Below is the full original script prepared prior to the live show:
Daily Flash Show:
Why is it so hard for most people to get a good night’s sleep?
Mar De Carlo:
There are many specific individual reasons why it is so hard for most people to get a good night’s sleep.
However, we can consider two main categories:
First, a shift in environmental and social conditions that began as early as the 17th century but became prominent through the industrial revolution and the introduction of artificial light in the home, work and community environment. These conditions include: light, noise, temperature, air quality, bedding and technology.
Second, health and lifestyle behaviors inhibiting sleep such as suboptimal breathing, nutritional deficiencies, increase of stress (body is in constant fight or flight), sedentary lifestyle, cultural attitudes and beliefs of work hard/play hard, lack of routine, nervous system dysregulation and emotional dysregulation.
Daily Flash Show:
What can we do about it?
Mar De Carlo:
“While people need a customized solution specifically addressing the areas of their environment, health and lifestyle that are inhibiting their ability to have optimal sleep, I included top tips which can be a great starting point:
A few tips you can start with to begin your journey toward optimal sleep and healthy living:
- Change your perspective and attitude towards sleep. Begin by embracing your sleep challenge and taking a deep open curious interest to learn more about how you function. Your body is essentially a home that needs maintenance to perform at its best. Your sleep challenge is significantly an opportunity to turn your quality of life around for the better.
- Become aware of the way you breathe and begin incorporating daily short breathing exercises which I call “daily pauses” that include slowing down your breath, breathing through your nose and diaphragmatic breathing. The way you breathe impacts your nervous system and quality of sleep.
- Increase bright light (sunlight) exposure during the day, ideally in the morning and reduce artificial light exposure in the evening by dimming lights, cutting lights down in half. throughout the home and removing screen time 30 minutes to one hour before bed.
- Evaluate your food, drink, supplement and medication intake with a nutritionist or doctor to see if any of them may be inhibiting your sleep.
- Increase activity level daily, especially if sedentary. Many studies have shown that proper exercise improves sleep and alleviates sleep related issues.
- Lastly, incorporate an emotional outlet to process and regulate your emotions on a consistent basis. This can include writing in a journal, belonging to a positive support group or engaging in a creative activity like dancing.
