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【 Elevate Your Sleep, Elevate Your Life 】
Your bedroom isn’t just a place to rest—it’s your sanctuary for renewal.
Imagine bringing the harmony of TCM into your nighttime routine,
transforming every night into a moment of deep restoration.
Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body follows a cyclical circadian rhythm that governs physiological processes, including sleep-wake cycles. Disruptions to this natural rhythm can lead to imbalances in the body's energy flow, causing issues like insomnia, fatigue, and lack of vitality.
The recommended sleep duration spans from 10 PM to 7 AM. Adhering to the timing of the body's meridian and blood circulation not only regulates sleep patterns but also contributes to the enhancement of the body's self-healing capabilities.
Limit Caffeine Intake 6 Hours Before Bed
Caffeine is a stimulant that blocks adenosine, a sleepiness-inducing neurotransmitter. The average caffeine half-life is 3-5 hours, the time it takes for your body to eliminate half the consumed amount.
Even though it's believed that caffeine's effects diminish by bedtime, scientific evidence suggests that it can still interfere with sleep when ingested six hours prior to sleep.
In a study conducted by Wayne State University School of Medicine, researchers discovered that the consumption of caffeinated beverages six hours before sleep can lead to a noticeable degradation in sleep quality.
Participants were instructed to consume caffeinated beverages at different times before sleep, and the study's findings showed that despite self-reported seven hours of sleep, the actual sleep duration and quality, as measured by sleep monitors, were significantly reduced.
Given the varying levels of caffeine tolerance among individuals, setting a personal cutoff time for caffeine intake can be an effective strategy to enjoy coffee and caffeinated teas without adversely affecting sleep.
Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013 Nov 15;9(11):1195-200. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.3170. PMID: 24235903; PMCID: PMC3805807.
Minimize Light Exposure
Melatonin plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle and promoting the feeling of sleep, with its production primarily influenced by light levels. A team led by Assistant Professor Gu Li at Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, investigated the impact of various indoor lighting conditions on melatonin suppression in 116 healthy individuals aged 18 to 30.
Their research revealed that exposure to higher indoor lighting levels (below 200 lux) from dusk until midnight not only inhibits the body's melatonin production but also advances the brain's melatonin secretion timing by approximately 90 minutes compared to being in lower light conditions (under 3 lux).
A significant discovery was that light exposure before sleep can decrease melatonin secretion by 71%, suggesting that delaying the turn-off of lights until just before sleep can adversely affect both the timing and quantity of melatonin release, making it harder to fall asleep without this natural sleep aid. Turning off lights earlier before bedtime can facilitate melatonin secretion and enhance sleepiness.
Even minimal light can postpone melatonin release, reducing deep and REM sleep durations, which can increase the frequency of dreams and the duration of wakefulness, leading to poorer sleep quality. Over time, this pattern can lead to sleep onset insomnia and chronic sleep disorders.
Creating a sleep-friendly environment by dimming bedroom lights, turning off lights earlier, playing gentle music, or engaging in light stretching can help the body relax and encourage sleepiness, thus enhancing sleep quality.
Gooley JJ, Chamberlain K, Smith KA, Khalsa SB, Rajaratnam SM, Van Reen E, Zeitzer JM, Czeisler CA, Lockley SW. Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens melatonin duration in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Mar;96(3):E463-72. doi: 10.1210/jc.2010-2098. Epub 2010 Dec 30. PMID: 21193540; PMCID: PMC3047226.
Optimal Bedroom Temperature
The quality of our sleep is influenced by indoor temperature, as our body's internal clock adjusts our sleep-wake cycle based on temperature, surroundings, and individual differences.
To naturally drift off to sleep, our core body temperature must decrease. Starting in the evening, the body's heat is radiated through the skin's blood vessels, which lowers the core temperature and induces sleepiness.
Research indicates that night temperatures above 25 degrees, particularly in the hotter seasons, can impair sleep quality and duration, hindering the body's restorative abilities and negatively affecting health. Notably, these temperature variations have a more significant impact on the sleep of older adults and vulnerable populations.
While individual preferences for sleep room temperature vary, maintaining a room temperature between 19.4°C and 21°C at night is suggested to regulate the body's internal clock, facilitate sleep onset, and enhance overall sleep quality.
