Your night time rejuvenation ritual Sleep Your night time rejuvenation ritual

Awake and sleep Yin and yang – play of opposites Inhale and exhale (exercise) To be fully awake, the body needs rest If we are groggy during the day, and can’t sleep at night, we are obviously not in balance What are the habits we can adopt in order to bring balance to the circadian rhythm of the body?

Circadian rhythm Nobel prize in 2017 was awarded to scientists that explored the circadian rhythm How are we in sync with nature? How do we surrender to the rhythm of nature, and to our own internal rhythm? When we are in sync with our circadian rhythm, we have stronger immunity, better focus and memory, less inflammation and chronic disease

Sleep hygiene Early to bed and early to rise (10pm – 2am = detox mode of the body) No blue light ( electronics ) at least an hour – maybe two - before bed Meditate (“marinate” in good thoughts) before going to sleep Ideally 3 hours between dinner and sleeping Reduce dessert in the evening (sugar is a stimulant)

The Nervous System Sympathetic (fight or flight) – alert, increases heart rate, muscles contract, bronchial tubes dilate, releases adrenaline, digestive juices slow down, originates in thorax and lumbar spine Parasymathetic (rest and digest) – calm, decreases heart rate, muscles relax, bronchial tubes constrict, increased saliva and digestive juices, originates in sacral and cranial spine Our culture overemphasizes action => more stress on sympathetic NS

The Vagus Nerve Controls the parasympathetic NS The 10th cranial (wandering nerve/octopus) Connects all major organs to the brain Eyes, mouth, bronchi, heart, stomach, kidney, bladder, uterus (show vagus hold) Vagal tone is vital in sleep and reducing addictive behavior/reducing craving Vagul tone reduces inflammation, the likelihood of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Healing the Vagus Nerve Yoga, meditation, qi gong, chanting, humming (show exercises if there is time) Acupuncture, massage Yawning, breathing ( teach box breath) TMJ alignment Laughter, social interactions, friends Splash cold water on face

Nutrition and Herbs To increase Vagul Tone – fats B & B 12 (grass fed animals) foods high in potassium – yams, potatoes, pomegranates, avocado, pumpkin, coconut water Adaptogens – Tulsi (mood, energy, metal clarity) Ashwaganda, Siberian Ginseng Probiotics Magnesium

Melatonin The ‘sleep hormone’ – increased production when sleeping in cool rooms (17/18 degrees C) Said to help immunity, bone density, weight control, brain health, migraine prevention During shift work When traveling As a 3 month boost, particularly as we age

Dosages Generally 1 to 3mg is the ‘normal’ range Often even 0.1 mg is enough, particularly when taking it over longer periods 5mg and more is counterproductive as it tends to have the opposite effect It is safe to experiment with on your own! For best results take in conjunction with daily Vitamin D

Other herbs There are many herbal supplements to support sleep. Both Western and Eastern herbal medicine have excellent formulations to help you sleep and balance your Circadian Rhythm Many of them are in conjunction with other benefits – supporting heart health, nourishing adrenals, balancing hormones Please work with a professional herbalist