Optimize Your Sleep, Stop Hitting Snooze, & The Truth About Melatonin with Morgan Adams
Overview
In this episode, I explore sleep issues, routines, the effectiveness of melatonin, and how sleep aids like Benadryl may impact health with guest Morgan Adams. We also touch on the benefits of tracking sleep with wearables, plus tips for better sleep hygiene, caffeine, and alcohol consumption.
What you'll learn in this episode:
00:00 | Intro
10:44 | Understanding Different Types of Insomnia and Their Causes
17:37 | Optimizing Sleep Through Diet, Routine, and Lifestyle Adjustments
27:28 | Balancing Sleep Trackers and Personal Well-Being
32:19 | Exploring the Efficacy and Risks of Sleep Aids
40:49 | Crafting Personalized Night and Morning Routines for Better Sleep
Resources:
Morgan's Website
Morgan's Instagram
Natural Melatonin: 15% off with code MORGAN
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Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice.
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Mastering Sleep: Insights from a Holistic Sleep Coach
In an enlightening episode of the Mom Guilt podcast, Vanna engages with holistic sleep coach Morgan Adams, diving deep into the intricacies of sleep. Both personal anecdotes and professional insights converge to offer a comprehensive guide on optimizing sleep habits. If sleep has ever been elusive for you, this conversation might just be the key to unlocking better rest.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding sleep patterns: Differentiating between types of insomnia and recognizing how personal habits affect sleep quality.
Diet and consumption: How caffeine, alcohol, and meal times can significantly impact your sleep.
Natural sleep aids and routines: Exploring alternatives to sleep medication, including melatonin, routines, and relaxation techniques.
Causes and Remedies for Different Types of Insomnia
When it comes to insomnia, understanding its various forms is essential. Morgan Adams makes it clear that insomnia isn't a one-size-fits-all ailment. There are different types, each requiring personalized approaches for effective treatment.
Understanding Sleep Onset and Maintenance Insomnia
Morgan candidly shares her own struggles with sleep onset insomnia, detailing how a stressful relationship initially triggered her sleepless nights. "I would lie in bed one to two hours most nights, tossing and turning, waiting for sleep to come," she recalls. This led her to seek medical help, resulting in an eight-year dependency on Ambien.
Sleep onset insomnia often involves difficulty falling asleep, rooted in anxiety or stress that keeps the mind active. On the other hand, sleep maintenance insomnia concerns frequent awakenings throughout the night. "People who have trouble initiating sleep tend to have more anxiety, while those waking in the middle of the night often have physical issues like blood sugar dips or sleep apnea," Morgan explains.
Circadian Rhythms and Age-Related Changes
There's an intriguing aspect of aging that influences sleep patterns. "As you get older, your circadian rhythm sometimes shifts earlier," Morgan notes. This elucidates why older adults often wake up at early hours—an insight Vanna found relatable through her own parents' experiences. Morgan provides a comprehensive strategy for those struggling with early awakenings, emphasizing routines that align with your internal body clock.
The Impact of Diet: Caffeine, Alcohol, and Food Consumption
One of the most actionable insights from this episode revolves around dietary habits. "Quite a few people are drinking caffeine too late in the afternoon," Morgan points out, elaborating on how caffeine's prolonged presence in our system could hamper sleep quality.
Timing Your Caffeine Intake
The suggestion is simple but effective: "Cut yourself off at noon from having caffeine," Morgan advises. This ensures that by bedtime, your system is free of stimulants that could impede rest. For caffeine lovers, this can be a tough adjustment, but it's evidently worthwhile.
The Role of Alcohol in Sleep Disruption
Alcohol, despite its common use as a sleep aid, complicates sleep quality. "Alcohol is the most commonly used sleep aid, but it creates a lot of fragmentation in your sleep, especially in the second half of the night," Morgan asserts. It's crucial to time your alcohol consumption wisely—ideally, enjoying your last drink a good four to five hours before hitting the sack.
Morgan's personal experience with her Oura Ring highlights the detrimental effects of alcohol on her sleep metrics. By reducing her intake and adjusting her drinking times, she noticed significant improvements in her sleep quality.
Consuming the Right Foods at the Right Time
Eating habits also play a critical role, especially the timing and type of food consumed. "You want to focus on eating at least three hours before you go to bed," says Morgan. High-sugar foods or meals rich in saturated fats can cause blood sugar spikes, leading to restless sleep. As opposed to that, a Mediterranean diet, known for its high fiber and healthy fats, is associated with better sleep.
Natural Sleep Aids and the Debate on Melatonin
Sleep aids are a double-edged sword. While they offer a quick fix, they can lead to long-term dependency and other health risks.
The Controversy of Melatonin
Morgan's take on melatonin is particularly enlightening. Historically, melatonin has had a mixed reception due to varying concerns about its efficacy and safety. Initially cautious, Morgan now supports its use under specific circumstances, particularly favoring a natural form called herbitonin. "Herbitonin comes in 0.3 milligrams and 3 milligrams, and is found to have 400% more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits than synthetic melatonin," she suggests.
Alternatives to Synthetic Sleep Aids
Aside from melatonin, Morgan emphasizes the role of relaxing bedtime routines and non-prescription supplements like magnesium. For those wary of synthetic aids, natural alternatives like the sleepy girl mocktail—a blend of tart cherry juice and magnesium—offer a hand in winding down without the side effects associated with medications like Benadryl.
"You really want to prioritize how you feel over what the numbers tell you," stresses Morgan, especially for those who become too dependent on sleep trackers.
Investigating alternatives to medications, Morgan mentions experimenting with different wind-down activities such as yoga, meditation, and even watching specific types of TV shows (like comedies or cooking shows) that can help induce a state of relaxation. "Whatever that is, it could be the coffee, it could be food, something that you kind of look forward to," she advises.
A Holistic Approach to Improved Sleep
The journey to improved sleep is multifaceted, influenced by emotional, physical, and environmental factors. Recognizing these and adapting actions accordingly can lead to profound improvements in sleep quality.
The Power of Personalized Routines
Morgan repeatedly underscores the importance of personalization when it comes to sleep hygiene. A one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn't cut it. Whether it's establishing a bedtime and wake-up routine, modifying dietary habits, or incorporating natural supplements, what works for one person may not work for another.
The Significance of Morning Routines
Interestingly, Morgan advocates for the importance of morning routines in setting the tone for the rest of the day. She points out that rushing through mornings can elevate cortisol levels, which impacts how well you sleep at night. A controlled, intentional start to the day fosters a more balanced state that facilitates better sleep later on.
Experimentation and Consistency
Morgan's advice extends to experimenting with various practices—whether that's dialing down caffeine, adjusting alcohol consumption, or leveraging tools like a sleep journal to track behaviors and their impact. Importantly, she emphasizes the need for consistency. "You have to find your little routine that works for you," Morgan emphasizes, highlighting the ebb and flow of individual needs and preferences.
The episode drives home the notion that better sleep isn't just about what happens when your head hits the pillow but encompasses a holistic approach involving diet, routine, supplements, and an understanding of personal sleep patterns. Morgan Adams' journey reflects this multifaceted approach, offering hope and actionable insights for anyone struggling with sleep.