Reset Your Sleep Reset Your Life PDF€¦ · Reset Your Sleep Reset Your Life Dr. Matthew Pennetti...

Reset Your Sleep Reset Your Life

Dr. Matthew Pennetti

You may be like many people who struggle with sleep loss and are unconscious of it. Yet

millions of others know about their deficiency and are simply unable to correct it with the

methods available to them. According to the CDC 1 out of every 3 Americans gets 7

hours or less of sleep per night. For context, our bodies require somewhere in the

neighborhood of 7-8 hours of continuous sleep each night.

We have a belief at Prime Chiropractic. Our belief is pretty simple…we believe you

were designed to be healthy and function at your prime. In other words, we don’t think

that you came out of the womb with a shortage of sleeping medications, or ibuprofen, or

synthroid. However, there are certain requirements that you need to make sure you’re

getting each and every day to ensure you will never need to use medication. In this sense

humans are very similar to trees because trees have requirements too.

A tree requires:

- Good soil

- Room to grow

- Water

- Sunlight

⏐Prime Chiropractic⏐Greenwood Village, CO⏐[email protected]⏐

If it gets all those needs met…then typically it’s a very healthy tree. Humans are not

much different.

A human requires:

- Proper Nourishment

- Daily Exercise

- Sound Psychology

- Adequate Recuperation

- Proper Nervous System Activity

It’s important to note that a third of your life is spent in bed sleeping. When it comes to

improving your health, it’s typical to think about only the things you can do while awake.

However, by doing that you neglect 33% of the health equation.

Nothing leads to a decrease in life expectancy faster than a lack of sleep. There’s an

overwhelming amount of research linking poor sleep to spinal pain, increased risk of

early death, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, moodiness, depression, fatigue, and

weight gain among other numerous diseases and health issues.


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Let’s take weight gain specifically. A lack of sleep contributes to hormone imbalance,

which plays a significant role in our bodies, including weight loss. If your hormones are

unbalanced and you’re eating clean and exercising daily, weight loss is not a given. Until

the hormones are in sync, it will be very difficult to shed the weight you’re hoping to

lose.

When it comes to sleep many people are aware they have a problem, but aren’t sure about

how to fix it. There’s no shortage of advice on the topic but much of it focuses on

different medications and short-term fixes. These often carry along very serious side

effects. Some of them include sleep driving and sleep shopping. Seriously, sleep

shopping is a thing!

The problem with all these ‘fixes’ is that they all simply cover up the problem. They

don’t truly correct it. If you really want to correct your sleeping trouble, there are certain

steps you need to take to address the underlying CORE PROBLEMS that could be

contributing to it.


Sleep is a Skill

And something that can be improved with work. It’s very similar to a sport or hobby.

Steph Curry is thought to be one of, if not the best shooters in the history of basketball.

When you watch him play, it looks effortless. As if anything he throws up has a chance

to go in. He didn’t start that way. Curry’s ability to shoot came from years and years of

practice.

Even more important…if you ever get to see Curry’s team play live you’ll be treated to

an amazing pre-game ritual. Curry goes through every shot in his arsenal, every dribble

he could ever dream up, and finishes it all off with circus shots from everywhere inside

the arena. The craziest part is he’s practiced these shots so much that he completes a

high percentage of them.

This guide has nothing to do with basketball but you can gain so much from studying

athletes and how they improve their skills. If you want to sleep better, it will require

dedication and consistency, over a period of time. It may also require you correcting

some CORE PROBLEMS pertaining to different areas of your life. This guide will

outline the framework that will give you the best sleep possible. It’s on you to work the

plan.


Circadian Rhythm

The body has something known as the Circadian Rhythm. This is an innate mechanism

inborn to you. The rhythm causes hormones to be created that wake you up when the sun

rises in the morning. These hormones peak in the afternoon and gradually come down as

the sun goes down. Once the sun is gone, you begin to feel tired and desire sleep.

The Circadian Rhythm isn’t something you have to think about, unless your sleep gets

thrown off for some reason. When it’s thrown off, just like any rhythm, things feel off.

You’re not able to fall asleep when it’s your typical bedtime, and/or you wake up at odd

hours. The good news is this can all be reset, but it does need time to reboot.

The following pages in this manual will give you the strategies you need to ensure your

circadian rhythm gets back on track and stays there.

Sleep Cycle

Before we talk about specific strategies, there is one other very important element that

you need to understand when attempting to reset your sleep...


Not all sleep is equal. Short bursts of sleep, while positive, won’t give our bodies the

proper recuperation they need to continue functioning at a high level. We need a

continuous slumber. One that is uninterrupted.

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The 4 stages of the sleep cycle…

Stage 1 – This is where you first enter into sleep. You’re in a very shallow sleep that

usually lasts 15-minutes.

Stage 2 – Body prepares for a deep sleep. Brain waves begin to slow. Your temperature

cools down, eye movement stops, and heartbeat slows. This lasts around 20-minutes.

