Having energy during the day + a restful night’s sleep = A healthy bod.

Fact!

This sooo isn’t me at the moment.  Ho hum!

There are many reasons why we don’t sleep well and it varies from person to person.  This also means that the root cause of our sleeplessness will be different from person to person.

Through my own personal research and in chatting with functional medicine practitioners, it seems insomnia is often caused by nutritional deficiencies; from our poor quality food choices to a poor digestive track.   

Personally, I didn’t think this had anything to do with my current sleep problems whatsoever, as you see, I eat fairly clean.  I’m certainly not perfect, but with having Hashimoto’s (Hypothyroidism) I have made the conscious choice to no longer consume processed/pre-packaged food products.  I no longer consume any wheat, gluten, grain and refined sugar foods.  I don’t consume cow’s milk dairy, and you definitely won’t see me lining up for take-away junk food.   The food that does come into my home, however (and of course, eventually into my mouth) is all organic, pasture raised, and as close to nature as possible. 

And then I remembered…..

I’ve just returned from France where a few cheeky pain au chocolat’s made their way into my tummy.  Doh!

I said I wasn’t perfect!

Wow.  What a serious wake-up call.  From simply consuming those few delectable French pastries, my thyroid has slowed waaaay down, my digestion has put on the brakes, my nails have all broken, my skin is like fine tissue paper,  I’m super sluggish, puffy, cranky and of course, not sleeping well.

So, apart from working with my naturopath, I’m going back to basics and trying out some simple, everyday ideas that I’ve stumbled upon.  Maybe you’ve tried them yourself?  I’d love to hear.

Morning exercise |  Our cortisol levels, when working properly, should be at their highest upon waking in the morning.  So I’ll be “faking it till I make it”, and continuing with my hour long walk to work each day.  No more snooze button!

Meditate at night | I do try as much as I can, but when I’m tired, the practice gets thrown out the door.  My plan… just 5 minutes each night in the hopes of establishing a routine.

Cherries |It seems eating a few cherries at night boost our body’s own supply of melatonin.  Bring on summer!

Sun | Giving my vitamin D levels a natural boost with a little sunshine each day by skipping the sunscreen for my walk to work each morning, when the sun isn’t too strong.  It’s on at lunchtime though!

Vitamin A | Giving my body a vitamin A boost by eating foods such as sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and Swiss chard.  This is an easy one for me!

Coconut Oil | I already use in my cooking, but will be using it more on my skin, especially after a shower.

Herbal tea | Indulging in more herbal teas, like this organic “Night Time” tea from Pukka, to help begin the relaxing process.