Jamie’s favorite thing to do was have a sugary snack at 3:00 pm - every day. Didn’t matter if she had a light lunch, heavy lunch, or no lunch. It was like a light switch turned on and told her it was time to have a sweet. Her downfall? Matt’s chocolate chip cookies!
She knew she shouldn’t be eating them because she was also trying to manage her joint pain and knew that her joints always felt worse when she was eating sugary foods.
Why was she constantly reaching for those “Ooey, gooey, and delicious!” cookies?
We acknowledged that, yes, they did taste good, but as we talked, it became apparent that at around 3 pm Jamie got really tired! What she didn’t know was her body was telling her. She needed an energy boost to keep going.
Digging even deeper, it seemed Jamie was a night owl, but she usually woke up early feeling stiff and achy because she wasn’t sleeping well. After working together, we established a “night-time” plan for Jamie that had her sleeping better throughout the night.
And, you know what? She wasn’t craving those afternoon “pick-me-ups” the way she used to. And, she was waking up with less joint pain and stiffness.
All because of a better night’s sleep!
Ever found yourself wondering why a good night's sleep is more than just waking up feeling refreshed?
Here are 5 connections between a good night's sleep and joint health that you might not have realized.
Sleep supports a Healthy Immune System
You may be asleep, but your body is hard at work! During your nightly sleep cycle, your immune system activity increases. Small inflammatory molecules are produced that control the cells of your immune system helping repair the cellular damage done during the day. In addition, your immune system is learning and improving during this time.
Sleep Helps Fight Inflammation
Quality sleep helps our body battle against inflammation, not merely providing rest but actively regulating your body's inflammatory responses. Deep sleep initiates the release of anti-inflammatory substances, counteracting the effects of inflammation.
Sleep Helps Balance Hormones
A good night's sleep is essential to keeping your hormones balanced. Sleep deprivation disrupts the normal balance of hormones critical for keeping inflammation under control, namely melatonin, cortisol, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin.
Sleep Calms the Mind
Experience a restless mind after a night of poor sleep? It's not a mere coincidence; it's the neurotransmitters in action, elevating stress and inflammation. Inadequate sleep disturbs neurotransmitter balance, inviting stress and inflammation into your mental space.
Sleep supports a Healthy Gut
Your gut health plays a crucial role in the battle against inflammation, and interestingly, sleep influences your gut's well-being. It helps support the growth of healthy microbes in our gut, that in turn, produce additional nutrients, enzymes, and hormones that help protect it. And a healthy gut correlates with lower inflammation levels. Poor sleep can disrupt the gut microbiota, potentially escalating inflammation in the body.
How well are you sleeping?
Here are some of the strategies I've developed to achieve a better night’s sleep.
I find anything that makes me focus intently on one thing helps me block out the chatter that is going on in my mind - like that long to-do list in my head and things I want to remember. If I can focus long enough, eventually I fall asleep.
One of the most effective ways for me to do this is, I kid you not, counting backward in Spanish! Yes, my many years of Spanish are finally coming in handy! I think the reason it works for me is because, unlike doing this in English, I really need to concentrate on the process. My husband still swears by counting sheep. Again, you have to focus on counting and visualizing at the same time.
Another way to ensure a good night's sleep though, is to adopt a "good sleep hygiene" which includes a routine before you even get into bed.
Here are some of the top 3 routines that I use to help me fall asleep and stay asleep.
1. Tricks to Relax Your Body and Mind
I like to use different apps on my phone to help me drift off to sleep. I have also used them (with earbuds!) in the middle of the night to drift back to sleep. There are many apps to choose from. One of my favorites is "Insight Timer". Deep breathing exercises, guided imagery, or progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of tranquility. These all help me focus my mind and relax.
2. Where You Sleep Makes a Difference
I don't know about you, but if I'm too hot, I wake up. So a great way to prevent this is to turn down the temperature in the room (It may mean adding an extra blanket.) Studies show that we sleep better in a cooler environment. It also helps if the room is dark and, of course, quiet. Years ago, we invested in a Select Number bed that allows you to adjust firmness. Game changer for me! Especially if you have achy joints. If you have a noisy partner, consider using a pair of earplugs. I find they make a world of difference! And some of my friends swear by eye covers to block out the light.
3. Give Yourself Time to Get Ready
We are creatures of routine. We live by an internal clock that we don't always obey. Our body knows when it's time to go to sleep but we have developed ways to stay up later with artificial lighting and electronics to distract us into the wee hours of the night! So it's good to develop a regular sleep routine to signal to your body that it's time for rest. Obeying your internal clock will also make it easier to fall back to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night. I try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, although my routine on the weekends might vary depending on my social schedule. And I find that my worst nights are those when I have eaten a heavy meal late at night, so I usually stop eating at 7 p.m. That also curbs any temptation for late-night snacking!
So there you have it. Some of the routines I've adopted help me sleep peacefully and wake up refreshed in the morning, ready to meet the challenges of the new day.
Do you have any bedtime routines that work for you? Any as strange as my counting backward in Spanish?
If you would like support in sleeping better and feeling better overall - basically aging better and feeling younger, then contact me for a chat to help clarify your health goals, what obstacles might be standing in your way to achieving them, and how I might support you!
Yours in Health,
Evey
