A good night’s sleep is crucial to staying strong both physically and mentally during these quickly changing times. The CDC reports that two out of five of the biggest effects of stress are changes in sleep or eating patterns and difficulty sleeping or concentrating.

The Importance Of Sleep For Immunity, Healing + Stress Management

According to Registered Dietitian, Jessica Bippen, “Strong immunity goes hand-in-hand with quality sleep and good stress management. When we’re sleep deprived or under prolonged stress, it can drastically reduce the body’s ability to defend against viruses and bacteria. This causes an overall weakened immune system.”

A good night’s sleep acts as our bodies internal reset button. “During sleep our bodies detox, balance hormones, stabilize blood pressure, boost immunity and clear out dead and damaged cells,” says Sarah Greenfield RD. “This helps our bodies become more resilient and handle stress better along with balancing overall mood.”

We can all agree that sleep is critical but getting quality sleep, especially in this stressful time can be challenging. Supplementing with adaptogens like stress-busting rhodiola (which is the supplement that’s made the biggest impact on our stress-levels as a team) and time-tested sleep-supporting classics like melatonin and valerian can have a profound impact on sleep quality. Lately, we’ve turned to HUM Nutrition’s line of effective formulas give us the results we’re looking for at an affordable price point. Each product is formulated by experts with clinically proven nutrients, rigorously tested and backed by demonstrated results.

7 Healthy Tips To Help You Fall Asleep

Along with supplementation, we suggest setting a calming bedtime routine, limiting screen time for 1 to 2 hours before bed, adding a meditation or breathwork practice to reduce stress, and using supplements to help prompt restful sleep and stress management…

review the day | One wise Ayurvedic teacher we know recommends this ‘daily review’ reflection. Sitting calmly, eyes closed, simply think back through your day, morning to night. How was your day? How did you respond to pleasures and challenges? What did you enjoy? What would you like to adjust? Taking on just one day at a time can help us to manage stress better and make the kinds of helpful life adjustments that only come with self-awareness.

Big Chill | This supplement is all about rhodiola, a calming adaptogen that provides powerful support for reducing stress. Rhodiola is an adaptogenic plant that helps the body respond better to stress. A 2012 study on the effects of rhodiola extract on mental performance under stress and fatigue found the group who received the active ingredients had lower fatigue and performed better than those who received the placebo. Try this in the afternoon or evening to help reduce stress during the day. SHOP NOW

daytime rest | For better sleep, monitor your stress levels during the day? Beyond taking rhodiola to help us cope with stressful times, it may be useful to take a mid-day break to recalibrate our stress reactions and calm us down. If you find yourselves frazzled or anxious by the end of the day, look through your routine in the afternoon. What can you do to better support your energy and emotional health earlier on to avoid the escalation to full-on  burn-out by evening? 

TRY THE 4-7-8 TRICK | Pioneered by Dr. Andrew Weil, 4-7-8 breathing is one of the simplest yet most effective tools you can use to access instant calm. Simply inhale through your nose for a count of 4, gently hold this breath for 7 counts and exhale slowly for another count of 8. This type of yogic breathing stills the mind and stimulates the release of feel-good chemicals in your brain. Given that stress is a major cause of sleep disturbances, relaxation is absolutely essential to help your mind to wind down.

Beauty zZzz | Mighty Night and Beauty zzZz work wonderfully together to promote a restful night’s sleep. Beauty zzZz helps you fall asleep while Mighty Night helps you stay asleep. As many who struggle with good sleep know, there is a difference! With Mighty Night, you also get the added benefit of overnight skin renewal at a cellular level. These two supplements are best taken 20 minutes before bed as part of your nightly routine. SHOP NOW

Mighty Night | Taken before bed, Mighty Night’s blend of sleep supporting ingredients including  valerian, hops and passion flower help you stay asleep. The unique formula also contains hydrating lipids called ceramides, ferulic acid and ubiquinol, the most-absorbable form of CoQ10 to help scavenge free radicals that can cause early signs of aging and plumps your skin while you sleep so you wake up feeling and looking refreshed. SHOP NOW

A wind-down routine | Think of your bedtime routine as an indulgent time of self-care. Turn off all the outside influences like television, computers and your phone and give your mind, body and emotions the space needed to unwind. Consider implementing aromatherapy with oils like lavender, chamomile, neroli, orange and petitgrain — all potent sleep aids. Why? Aromatherapy works on emotional, psychological and biochemical levels to induce calm. Grab your journal and free write. Make a gratitude list.

In addition to supporting quality sleep, supplementation is also key for immunity, essential vitamin and mineral deficiencies, detoxification and more. If you’re not sure where to start, try HUM’s personalized product recommendations from a Registered Dietitian (RD) based on your concerns are via a quick 3-minute evaluation. HUM’s Registered Dietitians are also available to answer questions and for ongoing support via your free account.
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This story is brought to you in partnership with HUM Nutrition. The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programs.