Obradovich N, Migliorini R, Mednick SC, Fowler JH. Nighttime temperature and human sleep loss in a changing climate. Sci Adv. 2017 May 26;3(5):e1601555. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1601555. PMID: 28560320; PMCID: PMC5446217.
Remember to aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep
Long-term sleep deficiency harms not just memory and cognition but also disrupts the function of the gastrointestinal, immune, metabolic, and circulatory systems, raising the risk of chronic illnesses.
Sleep deprivation can lead to a decline in memory, attention, and concentration, affecting performance in learning, work, and daily activities. It can also result in mood swings, irritability, and anxiety .
Sleep quality is as important as sleep duration. Deep sleep is essential for bodily growth and repair, immune system strengthening, memory consolidation, and hormone regulation. It is the most restorative phase of sleep, with individuals who get sufficient deep sleep experiencing better health outcomes. Research indicates that school-age children need 20-25% of their sleep to be deep sleep, while adults need 16-20% .
REM sleep, like deep sleep, is vital. It aids in the organization and solidification of memories into long-term retention, improves learning capabilities, comprehension, creativity, emotional regulation, and stress relief .
Healthy sleep patterns involve recurring cycles of REM and deep sleep throughout the night .
Ohayon M, Wickwire EM, Hirshkowitz M, Albert SM, Avidan A, Daly FJ, Dauvilliers Y, Ferri R, Fung C, Gozal D, Hazen N, Krystal A, Lichstein K, Mallampalli M, Plazzi G, Rawding R, Scheer FA, Somers V, Vitiello MV. National Sleep Foundation's sleep quality recommendations: first report. Sleep Health. 2017 Feb;3(1):6-19. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2016.11.006. Epub 2016 Dec 23. PMID: 28346153.
Book a consultation with our TCM Wellness Consultants at Chong Kio. By blending the insights of traditional Chinese medicine with modern Western medical practices, we can tailor a unique dietary and wellness strategy aimed at enhancing your sleep quality on all fronts.
At Chongkio, we believe in lifestyle medicine's power to achieve optimal holistic health. Our selection of herbal remedies includes revitalizing herbal soups and calming herbal teas. Take advantage of our TCM wellness products, including chicken essence and the benefits of cordyceps.
Back
【 Elevate Your Sleep, Elevate Your Life 】
Your bedroom isn’t just a place to rest—it’s your sanctuary for renewal.
Imagine bringing the harmony of TCM into your nighttime routine,
transforming every night into a moment of deep restoration.
Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body follows a cyclical circadian rhythm that governs physiological processes, including sleep-wake cycles. Disruptions to this natural rhythm can lead to imbalances in the body's energy flow, causing issues like insomnia, fatigue, and lack of vitality.
The recommended sleep duration spans from 10 PM to 7 AM. Adhering to the timing of the body's meridian and blood circulation not only regulates sleep patterns but also contributes to the enhancement of the body's self-healing capabilities.
Limit Caffeine Intake 6 Hours Before Bed
Caffeine is a stimulant that blocks adenosine, a sleepiness-inducing neurotransmitter. The average caffeine half-life is 3-5 hours, the time it takes for your body to eliminate half the consumed amount.
Even though it's believed that caffeine's effects diminish by bedtime, scientific evidence suggests that it can still interfere with sleep when ingested six hours prior to sleep.
In a study conducted by Wayne State University School of Medicine, researchers discovered that the consumption of caffeinated beverages six hours before sleep can lead to a noticeable degradation in sleep quality.
Participants were instructed to consume caffeinated beverages at different times before sleep, and the study's findings showed that despite self-reported seven hours of sleep, the actual sleep duration and quality, as measured by sleep monitors, were significantly reduced.
Given the varying levels of caffeine tolerance among individuals, setting a personal cutoff time for caffeine intake can be an effective strategy to enjoy coffee and caffeinated teas without adversely affecting sleep.
Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013 Nov 15;9(11):1195-200. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.3170. PMID: 24235903; PMCID: PMC3805807.
Minimize Light Exposure
Melatonin plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle and promoting the feeling of sleep, with its production primarily influenced by light levels. A team led by Assistant Professor Gu Li at Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, investigated the impact of various indoor lighting conditions on melatonin suppression in 116 healthy individuals aged 18 to 30.
