This episode explores the havoc that alcohol plays on sleep and dreams. Alcohol can contribute to hormone, blood sugar and cortisol imbalances which disrupts sleep patterns in the middle of the night. Jolene mentions the Chinese Medicine theory of why we might be waking up at 3 am as well.
It can take time (a couple weeks or months) to get sleep patterns back on track after removing alcohol from your life, so be patient. Aidan and Jolene talk about how to assess and evaluate sleep with tracking devices like a Fitbit
Sleep rebuilds neurotransmitters – GABA and serotonin and B6 and zinc might be helpful for dream recall. Plus, Jolene and Aidan both talk about the troubling aspect of drinking dreams and how real and visceral those dreams feel. Aidan shares a quote, “sleep is the best meditation” from the Dalai Lama. Ultimately sleep can be a really powerful healer when we find our ideal number of sleep hours and personal sleep routine. Jolene shares some coaching tips for better sleep — The Sleep With Me app, Calm magnesium, legs up the wall yoga, and using a light box first thing in the morning to help boost melatonin at night.
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CONNECT WITH JOLENE:
Craving Brain Coaching
Jolene on Instagram
Email: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com
CONNECT WITH AIDAN:
The Dry Life Blog
Aidan on Instagram
Email: aidandonnelleyrowley@gmail.com
