Sleep for Body and Brain Detoxification

We all know that when we don’t get enough sleep, we usually feel tired and irritable the next day, and that having a good night’s sleep makes us feel better. That is partly because sleep reduces stress. Our bodies produce less stress hormones while sleeping. All hormones and chemicals that govern our body are affected by sleep – even the hormones that control our weight. Depression and the lack of serotonin (hormone) due to lack of sleep is another issue.

As the body releases toxins during a detox, you can begin to feel irritable and tired. This may be your body’s way of asking you for some extra time of rest.

Sleep allows energy to be directed towards the body systems that work overtime during detoxification. It allows the millions of cells that are broken down each day to be repaired or restored as your body is healed in the process.

Sleep is imperative for brain detox. Although it sounds crazy, your brain needs time to not think about all the things that you worry about and process all day every day. It gives it time to file memories and relax and actually “take out the trash” that builds up from neural activity throughout the day.

In order to get a good night’s sleep, take care to make your bedroom a sleep haven.·

• Avoid caffeine or heavy meals too late in the day
• Establish a sleep routine with consistent sleep and wake times
• Turn off (or even remove) all electronics that disrupt sleep – this means saying no to tv, cell phone, tablets, etc. that emit blue light. Avoiding them for 1-2 hours before trying to sleep will help your ability to sleep and improve the quality of sleep, as well
• Wear an eye mask to block out light
• Use room darkening shades or blinds to make your room as dark as possible (consider putting something in front of your alarm clock if it shines brightly.)
• Diffuse calming essential oils like lavender to promote a sound sleep
• Keep the room a moderate to cool temperature to prevent sleep interruptions
• When you do wake up, try using dim lighting so that you can fall back to sleep more easily.