The Art of Sleep: Sleeping Accidents And Other Sleep Disturbances - The Struggle Is Real

My husband and I often head off to sleep for the night feeling tired but otherwise ok, only to awaken with a stiff back, aching tendon or some other ailment that was not there when we fell asleep - hence “A Sleeping Accident”. I don’t know about you, but when I turned 57 it was like somebody turned on a switch labeled - “No Sleep Tonight”. I’ve always been such a good sleeper, so what is going on - menopause, aging and high cortisol all seemed to be the likely culprits - so what’s a girl to do??

Sleep Disturbance Reality

According to the National Institute on Aging as people age, sleep quality and duration often change, with a significant portion of those over 50 experiencing trouble sleeping, including difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restless sleep. Research from the National Library of Medicine shows that fewer than six hours of sleep per night increases your risk of premature death by 15%. Getting the proper amount of sleep can extend our longevity, enhance our ability to manage stress, regulate our mental health, maintain a healthy weight, provide proper muscle recovery, boost our brain performance and heart health. Let’s take a dive into the stages of sleep, and how we can improve this vital element in maintaining our health as we age. 

Stages Of Sleep

Each stage of sleep provides an important role in achieving good quality rest and recovery. We generally cycle though the four phases of sleep depending upon how long we sleep in total and how long we stay asleep. This is where I struggle, rarely do I stay asleep the entire night which will often pull me out of an all important phase of sleep, most often deep sleep. According to Sleepfoundation.org - here are the four phases:

NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) Stage 1 (N1): Light Sleep - This is the initial stage of sleep where we slip from wakefulness to sleep. A light sleep where the body begins to relax and brain activity slows down. This phase is typically 5 to 10% of total sleep time.

NREM Stage 2 (N2): Intermediate Sleep - Deeper sleep with reduced eye movements, muscle tone, and brain activity. This phase accounts for approximately 45-55% of total sleep. 

NREM Stage 3 (N3): Deep Sleep (Slow-Wave Sleep) - The deepest stage of sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep. Brain waves become very slow, and the body is almost completely relaxed. Accounting for 15-25% of total sleep unless you are me, I generally get about 10-15% of sleep in this phase. Functions of deep sleep have huge ramifications on your body’s ability to function and recover: 

• Physical restoration: Essential for repairing and rebuilding body tissues, such as muscles and bones. 

• Cognitive function: Helps consolidate memories and improve cognitive performance. 

• Emotional regulation: Can help reduce stress and anxiety. 

• Immune function: May play a role in strengthening the immune system. 

Disruptions to Deep Sleep can lead to various health problems, including: 

fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, increased risk of accidents, and weakened immune system. 

REM Sleep Stage 4: Dream Sleep - During REM sleep brain activity increases, nearing levels when awake - this is where vivid dreaming and rapid eye movements occur. REM sleep is important for cognitive functions - mood, learning and memory. Typically 20-25% of total sleep.

Understanding the various sleep phases and the quality of sleep you are able to achieve is paramount in helping you develop the best sleep possible for your overall health.

I use an Oura ring to track my sleep, my husband prefers the Whoop Band. Monitoring my sleep can help me make informed decisions about my weight training plan.  If I feel exhausted and run down and I can see that I did not achieve deep sleep the night before, then I know to be cautious in going up in my weights that day or pushing myself too hard. I am also able to make informed choices about balancing my bedtime routine, maybe I can see that I am not keeping a consistent schedule and it is starting to effect my ability to fall asleep (latency). Knowledge and trend information is a powerful tool to help you make adjustments where needed.

Oura Ring data shows the amount of time in each cycle, how long it took to fall asleep & the efficiency of sleep.

Oura Ring data also helps illustrate gaps in my sleep.

Six Habits To Improve Sleep

1. Screens Off - One to two hours before bed disconnect yourself for your devices. Blue light from screens signals to the brain it’s time to be alert and active.

2. Build A Regular Bedtime - This is a tough one but a habit that will truly help you - our bodies get used to consistent patterns, yes even weekends. Try it for one week and see if you can feel yourself falling into a pattern - you may notice that you feel better and fall asleep faster.

3. Limit Alcohol - As we age our bodies process alcohol differently, or livers slow down which means alcohol stays in the system longer and can prevent us from a restful night of sleep. Alcohol also lowers our melatonin levels and spikes cortisol, all leading to distributions in our sleep. I gave up alcohol, every time I have a drink I don’t sleep and wake up sweating - not worth it!

4. Strength Training - Incorporate strength training - it can help reduce stress and anxiety and contribute to deeper sleep which will enhance overall sleep quality. It also leads to a feeling of tiredness from muscle fatigue and energy depletion. 

