Sleep and the Autoimmune Protocol, Part 2


Sleep and the Autoimmune Protocol

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The Autoimmune Protocol goes way beyond just food. In these next few posts we’ll dive into the other aspects of the protocol and discuss how it all comes together to create an entire healing lifestyle. If you’re just addressing the food you’re eating, that’s a great first step, but your healing will eventually stall out. First up? Sleep.

Why is sleep important? There are a myriad of reasons. Sleep is a necessary process for the body to restore itself. During sleep, the body is recharging, restoring and recovering from daily activity. The gut is relaxed, inflammation is calmed and hormones are stabilized.

Sleep Deprivation

So what happens when you don’t sleep? Sleep deprivation can cause problems ranging from mild to severe, from yawning to heart issues, and many in between. Recently there have been studies that have shown just how important it is to get enough sleep and what will occur in your body when you don’t get enough, even for one night! These sleep deprivation effects include type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disease.

Many people squeak by on 6 or less hours of sleep a night and think that is enough. However, 6 seems to be the magic number, when you cross the line from the ‘healthy range’, into the ‘deprivation range’. Sleeping less than 6 hours a night increases your risk of most ailments, including Type 2 Diabetes. This is due to a number of factors. When you sleep less than 6 hours, your level of glucose tolerance decreases, you can become insulin resistant and this can happen within just a few days of sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation definitely puts an individual at risk for autoimmune disease. Even just mild insomnia will increase risk of autoimmune disease by around 50%. Specifically, when dealing with sleep deprivation, the risk of rheumatoid arthritis goes up by 45%, Sjogrens syndrome by 51%, ankylosing spondylitis by 53% and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) goes up by a whopping 81%. Those are pretty incredible statistics.  One study discussed findings that stated when the sleep cycle is disrupted, there is an increase in T cells in the body. T cells are immune cells, and are implicated in many autoimmune disorders. When there are too many T cells, the immune system becomes overactive and starts causing problems, like autoimmune disease.

Ways to Improve Sleep

“Just get more sleep” isn’t as easy as it sounds, however. Various symptoms, stress and depression can all impact quality and quantity of sleep. Finding ways to control the symptoms that disrupt our sleep is key in improving quality of sleep and therefore quality of life. Here are some tips to improve your sleep:

  • Create a Ritual: Having a routine you do before bed helps signal to your body it’s time for rest. Read a book, take a bath or taking a leisure walk with your significant other. Do something that is relaxing to you and that prepares your body for sleep.
  • No tech right before bed: I struggle with this one still, but not looking at technology several hours prior to bedtime can help your brain and eyes shut down and get ready for sleep. Yes, there are blue blocking glasses for the blue light that devices emit, but your brain is still being stimulated by the stories you’re reading. Consider trading in your phone for a book instead!
  • Blue Light: Speaking of blue light, get some blue light blocking glasses, use F.lux on your computer or night shift on your phone. Blue light is what messes with your circadian rhythms and throws them off. So limiting your exposure several hours before bed can be very helpful. (I’ve found this to be VERY helpful, I love my blue blocking glasses!)
  • Pay attention to the environmentIs your bedroom hot and sunny? Or is it dark and cool? These things make a huge difference when you’re trying to sleep well! Light blocking curtains, an AC or Fan might make all the difference in the world.
  • Know your triggers: Drinking caffeine or eating sugar too late in the day can cause trouble when trying to fall asleep. For some people exercising too late a night can be troublesome as well. Knowing what works and doesn’t work for you is essential to getting to sleep quickly.
  • Use the smelly stuff: Scents of lavender and vanilla are calming to the body. Using an essential oil blend around bedtime can be helpful as well.

My Sleep Experience

I’ve been having trouble with sleep for years, it seems almost since I’ve been diagnosed I’ve been struggling to regain a sleep routine. However, after some diligent work and patience, I seem to be turning a corner. I consistently use an essential oil blend on my pillow which is quite nice, I take magnesium at night and I’ve been wearing my blue blockers consistently, which I think has made the biggest difference. I’m still waking up a few times, but I’m able to get back to sleep much faster.

What is your sleep experience? Do you do any of these things now? Have you tried any different ones? Let me know!

 

 

I’M ALISSA!

