On Blue Light and Good Sleep

Science tells us getting consistent good sleep is one the most important things you can do for your whole health.

Research also shows that the blue light emitted from the devices we use constantly can disrupt our sleep significantly.

Blue light is a wavelength of light that’s also emitted from the sun. It’s a wavelength that helps with alertness. When we expose ourselves to this type of light at night, we can disrupt our body’s natural circadian rhythms and put ourselves at risk for a host of negative issues. 

For example, exposing ourselves to high energy blue light before bed disrupts melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone made in our brain and is in charge of healthy sleep-wake cycles. When cyclic melatonin secretion is disrupted, it can lead to a lot of specific metabolic derangements in the body which can increase your chances for issues like weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, sleep disorders, and mental health issues (including depression and anxiety).

So do yourself a favor and get off your screens at least an hour before bedtime.

I know it’s difficult, but your body, mind, and spirit will thank you!

Resources:

https://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-quality-life-22798/

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281571/full

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.943108/full

https://www.brainfacts.org/thinking-sensing-and-behaving/sleep/2023/how-blue-light-affects-our-ability-to-sleep-112723

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365 DAYS OF MEDITATION: WHAT I LEARNED

The thing about meditation is: You become more and more you.

David Lynch

When on vacation in Croatia a few weeks ago, I completed a full year of unbroken daily meditation practice. It felt like quite an achievement for me. 

Each morning right after waking up, I pull my meditation cushion up to my bed (when at home), set a timer (I use InsightTimer), and meditate for about 25-30 minutes, about half silent and half guided.  

This whole thing started when I was in Portugal last summer with a friend while I was going through the throes of deep heartache and other major stressors. I realized it was helping, so I decided to keep going, thinking I'd perhaps meditate for an entire month.

Well those 30 days turned into 3 months, which turned into 6 months, and you get the point. I never set out to meditate for a year, but it happened and it's changed my life. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say this. 

• MAJOR ANXIETY REDUCTION: I’ve struggled with deep and chronic anxiety for most of my life. Though the tide has been shifting for many years with all of the personal work I’ve done, the changes finally feel like they’ve taken hold. I feel much more grounded and calm most of the time. This is huge for me, the biggest win, and it feels astounding.

• BETTER COMMUNICATION: I feel the way I communicate has become much more simple, reliable, and forthright. My thoughts feel clearer, my intuition louder. Better communication has helped me in all facets of my life - from working with my patients, to teaching, to my personal life. 

• LESS REACTIVITY: I feel much less reactive to my emotions. We are humans and that means feeling various and changing emotions is just a part of life. I still feel strong emotions often, but I can feel them more purely now, without getting all wound up in them. And  I can be with them until they pass, as all emotions do. Some say, emotion = “energy in motion.”

• MORE CONFIDENCE: I feel more confident in who I am as a person, what I want in life, and how I offer my energy and time to others. I am learning boundaries much more clearly. I have gotten further along on the path of breaking my perfectionist tendencies, a trauma-based pattern that holds me back. And, I am accepting many pieces of me that I had once rejected. I think of this as shadow work and core self-acceptance.

• INCREASED WHOLENESS and CONNECTION: I feel more whole, connected, and loving. I feel a greater sense of communion with myself and my communities, closer to my loved ones, and more perceptive of my surroundings.

• MORE JOY: I feel lighter, more joyful, and more buoyant much more of the time. Makes life a lot more fun, let me tell you!

• GRATITUDE PREVAILS: There’s a lot more gratitude in my life too. This is also a habit I’ve ben practicing alongside daily meditation.

• HABIT CHAIN: This habit has led me to start other habits that have stuck, like working out more consistently, doing breath practices throughout the day, prepping food at home on Sunday for the week, and more. 

I talk about mediation frequently because I believe mind-body medicine practices - all types of tools that allow our nervous systems to function better, that build resilience, compassion and wisdom, and that allow for healthier choices - are foundational for optimal whole health, of the mind, body, and spirit.

Good health starts with good habits.

What one, small good habit can you start with today?

( and p.s., if you’re wondering if I’m stopping now, the answer is definitely not!)

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WHOLE HEALING

What is Integrative Medicine? What is Functional Medicine?

People often ask me, “hey Dr. S, what is integrative medicine really?”

I completely understand why I get asked this question. If you look around you, you’ll find the terms integrative medicine along with functional medicine and holistic medicine everywhere - from social media to the news to the wellness world. The terms integrative, functional, and holistic medicine mean different things to different people and this is why I thought definitions may be useful.

