Dim All The Lights: Fall Asleep Faster Starting Tonight 😴

Lights, caffeine, action: let's take it all down a notch.

3 min read

SWEET LITTLE LIES

News: I was wrong.  The previous (and widely circulated) advice on delaying morning caffeine to avoid an afternoon crash has now been largely debunked.  And I, for one, am relieved, as that little tidbit caused quite a kerfuffle among you!

Look- wellness is a process, and part of growth is staying open to new information and being willing to change your POV. According to the recent research, “the validity and utility of these claims are questionable at best and, in some cases, not supported at all based on the available scientific evidence.” That said, if starting with a decaf has helped you minimize your overall caffeine intake, it’s still a win. And placebo is powerful- if you’ve adopted this practice and you like it then stay with it, it can’t hurt.   Don’t hold it against me: love means never having to say you’re sorry, and being a grown-ass lady means I can admit when I stand corrected.

AURAL HISTORY👂

Speaking of correctly standing (hey-o!), please don’t miss this fascinating chat I had with Holistic Physical Therapist Patricia Ladis, covering:

• the role of posture on whole body health, including proper organ function…hello?

• the most definitive explanation and argument for building bone density EVER

• a ton of tactical tips and data on strength training, particularly for women 

🧐 1 out of 1 highly opinionated husbands gave this episode 5 stars and agree that it’s a worthwhile listen.

HERE’S A TIP, MAKE THE CHANGE

So, sleep hygiene is kinda a big deal around here.  In this age of information overload, we’ve learned that good sleep is more than just hours logged in bed: it’s the quality of those hours and how your body uses them for maximum healing and restoration. We’ve also learned that there is more to insomnia than sleeplessness.  Insomnia breaks down into multiple types: sleep-onset insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep (🙋🏻‍♀️) and sleep-maintenance insomnia, where you have trouble staying asleep (🙋🏻‍♀️) and some of us are lucky enough to have both, wheee! First, a tip for those in the former camp.  Start your wind-down routine anywhere from two to three hours before bedtime, including a transition to low light or darkness as early as possible- even 30 seconds of light can suppress your natural production of melatonin and interfere with sleepiness. So turn ‘em down, tonight it’s all the way.

Be well, rest well, and more dreamy sleep nuggets ahead for paid subscribers…

DIMMING SUM

If you’re ALSO someone who likes to read a book to wind down (then we should definitely be friends and text at 3am), then you’re probably wondering how this dimming practice fits in with your reading goals. Fear not, paid subscribers read on for all the tools that will keep your eyeballs warm while you’re cooling the room for sleep. Speaking of cool:

#Dimwits

• My favorite red tint glasses: