Time Your Workouts
Working out in the evening will likely keep you awake into the night. This is due to our body’s production of cortisol and melatonin. Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by our body in regards to fight or flight response. This hormone is naturally produced in high levels during the morning hours, peaking between 6 and 8 a.m. Colonoscopy Los Angeles
Studies have shown that people that work out early in the day, spend more time in the deepest stages of sleep during the night.
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland and helps your body get to sleep. This hormone is naturally produced in larger amounts at night. Cortisol and melatonin have an inverse relationship. So if cortisol is high due to a strenuous workout, then melatonin levels will be low. Try scheduling your workout’s during the morning hours to give your body a chance to recover with a good nights rest. Colonoscopy Los Angeles
Establish a Pattern
Going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday will establish a routine for your body. You can train your body to shut down when you need to sleep and be awake and alert when you need it to be. The ideal time to go to bed is between 9 and 11 p.m. During this time our body naturally experiences a drop in its core temperature to promote sleep. There is also enzyme activity in the brain during that time to repair tissues. If you stay awake past this time where our body is recommending we sleep, the enzymes could be keeping you awake rather than helping your body recover. This is why we typically feel a burst of energy right before we are supposed to go to bed. Establishing a pattern of behavior will help teach your body when it is time to go to bed.
Night Shift Mode
Using your phone has become a common activity before bed. Smartphones are producing levels of bright blue light so that the screen can be seen even on a sunny day. Your brain becomes confused by this blue light and assumes the sun is producing it. The issue is that this causes the brain to stop the production of melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep. The iPhone has an update that allows users to switch into Night Shift Mode, which cuts down on the levels of blue light the phone produces. There is also an app for PC, Mac and Linux called f.lux that will create the same effects on your computer screen.
