Improve Your Sleeping Habits, Improve Your Life

Improve Your Sleeping Habits, Improve Your Life 

A lack of awareness of your sleeping habits can seriously impact your ability to function effectively, leading to burnout.  Are you one of those people who sleeps like a baby, or do you toss and turn every night?  Sleep is one of life’s most important things, ensuring body and mind run at optimum levels.  How do you measure up?

• How much sleep do I need? The average adult should aim for not less than 7 hours and no longer than eight hours a night.  Maintaining this consistently will enable you to feel rested and ready to get up and face your day.  Going over 8 hours, and you’ll wake up feeling groggy.  Sleep for less than 7 hours consistently, and you run the risk of suffering from cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes.   A continuous lack of sleep may lead you to suffer from anxiety, depression, and burnout.

• Create a Sleep Ritual: Work out a routine that ensures you get to bed and rise at the same time every day, including weekends.  This will enable you to create consistency and support your body’s sleep-wake cycle.  Having the ideal amount of sleep will improve your immune system.

• Your sleeping environment should be restful: Ensure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.  Turn the heating down, use a fan, have a black-out blind, and use earplugs if necessary.  Avoid using your computer or mobile phone for at least an hour before bed, as exposure to blue light will stop you from falling asleep.

• The food you eat is vital for a good night’s sleep: Eat a healthy diet enriched with fresh fruit and vegetables.  Minimize the number of carbohydrates and sweet items you consume during the day, particularly those in fizzy drinks. In the evening make sure you avoid eating a heavy or large meal at least two hours before bed.  Also avoid nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol, as they can stimulate the body and interfere with sleep.   Alcohol in particular can be very disruptive to sleep, overall health, and longevity.  If you consume  too much alcohol too often, then you will sleep less and run the risk of impacting your ability to function.  You can find out more here: Alcohol misuse – Risks – NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

• Limit daytime naps: If you sleep too long in the daytime, then your night-time sleep will be disrupted.  Ensure your nap is taken early in the day (after lunch is a good time), and ensure it lasts no longer than 20-30 minutes maximum.

• Make time for physical activity every day: Regular physical activity can help you relax.  Get out in the fresh air, go for a run or a walk, or practice yoga to relax and calm you.  Avoid exercise too close to bedtime as you need time to wind down and relax. 

• Manage your thoughts: If your thoughts are keeping you awake, or you wake in the middle of the night, you have likely left something unresolved. Before you go to bed, jot down anything that is worrying you, then leave to deal with tomorrow.

If you find you are suffering from anxiety or depression, an event from the past, or worry that keeps you awake at night, then do get in touch.