Improving Your Quality of Sleep

Is waking up between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. getting old? Dr. Natalie Underberg, DC, IFMCP, Diamond and U.S. Founder 2.0 says it could be due to blood sugar imbalances, even within the normal ranges. When drops in normal-range blood sugar occur this usually means our eating habits need some improvement throughout the day.

In a recent presentation at the 2023 convention, Dr. Underberg provides some advice on improving our sleep.

She says that if we are undereating or not eating enough of the right foods during the day, it can affect cortisol levels which is our primary stress hormone. Rise in cortisol sends signals to your brain to wake up, therefore hindering you from a quality night's sleep.

How can we support and better improve our sleep? Dr. Underberg has some suggestions.

• Eat a protein rich breakfast every morning.
• Consume 30-40 grams of quality protein at each meal.
• Reduce sugar and processed food.
• Incorporate the MetaPWR^® line into your daily routine.
• Balance stress during the day to regulate our cortisol levels at night.
• Bonus tips: Walk for 10-15 minutes after each meal to help balance blood sugar.

So many things are affected by interrupted sleep: Hormones, our heart, metabolism, emotions, and immune system all take a hit when quality sleep isn’t prioritized.

Dr. Underberg explained that one night of four hours of sleep results in a 70% reduction of natural killer cells. These cells are an essential part of our immune system.

Inadequate sleep also affects our cognitive health as we age.

A study by Harvard University revealed that individuals who had five hours, or less, of sleep were twice as likely to experience significant age-related decline, compared with those who sleep 6-8 hours.

The average adult needs at least seven hours of sleep. However, most need 7-9 hours.

Women need more sleep than men. Hormones play a crucial role in our well-being. Poor sleep affects hormones.

Here's how hormones take a hit when sleep isn’t prioritized:

• Changes the way and rate our body stores fat.
• Can affect cognitive function.
• Lowers immune response.
• Slows down our metabolism.
• Increases stress hormones.
• Increases fat storage hormones.

If your sleep is being affected, your hormones will quicky follow.

Dr. Underberg provides suggests six sleep hygiene tips:

• Avoid TVs and phones two hours before bed.
• Avoid stimulating conversations.
• Take a relaxing bath with doTERRA Serenity^® or doTERRA Balance^® blends.
• Wear blue light blocking glasses 1-2 hours before bed.
• Diffuse doTERRA Serenity blend in your bedroom.
• Take doTERRA Serenity Softgels and apply the doTERRA Serenity Sleep Stick
  • The newly formulated doTERRA Serenity Softgels contain natural melatonin through the ingredient, tart cherry. Preliminary studies suggest tart cherry may make falling asleep easier, faster, and longer.*
  • The new doTERRA Serenity Sleep stick includes valerian oil which promotes a calming and restful ambiance.

Sleep and metabolic health go hand in hand. Dr. Underberg encourages combining lifestyle changes, the doTERRA Serenity Sleep System and the MetaPWR System, to improve your quality of sleep.* We all need better sleep, so commit to some simple changes that will make a world of difference in your day!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.