Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – I’m feeling the summertime slump right along with a lot of people in Puerto Vallarta.
It’s hot. Really hot. Money feels a little tighter this time of year, and between the heat, humidity, and afternoon downpours, I haven’t exactly been out having many exciting adventures lately.
And that creates a bit of a problem when you’re supposed to be writing about your adventures around Vallarta.
Then I remembered something: when I originally started writing for this publication, part of the plan was for me to talk about health. After all, I am a health practitioner. So maybe summertime is the perfect opportunity to trade adventures for a little practical health talk.
And I want to start with something I hear about constantly: sleep.
So many people are exhausted but still can’t sleep. They struggle to fall asleep, wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning, toss and turn, or sleep eight hours and somehow wake up feeling like they barely slept at all.
Sleep isn’t just downtime. It’s when your body does an enormous amount of repair and housekeeping. Consistently poor sleep can affect your mood, appetite, blood sugar regulation, immune function, memory, hormones, and how well you handle stress.
And living somewhere as hot and humid as Puerto Vallarta can add another challenge. Your body naturally needs to cool down as part of the process of falling asleep, which can be harder when the bedroom feels like a sauna.
So before you assume you’re simply “a bad sleeper,” here are three places I’d start.
1. Get Morning Light and Dim the Lights at Night
One of the simplest ways to improve sleep actually starts first thing in the morning.
Your body runs on an internal 24-hour clock called your circadian rhythm. Light is one of the strongest signals telling that clock when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to sleep.
Try getting outside for natural light shortly after waking, even if it’s just while drinking your morning coffee. Then do the opposite at night. Dim the lights, reduce bright screens when possible, and give your brain the message that the day is winding down.
Your body loves rhythm. The more consistent you can be with waking, sleeping, eating, and getting daylight, the easier it can be for your system to recognize when it’s time to shut down.
2. Cool Down Your Body AND Your Nervous System
Ever lie in bed physically exhausted while your brain decides it’s the perfect time to review every mistake you’ve made since 1997?
That’s not exactly a recipe for great sleep.
Creating a cooler, darker bedroom can help, especially during a Vallarta summer. Use air conditioning or a fan if available, keep bedding lightweight and breathable, and take a cool or lukewarm shower before bed if the heat is getting to you.
But cooling the room is only half of it. You also want to turn down the volume on your nervous system. Try five or ten minutes of slow breathing, meditation, prayer, stretching, or simply sitting quietly without your phone before bed. You don’t need an elaborate nighttime routine. You’re simply creating signals that tell your brain and body, “The day is over. It’s safe to rest.”
3. Watch What You’re Doing in the Hours Before Bed
Sometimes our daytime habits are quietly sabotaging our nighttime sleep.
Caffeine can stay in the body much longer than people realize, so that afternoon coffee may still be affecting you at bedtime. Alcohol is another sneaky one. It may make you feel sleepy initially, but it can disrupt sleep later in the night and leave you waking up feeling anything but refreshed.
Heavy meals immediately before bed can also interfere with sleep for some people.
Instead, experiment with an earlier caffeine cutoff, plenty of hydration during the day, less alcohol, and giving yourself some space between dinner and bedtime.
And yes, that can be particularly challenging in Mexico, where dinner at 6 p.m. can sometimes feel like you’re eating with the toddlers.
Sleep Is One of the Foundations of Health
We love talking about supplements, diets, detoxes, workouts, and the latest wellness trends, but sometimes the most powerful health practices aren’t particularly glamorous.
Sleep is one of them.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire life tonight. Pick one thing: get morning sunlight, make the bedroom cooler, put your phone down earlier, cut off caffeine sooner, or spend five minutes calming your nervous system before bed.
Small changes practiced consistently can make a surprisingly big difference.
And until Puerto Vallarta cools down enough for me to start having adventures again, maybe we’ll spend a little more time talking about how to keep ourselves healthy enough to enjoy them when it does.
Have a Healthy day!
Heather
Heather Gray, FDN-P, is a master certified health practitioner, best-selling author, speaker, stand-up comedian, and host of the Renegade Health Boss podcast. A proud Puerto Vallarta resident, she shares her passion for health, resilience, and personal transformation while enjoying the adventure, community, and fresh perspective she found in Mexico.
