Effective Tips for Sleeping Naturally During Summer

As the seasons change, a person’s sleeping habits can change also. Here are some reasons a good night’s sleep is key for good health, tips on getting adequate rest in the summer months, and top all-natural sleep aids.

Change of Seasons

The amount of daylight (or lack thereof) can directly impact sleep and the circadian rhythm. Also known as the “body’s clock,” the circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle that regulates many physiological processes, including when to sleep, when to wake up, and when to eat. A study on seasonal differences found a lack of daylight was linked to increased problems of falling asleep, daytime fatigue, and depressive mood. ^[1]

Many people also find it difficult to sleep in the summer: exposure to light later in the day can increase the likelihood of waking up during the night and a reduced amount of delta-wave sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep. The researchers conclude light is the most important factor affecting circadian rhythm. ^[2] In addition, higher temperatures and increased humidity can make it difficult to sleep also.

Importance of Sleep

A lack of quality sleep can have a direct impact on health in a variety of surprising ways:

Obesity. Studies indicate a link between weight gain, short sleep duration, and poor sleep quality. Sleep apnea, which is often linked to obesity, has been shown to cause poor sleep quality as well. ^[3]

Type 2 diabetes. Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders have been linked to changes in energy homeostasis, insulin resistance, and β-cell function. In the same study, researchers note the potential correlation between global increases in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and sleep disorders. ^[4]

Cardiovascular disease. Lack of sleep has been shown to impact cardiovascular health: A 10-year study was conducted by the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on individuals aged 25 to 74. The study found the majority who were diagnosed with hypertension slept less than 5 hours of sleep per night. ^[5]

Researchers also found men who sleep less than 4 hours or less had a higher mortality rate from chronic heart disease than those who sleep a minimum of 7 hours. ^[5]

Mood. Higher sleep quality is believed to improve mental health. A recent study found that improved sleep reduced feelings of anxiety, depression, rumination, and stress. (There was also a small impact on psychosis symptoms.) Researchers concluded that greater improvements in sleep quality led to greater improvements in mental health. ^[6]

Sleep Summer Tips

There are many potential causes for the abovementioned health issues. However, some people may take medication for health issues initially caused by poor sleep quality. In addition to consulting with your physician, try to get better sleep. That could be a key first step in improving health.

Here are some of the best ways to get a good night’s sleep this summer:

Reduce Nighttime Light Exposure

Reducing light exposure before bed helps the body to wind down and reset your internal clock. The use of the following items should be minimized before bedtime:

• Cellphones
• Laptops
• Televisions
• Tablets
• Bright lights/lamps

In addition, resist the urge to use blackout curtains. Morning sunlight lets the body know it’s time to wake up, which also helps the circadian rhythm.

Keep a Nighttime/Bedtime Routine

Become a creature of habit. This will allow the body to associate certain behaviors with sleep. Here are a few nighttime rituals that could help the body wind down:

• Have a warm bath
• Reading
• A cup of non-decaffeinated herbal tea
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Playing soothing, relaxing music
• Increased relaxation (avoid stressful thoughts or situations)

Reduce Nighttime Room Temperature

Many find it easier to sleep in cooler temperatures. On average, the best sleeping temperature is 65 degrees. In addition, keep sleeping areas well-ventilated with a fan, door, or window propped open.

Diet and Sleep Quality

The foods consumed before bed could have a direct impact on sleep quality. Here are the best and worst foods to eat before going to bed:

Top All-Natural Sleep Supplements

In addition to the tips above, all-natural sleep aids are available as well. The following supplements are free of artificial ingredients, colors, or GMOs and are designed to help improve sleep quality.

MicroBiome Labs - ZenBiome Sleep™

ZenBiome Sleep™ is specifically designed to help those with occasional insomnia bouts. It can also help to reduce tension and support feelings of relaxation. Both can hurt getting adequate sleep. 

Stress-related insomnia has been shown to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which consists of three key components: the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. The hypothalamus is a key center for sleep regulation, and stress can trigger the production of noradrenaline, adrenaline, cortisol, corticosterone, or other hormones that increase attention, arousal, and wakefulness. [7]

Systemic Formulas: #427 - DReM - Sleep Aid

DReM - Sleep Aid uses all-natural products to help a person have healthy sleep and relaxation naturally. Key ingredients include the following:

Passionflower. A medicinal plant that promotes relaxation while supporting the body’s production of GABA, a neurotransmitter believed to have a calming, relaxing effect on the nervous system and help boost mood.

Tryptophan. An amino acid that converts into serotonin is used to make melatonin.

Other all-natural ingredients:

• Melatonin
• Vitamin B6
• Astragalus 
• Valerian root
• St. John’s Wort

Systemic Formulas: #31 - Ga – ADRENAL

Ga – Adrenal focuses on the adrenal glands, which are responsible for helping the body adapt to stress, maintaining pH balance, and helping the body maintain the optimal hormonal balance.

Ga – Adrenal is another all-natural product that provides the following benefits:

• Supports thyroid health 
• Helps strengthen the immune system
• Promotes a positive stress response

This product supports the entire endocrine system, which is made up of glands. These glands produce 30 different hormones, impacting nearly every living cell. Key ingredients include vitamin C, calcium, echinacea purpurea, zinc, leucine, selenium, and vitamin B5.

Summary

Getting adequate sleep is essential to good health. Do you have trouble sleeping? If so, give these tips a try and let us know your results!

References

1. Oddgeir Friborg, Bjørn Bjorvatn, Benjamin Amponsah, (et al). Associations between seasonal variations in day length (photoperiod), sleep timing, sleep quality and mood: a comparison between Ghana (5°) and Norway (69°) - FRIBORG – 2012. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00982.xhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00982.x
2. Christine Blume Corrado Garbazza, Manuel Spitschan. Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep, and mood - PMC (nih.gov). Somnologie (Berl). 2019; 23(3): 147–156. Published online 2019 Aug 20. doi: 10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x [PMID: 31534436]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6751071/
3. Rachel P Ogilvie, Sanjay R Patel. The epidemiology of sleep and obesity - PubMed (nih.gov). Sleep Health. 2017 Oct;3(5):383-388. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2017.07.013. Epub 2017 Aug 15. [PMID: 28923198].https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28923198/
4. Christina Antza, Georgios Kostopoulos, Samiul Mostafa, (et al). The links between sleep duration, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus - PubMed (nih.gov). J Endocrinol. 2021 Dec 13;252(2):125-141. doi: 10.1530/JOE-21-0155. [PMID: 34779405].https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34779405/
5. Michiaki Nagai, Satoshi Hoshide, Kazuomi Kario.  Sleep Duration as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease- a Review of the Recent Literature - PMC (nih.gov). Curr Cardiol Rev. 2010 Feb; 6(1): 54–61.doi: 10.2174/157340310790231635. [PMID: 21286279].https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845795/
6. Alexander J Scott, Thomas L Webb, Marrissa Martyn-St James (et al). Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials - PubMed (nih.gov). Sleep Med Rev. 2021 Dec;60:101556. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556. Epub 2021 Sep 23. [PMID: 34607184]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34607184/
7. Kuem Sun Han, Lin Kim, Insop Shim. Stress and sleep disorder.  Exp Neurobiol. 2012 Dec;21(4):141-50. doi: 10.5607/en.2012.21.4.141. Epub 2012 Dec 26. [PMID: 23319874]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23319874/