Stage 3 – Deep sleep. This stage is where sleepwalking, talking during one’s sleep,

dreaming, etc. occurs. Usually starts about 45-minutes into the sleep cycle.

Stage 4 – AKA R.E.M. sleep. If someone is aroused from this state, they will feel groggy

and disoriented. Eye movement picks up. After this stage the cycle repeats itself.


***It’s important to note that only Stage 3 qualifies as ‘Deep Sleep’, where the body can

slow down, repair itself, and grow. If your body doesn’t have the chance to reset, it will

not be able to function properly. Likewise, if you are constantly waking up in the middle

of the night due to snoring, or going to the bathroom, etc., you may never reach the point

of deep sleep, or you may not get enough of it as your sleep cycles continuously

throughout the night. This has very serious implications for your health and longevity.

Framework for an Amazing Night’s Sleep

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Let’s take the average American’s bedtime (10pm) for our example. If you’re bedtime is

not 10pm, simply scale up, or down depending on the time you fall asleep.

4pm - Stop drinking caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that will boost hormone production

in your body to keep you up.


6pm - Cease any intense exercise. Working out at a high-level with only 4-hours before

bedtime will cause hormones to spike and make it difficult to fall asleep once your head

hits the bed.

7pm – Finish eating dinner/food. Stop drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant. It

might help you fall asleep initially, however, your sleep will suffer throughout the night.

8pm – Finish exercising shortly after dinner. DO NOT go for a strenuous exercise this

late. If you’d like, take a 20-min walk around the block after dinner.

9pm – Power down all electronics, especially cell phone, computer, and/or TV. Our brain

hasn’t adapted to artificial light yet. Therefore, when we see any sort of light our brain

mistakes it for sunlight. This causes a cascade of effects. Such as, specific hormones

your body normally secretes in the morning time when your eyes first see sunlight.

These same hormones get secreted when your eyes hit artificial light as well.

It’s important to understand whatever you watch, read, or listen to 1-hour before you go

to bed will be recycled at least 6x while you sleep. For example, watching Cersei

Lannister carry out her evil ways in Game of Thrones an hour before you go to bed might

not give you the restful sleep you’re after.


We recommend taking some liquid magnesium within an hour of going to bed. This

brings an overall sense of calm to your nervous system.

10pm – Bedtime

How to Create the Perfect Bedroom for Sleep

Environment is critical for the success of your sleep. If you sleep right next to a

nightclub that stays open until 2am, that makes it very difficult to get quality rest. High-

level athletes look for anything that can give them an edge. You need to adopt that same

mindset in order to reset your sleep.

Serena Williams puts in countless hours watching herself swing a racket on film, and

practicing the perfect backhand. That way when she gets on the court, she’s able to

perform.

On top of her framework or training regimen, she’s also wearing shoes that have proven

to be effective on the court surface she’ll be playing on, she has plenty of water to stay

hydrated, and multiple rackets in case one shatters or breaks. In other words, she makes

sure all variables around the match are taken care of, so all she has to do is show up and

perform. You’re going to approach your sleep the same way.


Here’s the formula for High Quality Sleep:

Routine + Environment + Go to Bed = High Quality Sleep

To be fair, there are a few outliers that can affect sleep quality that haven’t been covered

yet. However, this guide will address them in the following pages. For the

overwhelming majority of people, controlling these factors is all you need for a great

night’s sleep! And you already have the framework piece. So, now let’s talk about the

specific elements needed to create the perfect environment.

Environment

Earplugs – Whether you have a partner who snores, neighbor who loves racing his

Harley down your street at 3am, or just can’t sleep, earplugs are extremely effective for

calming your brain down. We recommend the foam earplugs you’ll find at any

Walgreens or CVS

Black Out Shades – As you may recall from a previous section, when light hits your

eyes it causes hormones to be secreted. These hormones are usually secreted in the

morning and they cause arousal. At night, the last thing you want is to be wide awake.

So, set your room up for success by covering the windows with black out shades to keep

any unwanted light out.


!

Cell Phones –

A) We are attached at the hip to this device, literally. And while we’re on the topic of

light let’s talk about the artificial light that comes off cell phones. As you know

from the previous bullet point, light will wake you up and make it harder to fall

asleep. Cell phone light is no different.

Make sure to set your iPhone to enter into ‘Night Mode’ when the sun goes down.

Night Mode will shift the bright white and blue light on your phone to a more

calming and soothing orange color. This is less stressful on your eyes and brain

and ultimately lets you get to sleep easier. If you have an Android, there are few

free apps available for download to create the same orange effect on your phone.

B) Cell phones emit what’s called EMF waves (Electromagnetic Frequencies). These

are electrical waves that affect the brain’s waves and rhythm. This can throw off


sleep and a number of other things. To avoid this issue, place your cell phone at

least 5 ft. from your bedside.

