Dr. Maly’s Circadian Rhythm Hacks

Insomnia got you down?

Work with a Naturopathic Doctor to understand the root cause of insomnia.

-Turn down your room temperature to less than 70 degrees

-If you take a warm shower before bed, end with a 30 second cool shower - This activates the calming parasympathetic nervous system.

-Time your melatonin right. Take 2-3 hours before bed but wait at least 1-2 hours after eating so it doesn’t interfere with blood sugar.

-Make a bedtime cocktail. Dr. Maly’s favorite: Magnesium glycinate powder (200-400mg) and a little concentrated tart cherry juice (with no added sugar) which can help with melatonin and tryptophan production. The amount of tart cherry juice to help with sleep isn’t clear, so feel free to experiment. I recommend starting with 1-2oz. 

-Keep your weekly bedtime and wake time routines on the weekend. That means if you wake up at 6am on Wednesday, plan on waking up at 6am on Saturday too!

-Skip nighttime snacking altogether. This will help with weight gain as well. If those hunger pangs are keeping you awake, grab a protein rich snack - handful of nuts, spoon of nut butter, slice of cheese, warm milk with some nutmeg if you can tolerate dairy.

-Shut off the tech at least 90 minutes before bedtime. That extra blue light exposure is affecting your sleep. If you can, wear blue light blockers and switch your settings to night mode. Buy an analog alarm clock.

-Start your day in bright lights. Open the shades right away when you get up in the morning. Sit by a big window with breakfast. Go for a brisk morning walk. At night, dim your lights or if you feel the mood, burn candles!

-If you snore, get evaluated by a sleep specialist.

-Tech savvy? Try the Aura ring to track your sleep. 

-Consider a diet overhaul. Sugars and refined carbohydrates are working against a good night’s sleep.

-Hormones may be causing those sleepless nights. Low progesterone, high cortisol, imbalanced thyroid hormones are just some that can be disturbing your sleep!