Are you sleeping all night and still tired all day? Lethargic in the morning and drowsy in the afternoon? Spring is here, and brings with it a seasonal boost – the shift in weather and climate have an actual impact on our body’s metabolism, thyroid function, and nervous system (just ask anyone who suffers from SAD). But even so, some of us need more than just the season to fire up our energy and mood. The first place to start is to make sure that the sleep you’re getting is of the best quality. It’s true that some people need more sleep than others – it’s ok if you’re a 6hr per night kind of person, or a 10hr per night kind of person. Either way, we all need to maintain our sleep through the night. That means not interrupted by external factors (noise, light, pets, people) or internal factors (restless legs, sleep apnea, bad dreams, nature calling). Sleeping through the night allows for continued and complete sleep cycles – which give us both deep restful sleep, and REM dream- memory consolidation sleep. Both are important for our ability to function and focus during the day, not to mention long term benefits for our physical and mental health. There are lots of different strategies to help you get good quality sleep – start with your sleep hygiene and see how you feel… that alone may be enough to give you the energy you’ve been missing during the day. And if not, there are lots of different strategies to give you an extra boost during the day while your body catches up to the rest and consolidation it needs!
Need help? Ask your Naturopathic Doctor or other health care practitioner.