It's important to think of health as a synergy of elements. All the different aspects of health (diet, exercise, stress, etc.) work together in order to maintain optimal health and happiness. But the most important of all is sleep, and here's why:
Sleep is recharging. When you sleep, the body enters an advanced state of repair across certain biological levels. That means not just muscle repair, but also hormonal regulation and other vital processes that are hindered if the quality and quantity of sleep is disturbed, such as from toxins in the diet or noise from the neighbor or light from the window. So how can we sleep paleo? Here are some key points:
Wake with the sun. In nature, our paleolithic ancestors slept at night and rose when bright. There's a body of evidence that light sensors on our body trigger hormonal regulation throughout the day.
Pitch black. That means blackout curtains or better. Even artificial light will confuse the delicate rhythms of hormonal regulation.
Cool as a cave. A hot night will interrupt REM cycles and dehydrate you. Too cold won't work either.
Perfect silence. When I buy a home, I plan to soundproof the bedroom from noisy neighbors. If REM sleep is interrupted, you have to start all over with Stage I sleep again.
Eat right. Toxins of all sorts may be adversely affecting the quality of your sleep so avoid them all: gluten, dairy, lectins, alcohol, sugar, salt.
Be hydrated, but not too hydrated. Basically this means drinking water after dinner, but not right before bedtime. This is to avoid waking mid-sleep to pee.
Sleep a lot. Eight hours should be the bare minimum. Our ancestors were likely in a state of sleep-rest the entire night.
The issue of bedding will depend on the type of sleeper and will have to be trial and error. If you like firm, go for it. If not, then go ahead with plush. It makes sense that cavemen would have taken some time to procure a comfortable spot in the wild.
There are some 'natural' supplements out there, but the only one that caught my interest was magnesium (by a friend's recommendation). I've only taken it for a few days, but so far I've had great sleep. Plus, the bottle is cheap ($7 for a year's supply). Hope this helps!