5. Get Out Of Your Head - If your brain is racing with thoughts of things to do or mishaps from the day it can prevent you from falling asleep. Try jotting down anything you need to do the next day or something that you need to address that’s troubling you - then say to yourself - “I’m letting go of this until tomorrow”. Give yourself permission to rest, it will be there for you tomorrow when you are rested and ready. 

6. Even Breathing - Deep breathing calms the central nervous system specifically your Vagus Nerve which controls your fight our flight response. Deep breathing can help you reset.

Inhale deeply for a count of four

Hold that breath for a count of four

Exhale four counts

Repeat four to five times.

Sleep Hacks

I have tried many things to help me sleep as well as trying to adhere to the list of habits above. Here are a few hacks that have helped me in the battle for better sleep.

Massage Magnesium oil into your feet before bed to release tension in your feet & increase the flow of magnesium into your bloodstream. 

Try putting on a fresh pair of PJ’s especially if you were up the night before tossing, turning & sweating. My favorites are soft and silky which help me feel relaxed as soon as I slip them on. 

Gently brush your hair before bed to stimulate the scalp & release tension in your head. 

Diffuse essential oils or open a bottle, hold it under your nose & gently breath in, or place an open bottle near your bed so you can smell the oils when settling in. One of my favorites for relaxation is lavender- defuse it along with an oil called “Grounding” to help you relax & ground yourself. 

Try not to let anxiety build about sleep ahead of time. I used to get up for the 5 am teaching shift. I often found myself feeling anxious about getting to bed on time and falling asleep literally hours before bed. The anxiety would raise with each passing hour until you guessed it, no sleep at bedtime or throughout the night. 

Add a noise machine in your bedroom or add an app on your phone to drown out sounds that could keep you up. There are white noise functions, ocean sounds, rainfall & so many more, choose one that helps you relax. I use both for a double dose of ensured quiet.

Make sure your room is cool, most experts recommend a bedroom temperature between 60°F and 67°F. Your body temperature naturally drops before and during sleep, a cooler environment helps facilitate this process, promoting deeper and more restful sleep. 

Sleep Supplements

Over the past few years I have tried many sleep supplements. It is really a process of trail and error, what works for you and helps you achieve better sleep. I quickly learned that taking more than 3 mg of Melatonin made me feel dizzy and sick. I have also tried Melatonin gummies and had the same effect, so now I only take Melatonin as part of a complete package provided by Legion called Lunar. Here is a list of what I take nightly:

Magnesium - Magnesium may impact sleep because of the way it affects other chemicals in the brain, including melatonin. Having higher magnesium levels and taking magnesium supplements are both linked to better sleep. I use the Life Time brand which provides 300 mgs in three capsules - I only take one capsule as I supplement magnesium during the day as well and do not want to ingest too much. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium falls between 310 and 420 milligrams for adults, depending on age, sex, and pregnancy status.

5-HTP - can aid in better sleep as it increases levels of serotonin, which play a role in levels of the body’s sleep hormone, melatonin, - an increase in serotonin can influence melatonin production. It has worked for me for the past 2 years, any night I miss taking it, my sleep quality dips. I take 100 mg from Jarrow Formulas.

Lunar Chewables - These chewable are a new addition to my sleep regiment and seem to be helping. I only take 2 of the recommended 4 chewable per night as I am on the lighter side of the weight scale and tend to be very sensitive to most supplements and medications.

Chewable contents: 

0.5mg of melatonin 

100 mg of GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) - which is a calming neurotransmitter - compared to a brake petal for your brain.

400 mg of the amnio acid L-Theanine - known for its calming effects.

3000 mg of Glycine - also an amino acid that acts as a calming neurotransmitter.

Progesterone - I take 100 mg of progesterone each night to help balance out my menopausal hormones. This is part of my hormone replacement therapy and is covered by my insurance and filled at my local pharmacy.

Find what works for you and what is realistic for you to take each night. Track how you feel and how you sleep so you know where to make adjustments. 

Sleep Is The Ultimate Link To Longevity

High quality sleep will help you reduce inflammation, regulate metabolism, repair muscle tissue, strength your cognition and help promote balanced mood and weight. According to the National Library of Medicine, women who sleep 7 to 8 hours per night add 2 1/2 years to their lives, men 5 years. Sleep isn’t just finding downtime or one of those nagging things you have to do - it’s one of the most powerful tools you have for longevity. If you are struggling to sleep try fine-tuning your routine, consistency is key and mentally committing to making sleep a non-negotiable will help you chart a course for better future and a stronger version of you moving forward. 

Let me know if you have questions, comments or want to learn more. I’m here to share my journey. I’d love to hear from you. You can also find me on Instagram @lauraessexlivehappy.com.

Here’s to your Health!