The Trick to a Good Night’s Sleep
We’ve all heard about the importance of beauty sleep. An essential and involuntary function, sleep is as vital to our bodies as eating, breathing and drinking. But as well as keeping us in good nick physically, it’s also important for our mental health.
As we sleep, we process information, consolidate memories and reset mentally, ready for the next day. So, if you’re not getting your forty winks each night, you might be suffering mentally.
According to statistics by Mental Health UK, almost 1 in 5 people aren’t getting enough sleep. If you’re one of them, it’s important to take action towards improving your sleep debt.
What is sleep hygiene?
Although it might sound complicated, it isn’t.
In essence, sleep hygiene refers to how well your daily routines as well as your bedroom itself can promote consistent and uninterrupted sleep. Someone with positive sleep habits is normally described as having good ‘sleep hygiene’.
But just because you might not be drifting off optimally at the moment, that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps towards changing that.
How to get a good night’s sleep
Consistency is key
If you’re guilty of staying up to watch ‘just one more episode’, this could be hampering your slumber. To get a good night’s sleep each day, it’s important to go to sleep and wake up at a similar time.
Of course, a few extra minutes in bed on a weekend won’t do too much damage. But keeping your routine as concrete as possible will help to regulate your body clock. And if your body clock is regulated, it becomes far easier to drift off each night for a night of deep sleep.
Address your wellbeing
According to ONS statistics, with the cost of living increasing, many adults are reporting lower happiness and life satisfaction and higher levels of anxiety.
If you’re one of them, you might be finding that your sleep isn’t quite what it used to be. Stress and anxiety can harm your ability to get a restful night’s sleep, so it’s important to address your mental well-being if you’re to wake up in the morning feeling well-rested.
If you struggle with sleep, speak to your pharmacy or GP for advice and remedies.
Limit screen exposure
If you go to bed early only to find yourself scrolling through social media for hours, you’re not doing your sleeping pattern any favours!
Phone screens, iPads and laptops all produce blue light, which is part of the light spectrum most active in our sleep cycle. Blue light suppresses the production of melatonin (our sleep hormone), making it tricky for people to switch off and go to sleep.
If you can, try to avoid screens one hour before bed. Or, if this isn’t possible, try investing in some blue light-blocking glasses.
Make your bedroom sleep-friendly
Whether that’s clearing your boudoir of clutter or investing in a solid mattress, it’s important to make your bedroom as slumber-inducing as possible.
If you struggle drifting off, you might want to try different soothing scents to help you relax. Lavender, Bethlehem and cherry plumb pillow sprays work a treat.
Be strategic with food and drink
We all love a post-dinner coffee. But these seemingly harmless habits might be costing you a good night’s sleep.
Where possible, try to avoid stimulants (like caffeine and sugar) in the afternoons and evenings. Instead of your post-dinner ice cream, prepare a nutritious snack – going to bed with a stomach full of nutritious food reduces the chances of low blood sugar levels keeping you awake.
What will you try first?
This is a collaborative post.
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