Their research revealed that exposure to higher indoor lighting levels (below 200 lux) from dusk until midnight not only inhibits the body's melatonin production but also advances the brain's melatonin secretion timing by approximately 90 minutes compared to being in lower light conditions (under 3 lux).
A significant discovery was that light exposure before sleep can decrease melatonin secretion by 71%, suggesting that delaying the turn-off of lights until just before sleep can adversely affect both the timing and quantity of melatonin release, making it harder to fall asleep without this natural sleep aid. Turning off lights earlier before bedtime can facilitate melatonin secretion and enhance sleepiness.
Even minimal light can postpone melatonin release, reducing deep and REM sleep durations, which can increase the frequency of dreams and the duration of wakefulness, leading to poorer sleep quality. Over time, this pattern can lead to sleep onset insomnia and chronic sleep disorders.
Creating a sleep-friendly environment by dimming bedroom lights, turning off lights earlier, playing gentle music, or engaging in light stretching can help the body relax and encourage sleepiness, thus enhancing sleep quality.
Gooley JJ, Chamberlain K, Smith KA, Khalsa SB, Rajaratnam SM, Van Reen E, Zeitzer JM, Czeisler CA, Lockley SW. Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens melatonin duration in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Mar;96(3):E463-72. doi: 10.1210/jc.2010-2098. Epub 2010 Dec 30. PMID: 21193540; PMCID: PMC3047226.
Optimal Bedroom Temperature
The quality of our sleep is influenced by indoor temperature, as our body's internal clock adjusts our sleep-wake cycle based on temperature, surroundings, and individual differences.
To naturally drift off to sleep, our core body temperature must decrease. Starting in the evening, the body's heat is radiated through the skin's blood vessels, which lowers the core temperature and induces sleepiness.
Research indicates that night temperatures above 25 degrees, particularly in the hotter seasons, can impair sleep quality and duration, hindering the body's restorative abilities and negatively affecting health. Notably, these temperature variations have a more significant impact on the sleep of older adults and vulnerable populations.
While individual preferences for sleep room temperature vary, maintaining a room temperature between 19.4°C and 21°C at night is suggested to regulate the body's internal clock, facilitate sleep onset, and enhance overall sleep quality.
Obradovich N, Migliorini R, Mednick SC, Fowler JH. Nighttime temperature and human sleep loss in a changing climate. Sci Adv. 2017 May 26;3(5):e1601555. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1601555. PMID: 28560320; PMCID: PMC5446217.
Remember to aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep
Long-term sleep deficiency harms not just memory and cognition but also disrupts the function of the gastrointestinal, immune, metabolic, and circulatory systems, raising the risk of chronic illnesses.
Sleep deprivation can lead to a decline in memory, attention, and concentration, affecting performance in learning, work, and daily activities. It can also result in mood swings, irritability, and anxiety .
Sleep quality is as important as sleep duration. Deep sleep is essential for bodily growth and repair, immune system strengthening, memory consolidation, and hormone regulation. It is the most restorative phase of sleep, with individuals who get sufficient deep sleep experiencing better health outcomes. Research indicates that school-age children need 20-25% of their sleep to be deep sleep, while adults need 16-20% .
REM sleep, like deep sleep, is vital. It aids in the organization and solidification of memories into long-term retention, improves learning capabilities, comprehension, creativity, emotional regulation, and stress relief .
Healthy sleep patterns involve recurring cycles of REM and deep sleep throughout the night .
Ohayon M, Wickwire EM, Hirshkowitz M, Albert SM, Avidan A, Daly FJ, Dauvilliers Y, Ferri R, Fung C, Gozal D, Hazen N, Krystal A, Lichstein K, Mallampalli M, Plazzi G, Rawding R, Scheer FA, Somers V, Vitiello MV. National Sleep Foundation's sleep quality recommendations: first report. Sleep Health. 2017 Feb;3(1):6-19. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2016.11.006. Epub 2016 Dec 23. PMID: 28346153.
Book a consultation with our TCM Wellness Consultants at Chong Kio. By blending the insights of traditional Chinese medicine with modern Western medical practices, we can tailor a unique dietary and wellness strategy aimed at enhancing your sleep quality on all fronts.
At Chongkio, we believe in lifestyle medicine's power to achieve optimal holistic health. Our selection of herbal remedies includes revitalizing herbal soups and calming herbal teas. Take advantage of our TCM wellness products, including chicken essence and the benefits of cordyceps.