I help women who have also been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis make specific and personalized diet, lifestyle & subconscious changes so that they can begin to heal their body, reduce disease symptoms, and return to a life they love.hey there,

follow along on Instagram:

This is how I slowly helped myself the most:
Making small changes to my life,
* Intentional awareness to my morning
* Noticing when I’m being mean to myself 
* Noticing when I’m reactive or in a state of fight or flight..

Some “small” ideas for you too:
* don’t grab your phone first thing in the morning, take some deep breaths, think about how you want your day to go
* drink an extra glass of water (bonus if it’s in the morning too)
* get up and move every hour
* say something nice to yourself when you catch yourself being mean
* step outside for a few minutes a few times a day

Small changes add up to big steps forward,
don’t get fooled by these not being “enough”,
they absolutely are. 

Wanna hear more about how Ive helped myself and my clients to lessen our MS symptoms so we feel better in our bodies?

I detail it in my chapter in Resilience Redefined.. comment “Book” and I’ll send you the link!!

This is how I slowly helped myself the most:
Making small changes to my life,
* Intentional awareness to my morning
* Noticing when I’m being mean to myself
* Noticing when I’m reactive or in a state of fight or flight..

Some “small” ideas for you too:
* don’t grab your phone first thing in the morning, take some deep breaths, think about how you want your day to go
* drink an extra glass of water (bonus if it’s in the morning too)
* get up and move every hour
* say something nice to yourself when you catch yourself being mean
* step outside for a few minutes a few times a day

Small changes add up to big steps forward,
don’t get fooled by these not being “enough”,
they absolutely are.

Wanna hear more about how Ive helped myself and my clients to lessen our MS symptoms so we feel better in our bodies?

I detail it in my chapter in Resilience Redefined.. comment “Book” and I’ll send you the link!!
...

20 5
You don’t always have to love the hard action you’re taking to reach your goals.

You just have to show up.

You can do this… keep going 🧡🧡

*after discerning there’s no *actual* issue (pain, injury, illness etc) preventing me from working out, only that I’m a toddler and don’t wanna.

You don’t always have to love the hard action you’re taking to reach your goals.

You just have to show up.

You can do this… keep going 🧡🧡

*after discerning there’s no *actual* issue (pain, injury, illness etc) preventing me from working out, only that I’m a toddler and don’t wanna.
...

26 4
“Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”

Resilience has become such a cornerstone word of the work I do this past year. 
It makes sense this book I collaborated on with 6 other awesome & resilient authors was destined to have resilience in the title.

Did you see??

Pre Orders are open!

If you pre order your copy through me before October 24th you’ll also get:
• Signed copy of Resilience Redefined
• The MS Handbook E-book
• Resilience Bookmark
• LissMS Sticker Pack (first 10 pre orders)

Grab your copy here: 

https://liss-ms.com/product/resilience-redefined-thriving-with-autoimmune-disease/

Or comment Book below and I’ll send you the link!!

“Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”

Resilience has become such a cornerstone word of the work I do this past year.
It makes sense this book I collaborated on with 6 other awesome & resilient authors was destined to have resilience in the title.

Did you see??

Pre Orders are open!

If you pre order your copy through me before October 24th you’ll also get:
• Signed copy of Resilience Redefined
• The MS Handbook E-book
• Resilience Bookmark
• LissMS Sticker Pack (first 10 pre orders)

Grab your copy here:

https://liss-ms.com/product/resilience-redefined-thriving-with-autoimmune-disease/

Or comment Book below and I’ll send you the link!!
...

13 0
Struggling to start with exercise?

Try this tip!!

Creating a new habit (any of them) necessitate us to become someone new, someone different than we were.

Because we’re trying to do something different after all.

This is gentle way of starting that identity shift process.

Become who you want to be in your mind first.

Does this help?
What other habits do you need help with? Let me know in the comments!!

Struggling to start with exercise?

Try this tip!!

Creating a new habit (any of them) necessitate us to become someone new, someone different than we were.

Because we’re trying to do something different after all.

This is gentle way of starting that identity shift process.

Become who you want to be in your mind first.

Does this help?
What other habits do you need help with? Let me know in the comments!!
...

31 3
It’s only fitting that I announce my 2nd book (along with 7 other authors) on my 14 year anniversary with MS.

