Picture this: you’re tossing and turning in bed, silently calculating the math. You can’t seem to fall asleep, and your mind is deep in problem-solving mode; which, if we’re being honest, only leaves you feeling more anxious. With every minute that passes, you find yourself thinking that if you fall asleep now — right NOW — then you can still get a few good hours of sleep. But as that number dwindles, the pressure you feel continues to build.
By the time you finally pass out, the last few hours before sunrise are fitful at best. When your alarm sounds, you’re groggy, admittedly moody, and dreading the full day of tasks that never seem to care about your lack of rest.
We DO care, and it’s because we understand the stress of midnight arithmetic and poor sleep. We’ve been there, too. Who hasn’t? American society doesn’t exactly praise rest. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Unfortunately, the conflation of worthiness with productivity and the use of screens has become more normalized than education on the importance of high-quality sleep. So, we’re here to help set the record straight, provide you with quick (but powerful) tips to support your sleep cycle, and give you permission to do what is genuinely best for your health and well-being.
Sleep Habits, Hygiene and Health
Before you conquer your day, you need to learn how to conquer your sleep. It’s time to glorify your dreams; not your sleep-deprivation. In a country that applauds allocating little time to rest, be the rebel that prioritizes sufficient sleep because you know it only leads to a greater probability of success.
Resetting your sleep patterns and supporting your sleep cycle will require you to begin incorporating a variety of non-negotiable habits into your daily routine. Some of these will be aimed specifically at repairing your circadian clock, while others will promote restfulness and relaxation. As a whole, the habits you implement for your sleep will create the necessary foundation for improving every area of your life.
Rethink your routine.
If you’re accustomed to long, restless nights, then it’s time to rethink and reset your routine. When you’re unable to wind down, your body is signaling a disruption in your circadian clock. Sleep requires more from you than simply sliding beneath the sheets. A proper routine takes into account the first few hours of your day and the last few hours of your night.
Light, specifically in the form of sun exposure, is the single most important cue affecting your circadian clock, your sleep patterns, and where they fall within each 24-hour cycle. To help restore your body’s natural clock, get at least 2-5 minutes of direct sunlight when you wake up each morning. If you think you can stand next to the window and reap the same benefits, think again! Walking outside, even beneath cloud cover, is crucial for adequate exposure.
Regulating your exposure to light is equally important before your bedtime. Regardless of your good intentions, the consequences of your screen-time aren’t worth the extra hours or minutes of work. Late-night light interrupts your body’s synchronization with natural light/dark cycles. In fact, just one bout of blue light has the potential to delay the release of melatonin by 90 minutes; and delaying melatonin increases mental alertness, prolongs sleep latency, and decreases overall sleep quality.
To adequately buffer your bedtime, start shutting down your electronic devices at least one hour before you hit the sack. Rather than sitting through a few episodes of the latest Netflix hit, try meditating and journaling to help your mind and body wind down.
Implement nutrient timing.
When you eat is just as important as what you eat, especially if your goal is to reset your circadian clock. Planning meals that incorporate both factors — the when and the what — is an effective way to support your daily sleep cycles. When you’re cooking yourself a nutritious dinner, try to keep two principles in mind: limit high-glycemic foods and avoid large meals close to bedtime.
If your body is still busy digesting food or trying to regulate your blood sugar levels, it isn’t able to properly allocate its energy resources to the detoxification and restorative processes that typically occur during sleep. To combat this and help your body prepare for rejuvenating sleep, cook a nutrient-dense dinner with ample protein, fat, and fiber; and leave a 2-3 hour window between the last bite of your meal and your bedtime.
Supplement with Cured Zen and CBN.
Prescription-grade sleep medications and exogenous melatonin are not the answers for better sleep. There is an important distinction between taking a supplement that does the work for you, and taking a supplement that assists your body in the processes it is naturally capable of doing. That’s why herbal alternatives are always best.
We understand that sometimes even the best sleep routines can fall short, but there has been a gap in the market of holistic, herbal remedies. Like you, we needed a sleep aid that could simultaneously improve our sleep and balance our circadian clock. So, we formulated a recovery line that does exactly that; it promises to finally put an end to your sleepless nights.
We chose the highest quality ingredients for the highest quality of sleep and finally created a surefire solution for your restless nights. It’s no wonder Zen and CBN are now two of our top-selling products: 64% of people said they slept more hours per night when taking Zen; 91% of people said they replaced other sleep aids with Zen; and 82.9% of people tracked a significant positive change in their sleep scores while taking Zen.
This is your best night of sleep, naturally. Don’t wait; try Zen and CBN tonight!
