You can’t talk about holistic brain health without talking about sleep. Sleep is essential for your brain's restoration, memory consolidation, and emotional regulation. It clears toxins, strengthens memories, and supports cognitive performance. This is especially true during REM and slow-wave sleep (the third stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep).

Sleep is one of our brain’s greatest protectors— mess with sleep, and you mess with your brain.  In both children and adults, poor sleep is linked to impaired focus, imbalanced mood, and long-term mental health risks such as anxiety and depression. Sleep deprivation can be so detrimental in terms of impairment and damage, it’s been compared with alcohol abuse! 

Good sleep hygiene is a holistic effort. It’s not just about the duration, but the quality and consistency of your shut eye every night. There are so many aspects to well rounded, restful sleep such as routine, relaxation, diet and exercise. Let’s dive into evening and morning routines, which may be affecting you more than you think!

Evening Routine

As technology becomes more integrated in all aspects of our lives, studies have shown time and time again how disruptive screens can be to restful sleep when used within an hour of bedtime. Blue light emitted by devices suppresses melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. 

In our quest for better sleep, many have turned to red or amber lights in the evening to counteract the disruptive effects of screens. Maybe you’ve even downloaded a nighttime blue light blocker on your phone, invested in blue light glasses, or even put your screen away for a non-digital wind down routine (good for you!). If you’re not already doing these things to mitigate blue light disruption, consider using blue light filters on your devices and opt for dim, warm-colored lighting in the evening.

But it’s not just how you go to sleep, but how you wake up from that sleep that sets the tone for quality, consistent rejuvenation. (Believe it or not, what you do to wind down at night is just as important as how you wake up in the morning.)

Morning Routine

The way we wake up has a critical impact on sleep, especially if you struggle to stay asleep throughout the night, find yourself waking up too early or worse, not rested after 8 hours of shuteye. A consistent wake up routine tells your body that when you're ready to start the day, these things will happen. So if you wake up in the middle of the night and don’t do these things, your body knows it’s not time and you train your mind and body to fall back asleep. This is why sleep experts always recommend waking up when your alarm goes off - don’t press snooze and stay in bed fading in and out of sleep. This teaches your body that being in and out of sleep for hours is what we want. 

Exposure to natural light in the morning plays a pivotal role in regulating our circadian rhythm—the body's internal clock that dictates sleep-wake cycles. One recent study found that morning sunlight exposure is associated with improved sleep quality, regardless of total daily light exposure. This is because morning light helps synchronize the circadian rhythm, leading to better sleep at night. Sunlight tells your mind and body - it’s time. 

Ready to put this tip into practice? Aim for at least 15–30 minutes of sunlight exposure within the first hour after waking. This doesn't necessarily mean stepping outside; sitting by a sunlit window can have the same positive effects. The key is to get natural light early in the day to set your internal clock properly. 

Complement this with mindful evening lighting practices, and you'll be well on your way to more restful nights. Remember, it's not just about how much light you get—it's about when you get it!