Now that we know the potential dangers of not getting enough sleep, maybe it would be a good thing to talk about the actual event... sleeping! Sleeping seems like such a simple thing, but mix it in with real life and the daily complexities we face and it's sometimes easier said than done to get some much sought after shut eye. Putting some easy but effective preparation in, in those hours before sleep and also looking at how we approach the day from the moment we wake up in the morning, can do wonders towards helping us slip off into that magical world of slumber.
Let's take this in order and begin at the beginning, the moment your alarm goes off. Many people think a good night's sleep is all about the hour before bedtime, but in this hectic life, where we are connected 24/7, there is an abundance of distractions to inhibit healthy sleep, so the habits and routines we adopt throughout the day can all benefit the quality of our sleep. The first thing you do in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. So please, don't grab your phone and check your e-mails or hit snooze so often that it's yet another mad dash out the door.
What to do first thing in the morning.
Its simple. Move! This, for me, is the most challenging part of my daily routine, and still very much a work in progress. My brain is still tricking my body into favouring "5 more minutes in bed." But those mornings when I do get up earlier, even if I only manage to squeeze in 5 minutes of stretching, I go to work in a better mood and my body feels less tight and tense. Lying in bed all night causes our muscles to tighten and, without a little bit of movement first thing, we will carry this tightness into our day. We all know how having a good morning sets us up to face the day's challenges with a more positive mindset. If you can get some fresh air and go for a brisk walk, fantastic! But if you don't have time for that then dancing around the kitchen while the kettle is boiling or doing a few minutes of stretches is still going to do wonders for your state of mind. Stretching first thing in the morning has a calming effect on your body, due to the focus on your breath as you stretch. Taking deep inhales and exhales works to relieve stress, the stretching relieves tension and relaxes your muscles and you leave the house in a calmer emotional state, bringing a wave of positivity to work with you. But please, whatever you do, DO NOT HIT SNOOZE! We sleep in 90 minute cycles, so each time you fall back asleep and the alarm wakes you again, you are interrupting a cycle and will just feel more groggy.
Limit caffeine throughout the day and don't have any after 2 pm. The stimulating effects of caffeine can increase agitation and we should not be consuming caffeinated drinks 4-6 hours before bed at the very least.
The dreaded 2 pm slump
If you feel the 2 pm slump creeping up on you, then don't worry. You are completely normal! Our circadian rhythms, which affect our sleep patterns, are probably the reason we feel super tired in the afternoon. Our circadian sleep signals peak very late at night and again at around 2 pm, so it makes sense we drop in energy levels and feel we could grab a quick nap. The best thing to do when you feel that slump creeping up on you is to listen to your body. Take 5 minutes to do some deep breathing, close your eyes in meditation or lie down on the floor with your legs up the wall - this is one of my FAVOURITE things to do. It helps to activate our Parasympathetic Nervous System, the rest and digest system. Our Sympathetic Nervous System is our Fight or Flight and this should only be turned on in emergencies but in today's hectic world we run mainly on this system. Legs up the wall pose is a semi-supine position and an extremely restful pose. When I feel tired during the day, legs up the wall pose for a few minutes re-energises me. I use this pose to relieve headaches, to ease a stiff lower back, to slow me down before going to sleep and it's even lovely to do first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. Legs up the wall beats the snooze button every time!
Setting the scene and establishing a nighttime ritual
There are many things you can do in the evening to set yourself up for a healthy sleep.
Firstly, think of your home and dim the lights. Bright lights at night can disrupt our circadian rhythms, our melatonin production and therefore our sleep pattern. Melatonin is connected to daylight and extremely important as it signals the brain that it's time for sleep. To help your body's melatonin production, make your home dim at night and light in the morning. Morning light can be hard to find in the British winter, but you can buy a SAD lamp to mimic daylight in your house.
Speaking of light, lets talk blue light. Blue light is the type emitted from screens, yes, screens! That thing we stare at all day long. Our phones on our commute, computers at work and then the TV at home. And hands up who looks at a phone or tablet in bed?! The problem is, blue light suppresses our melatonin production more than any other type of light and plays havoc with our circadian rhythms. Even if we fall asleep relatively quickly, the blue light can affect how long we stay asleep and it will also affect our quality of sleep. It disrupts our REM sleep, the part of our sleep cycle which is essential in learning and making or retaining memories. If you have a habit of looking at screens right up until bedtime, start trying to cut it out for 30 minutes before bed (but we are aiming to eventually reach 90 - 120 minutes of screen free time.)
Now, for the last thirty minutes before I turn out the light, I read. And make sure it's a non-fiction book. As much as I love reading a crime thriller, if I do it before bed, the suspense keeps me up. Sometimes I read with my legs up the wall - double whammy in good sleep preparation!
Limit stimulants like alcohol and caffeine. We may think that alcohol helps us sleep but, like caffeine and blue light, they disrupt that important REM sleep cycle.
Another thing you can do in your screen free time before bed, is a menial meditative task. I like to fold laundry or dry the dishes. It takes no brain power so it won't keep me up when I go to bed and I have the added benefit of going to bed with a more organised flat!
Download the day - have a notebook before your bed. Journaling is a powerful tool, write down what went well that day, what could have gone better, some ideas or musings and end with a positive by listing what you are grateful for. It's also a great idea to write down your top priorities for the next day and some things you want to accomplish; your to-do list - that way it won't keep you awake.
Make sure your room is not too hot, 16-18 degrees is thought to be the ideal temperature for sleep. Our body temperatures decrease to initiate sleep so sleeping in a room with these temperatures helps us on our way to dreamland.
Do something you find calming. It might be a sipping chamomile tea with some relaxing music playing and candles lighting. Yoga and meditation are restful practices before bed, keep it gentle - no vigorous exercise.
Finally, it's good to remember that we sleep in 90 minute cycles. Ever notice that you might be groggy after 8 hours sleep but not after 7.5? That's because you have interrupted a new sleep cycle. We could do with 5 x 90 minute sleep cycles. So think about when you go to sleep and when you need to wake up, and turn out the light 15
minutes before that, to give yourself time to wind down and fall asleep.
You don't have to do all of the above, find what works for you and remember to take it step by step if you are adopting a whole new sleep routine.
Sweet dreams!
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