We are no strangers to Inflammation here at Goldynglow. There are many ways that Inflammation can wreak havoc on your body and mind - and one of the most obvious ways is by disturbing our sleep. A night of good night sleep is a well-known factor for good health, and that’s why today we are tackling this topic, so you can fight Inflammation and get a full night of sleep every single night.
What makes a good night of sleep?
We all want to wake up in the morning feeling well-rested and ready to take on the world, but what exactly gets us there? Four general marks define a good night of sleep (1); falling asleep within 30 minutes of laying down, waking up -for over 5 minutes or longer- only once a night, falling back asleep within 20 minutes of waking up, and being asleep 85% of the time that you are in bed. It is also recommended that an adult gets between 7 and 9 full hours of sleep every night to ensure that the body gets enough rest.
How Does Inflammation affect your sleep?
Even if you are mindful of your sleep, there is something that might be affecting it beneath the surface - Inflammation. It is how the body responds to stress, and it can be helpful when there is an immediate threat, however, once it persists day-after-day, it begins to impact our health. Inflammation disrupts two systems that impact sleep. First, it affects your endocrine (hormone) systems. Chronic Inflammation can cause an increase in the hormone cortisol, which can heighten anxiety and make it difficult to fall asleep (2). Inflammation also disrupts your body's sleep cycles, thus leading to poor sleep patterns (3) This is why it is vital to your health to ensure you keep chronic inflammation low in the body.
How to sleep better - Naturally!
There are many ways to reduce Inflammation, and one of the most effective one is through your diet. Adaptogens are a word that is buzzing in the wellness world and for a good reason! Adaptogens can fight the factors that lead to Inflammation in the body. Thus, adaptogens balance your endocrine and immune systems. For example, consuming adaptogens has been known to lower levels of cortisol in the body (4). This is why they are sought out as a powerful natural remedy for anxiety - as they help your body resist stressors and calm your mind, which enables you to sleep sounder at night.
There are many adaptogens that you can incorporate to your daily diet but when it comes to relaxing and getting a good night of sleep, our favorites is Ashwagandha! It has been used by many people to treat insomnia and promote restful sleep (5). As with any superfood, Ashwagandha must be taken over a certain period of time before its effects in the body are seen. It is recommended that one takes about 300 mg daily to fight insomnia and Inflammation. Shop our blend CALM for a powerful anti-inflammatory blend of Turmeric and Ashwagandha that will help you sleep better at night.