This is a book that I would have loved to read early on in my journey.
It’s about how we moved through our diagnosis and came out the other side for the better.

““Resilience Redefined” is not just a collection of stories; it is a call to action. The authors challenge those living with an autoimmune disease to not only survive but to thrive”

So… drumroll please…
Pre orders are officially open!!

If you pre order your copy through me before October 24th you’ll also get:
• Signed copy of Resilience Redefined
• The MS Handbook E-book
• Resilience Bookmark
• LissMS Sticker Pack (first 10 pre orders)

Grab your copy here: https://liss-ms.com/product/resilience-redefined-thriving-with-autoimmune-disease/ 

Or comment “book” below and I’ll send you the link!!

It’s only fitting that I announce my 2nd book (along with 7 other authors) on my 14 year anniversary with MS.

This is a book that I would have loved to read early on in my journey.
It’s about how we moved through our diagnosis and came out the other side for the better.

““Resilience Redefined” is not just a collection of stories; it is a call to action. The authors challenge those living with an autoimmune disease to not only survive but to thrive”

So… drumroll please…
Pre orders are officially open!!

If you pre order your copy through me before October 24th you’ll also get:
• Signed copy of Resilience Redefined
• The MS Handbook E-book
• Resilience Bookmark
• LissMS Sticker Pack (first 10 pre orders)

Grab your copy here: https://liss-ms.com/product/resilience-redefined-thriving-with-autoimmune-disease/

Or comment “book” below and I’ll send you the link!!
...

33 15
If you like being outside, check out the America the Beautiful Access Pass!

This is a pass for those with disabilities to get into National Parks, Monuments and more for FREE!!

You can get it online or at the entrance of a national park!

Share with anyone who also might like this!!

If you like being outside, check out the America the Beautiful Access Pass!

This is a pass for those with disabilities to get into National Parks, Monuments and more for FREE!!

You can get it online or at the entrance of a national park!

Share with anyone who also might like this!!
...

32 2
This is obvs one option of many on how to help yourself through these moments.

But when you’re stuck in negative worrying, don’t forget there can be a positive outcome too!

This is rewiring your brain in action.

You notice you’re doing something you always did,
Then do something different.

And boom! A new pathway is born.

It needs some love and attention to grow,
so keep practicing!

This is obvs one option of many on how to help yourself through these moments.

But when you’re stuck in negative worrying, don’t forget there can be a positive outcome too!

This is rewiring your brain in action.

You notice you’re doing something you always did,
Then do something different.

And boom! A new pathway is born.

It needs some love and attention to grow,
so keep practicing!
...

22 0
This isn’t a you problem, it’s your brain acting as it should.

Are you going through some change and upheaval right now too?

I see you.

Comment any questions on how to deal below and I’ll make a part 2!

This isn’t a you problem, it’s your brain acting as it should.

Are you going through some change and upheaval right now too?

I see you.

Comment any questions on how to deal below and I’ll make a part 2!
...

38 2
We have a new space for my (free) LissMS Healing Community!!

Come on in…

Let me show you around!

This is a space created by an MSer (me), for other MSers (you) to be able to come together and support each other, learn new tools to help manage MS and maybe find a few new internet friends!

Wanna join us?

Comment “community” below and I’ll send you the link!!

We have a new space for my (free) LissMS Healing Community!!

Come on in…

Let me show you around!

This is a space created by an MSer (me), for other MSers (you) to be able to come together and support each other, learn new tools to help manage MS and maybe find a few new internet friends!

Wanna join us?

Comment “community” below and I’ll send you the link!!
...

16 1
There’s so much buzz about everything needing to feel good if it’s right for you.

Sure, there’s a time and a place for alignment.

But, growth often happens in the uncomfortable moments.

Just a reminder.
Keep going.
❤️

There’s so much buzz about everything needing to feel good if it’s right for you.

Sure, there’s a time and a place for alignment.

But, growth often happens in the uncomfortable moments.

Just a reminder.
Keep going.
❤️
...

32 9
Boating! I forgot to add boating to the list 🛶 

Regulation is found in the micro moments.

Which of these have you done lately?

Boating! I forgot to add boating to the list 🛶

Regulation is found in the micro moments.

Which of these have you done lately?
...

60 8

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