.