C) Place cell phone in ‘Do Not Disturb’ Mode to keep the chances of you being

woken up to a minimum. Understand that if you check your phone at any time or

respond to a text message, the light from the phone will cause your sleep cycle to

be reset and it will be harder to get a full night’s sleep.

Artificial Light – In your bedroom don’t put a TV, computer, or electrical appliance. All

these have the potential to disturb your sleep.

Water – If you get up at 3am to get a drink of water from the fridge, the light emitted

from it will cause your hormones to spike and your sleep will be reset. If you need water,

place it by your bedside to avoid getting up in the middle of the night.

Temperature - It’s better to keep the room cool vs. warm. The cooler air will help you

get a deeper and restful sleep.

White Noise – Some situations can’t be perfect. Sometimes your spouse still can be

heard snoring through your earplugs. In order to help drown out the noise and create an

environment as calming to your nervous system as possible, use some white noise.


Mattress – Probably the most commonly altered variable when it comes to sleep. A

mattress is a very important component for anyone attempting to get a great night’s sleep.

There are many opinions on what makes a great mattress. There are also many different

body types, so it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ scenario. However, there is one overarching

theme when looking for a mattress. Select the firmest mattress you can stand and still be

comfortable.

Why?

Because a mattress that is firm forces muscles to be active throughout the night. That

way when you wake up in the morning you don’t feel stiff or sore. The softer the

mattress is, the less your muscles work. Therefore, they have a greater chance of

stiffening up. This rule also applies for sofas and any other furniture you will be

spending a good portion of your time on.

What Else Could Be Causing You to Miss

Sleep?

There are a few other major factors that could be affecting your sleep:

Hormones – After implementing the above steps, and removing any possible issues in

your framework, if you are still suffering with sleeping difficulties, there’s a good

possibility you may have a hormonal imbalance.


It’s important to understand that your hormones can be affected by a number of different

things. However, no variable plays a larger role in the function of your hormones, than

your nervous system.

After all, your nervous system controls everything in your body, including your hormonal

balance. It’s comprised of your brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves in your body.

Nothing works without first getting direction from the brain via the spinal cord and

nerves. If your heart needs to beat the brain tells it to. If the stomach needs to secrete

acid, it only does it after being told to do so by the nervous system.

Things can go wrong when CORE PROBLEMS appear in the spine and nervous system.

These can occur through physical stress (car accident, slips, or falls), chemical stress

(sugar, processed foods, alcohol), or emotional stress (frustration, worry, fear). If the

nervous system isn’t functioning properly, typically, it can be traced back to one of these

stresses. CORE PROBLEMS can contribute to digestive complaints, pain and

discomfort, migraines, heart trouble, and even sleeping problems.

Medications – There are no shortages of drugs and medications in America. Each

prescription carries with it dozens of side-effects. Some of them create a state of arousal.

While others may react with some of the medications the person was already taking to

create a difficult environment to sleep. Talk to your primary physician before ever


deciding to discontinue use of a medication. Sleeping medications specifically carry

extreme side-effects, which we covered previously.

Structure – The shape of your spine and foundation can affect how you sleep. For

example, a loss of curvature in the neck can contribute to sleep apnea and snoring. This

happens due to a loss of the normal curve in the neck. When this happens, the muscles

relax around the throat and can contribute to issues like snoring and sleep apnea.

If you or your spouse snores or has sleep apnea, understand that these aren’t just

annoying issues. They are very serious problems that cause people to not get the full rest

they require. Due to constantly waking themselves up from the snoring, or gasping for

air, they are constantly resetting the sleep cycle which doesn’t allow them to get the

‘Deep Sleep’ needed to rest their heart and brain. Ultimately, very serious symptoms can

arise from this.

If you are concerned that your spouse or you yourself may be dealing with shifting in

your spine, check out our quick and free tool that will help you analyze whether or not

you have a structural problem from the comfort of your home. Just request a copy from

us and we’ll be happy to provide.

Emotional Stress – Mindset is an important part of a healthy body. A lot of processes

are thrown off by changes in your mental state. Sleep is one of them. If we are anxious,


fearful, guilty, angry, excited, etc. our sleep could be hindered. Having a strategy that

brings an overall sense of calm to the body is encouraged. Some examples are

meditation, journaling, or drinking un-caffeinated tea before bed.

Lack of Movement – Intense exercise after hours is not recommended. However, lack

of movement throughout the day causes an imbalance of hormones. If you haven’t

exercised enough there will be a store of energy that needs to be burned making it hard

for you to fall asleep. Movement is a requirement for a healthy body, and also a good

night sleep.

If you get nothing else from this guide, hopefully you walk away with an understanding

of the importance of a routine and proper environment when it comes to sleep. Don’t

leave it up to dumb luck to give you the rest you need. Take control of your sleep and

health. Start implementing the above steps and reap the rewards!

-Dr. Matt


Reset Your Sleep Reset Your Life PDF€¦ · Reset Your Sleep Reset Your Life Dr. Matthew Pennetti...

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