COMPARING THE TERMS

First and foremost, to be clear, this is not a “this or that” kind of discussion meant to polarize. I am merely defining and comparing terms. I believe that integrative, functional, and holistic medicine are not mutually exclusive and all have their place in the spectrum of whole healing. 

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

WHOLE HEALING — Integrative medicine can be defined as an approach to healing that takes into consideration all factors that influence health, disease, and wellness including the body, mind, spirit, genetics, environmental factors, community, and even the health of the greater Earth.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR DISEASE — Integrative medicine views the body as one integrated system instead of a collection of independent organs divided up by medical specialities (think of our current system: cardiologist for heart issues, gastroenterologist for gut issues, neurologist for brain issues, etc). Integrative medicine looks at the person who has the disease/medical issue, not the issue in isolation. Integrative medicine knows you are not your disease.

INTELLIGENT + INQUIRY-DRIVEN COMBINATIONS — Integrative medicine’s purpose is to foster whole health, vitality, and wellness while preventing chronic disease. It accomplishes this by approaching an individual through an intelligent and inquiry-driven combination of:

- Western/conventional medicine and science

- Functional medicine (see more below)

- Lifestyle interventions

- Whole-systems approaches such as Ayurveda, Western Herbalism, or Traditional Chinese Medicine

- Other supportive “alternative” approaches such as meditation, plant medicine, and energy healing. 

PREVENTION-FOCUSED — Integrative medicine emphasizes lifestyles that support prevention of disease in the first place, such as high quality nutrition, regular movement, optimizing sleep, and stress management. Furthermore, integrative medicine emphasizes the therapeutic healing relationship between the patient and medical provider. The physician/provider is a support and guide to help you unlock the innate healing wisdom of your body and mind. 

MY APPROACH — The integrative medicine approach I provide combines a discerning blend of modern Western medical science, high-touch ancient Eastern healing modalities, and nature-centered therapies like working with herbs and other plants. 

MANY FLAVORS — Of course, there are numerous other healing modalities from all over the globe that I have not mentioned here -- for example, from the African continent, Indigenous medicine, and the like. I have not studied these healing systems in depth, and so do not include them in my personal definition of integrative medicine, though they certainly fit into this category. 

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

From my perspective, functional medicine fits under the umbrella of integrative medicine. It’s a great lens for investigating and treating complex medical issues like autoimmune disorders, microbiome/gut issues, and chronic medical conditions like metabolic syndrome, PCOS, and hormonal dysfunction. It emphasizes approaching a person’s health problems through a biological, genetic, and environmental lens with the goal of identifying, understanding, and treating the root cause(s) of disease. Functional medicine most commonly utilizes laboratory-based analysis to determine what is occurring in the body.

From a treatment perspective, functional medicine overlaps in many ways with integrative medicine. Though functional medicine may focus more on supplements to correct problems than integrative medicine, the two equally prioritize the many lifestyle changes that are often necessary to achieve optimal health and vitality.

A NUMBER OF SIMILARITIES

Like integrative medicine, functional medicine views the body as one integrated system instead of a collection of independent organs. Functional medicine also engages the patient and the practitioner in a therapeutic relationship just like integrative medicine does. Both integrative and functional medicine focuses on treating the person as a whole who has the disease rather than focusing on the disease in isolation. Integrative medicine certainly may use supplements and standard Rx to approach illness, but often emphasizes these interventions less than functional medicine. 

HOLISTIC MEDICINE

The term holistic medicine can be used for any whole systems approach to treating the human body and mind. Integrative medicine, functional medicine, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, naturopathy, and many other healing systems are all forms of holistic medicine. It’s that simple!

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

I practice integrative medicine because I see it as an extraordinary merging of the best of many worlds to help heal my patients and bring true and whole health to them.

Health, like life, is not static. It’s complex and it’s a path with many ups and downs. I believe integrative medicine can help everyone traverse life with a sense of vitality and agency. Taking care of the medical issues you’re facing while building a foundation of good healthy habits, cultivating awareness and clarity, and fostering healthy relationships is key to a robust and beautiful life. 

Thanks for reading! Happy Monday, March 1!

I would love to hear from you! Feel free to add your comments below.

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STAY TUNED

The next series of posts will address the Heal Better 7 - the seven foundational aspects of integrative health and healing. Sign up for the monthly newsletter so you won’t miss any!

Also, check out The Field - free 30 min mind-body explorations every Monday on the Clubhouse app.  Check out the Learn tab for details!