I always say wellbeing starts with sleep. You may well exercise regularly and eat a balanced and nutritious diet, but if your sleep quality is poor and you wake every day wishing you could stay under the covers and grab another 8 hours of sleep, then you're not going to feel the full effects of those other healthy habits.
Poor sleep negatively impacts mood, productivity, creativity, collaboration, diet, memory and learning and our physical health and immunity.
Sleep well, however, and you are more likely to look on the bright side the next day. You'll also be inclined to make better food and exercise choices. Your improved mood also means that you will likely experience that your productivity rises, your energy rises and your creativity rises.
Good sleep starts first thing in the morning. How you start your day really sets the tone for how you finish your day. So what can you do?
First thing...
Avoid hitting snooze - the first alarm woke you up, so get up!
Open the curtains (or turn on the light if it's a dark winter morning) - natural light hitting your optic nerve signals your brain to release Cortisol, the waking hormone
You wake dehydrated so have a big glass of water
You also wake fasted, time for a nutritious breakfast
Move your body, if cardio or strength training first thing fills you with dread, then just do some gently stretches while you wait for the kettle to boil
If you're a coffee lover, try to wait an hour, this helps you wake up naturally and reduces caffeine dependency
In the afternoon...
Nutritious lunch
Get out and get moving - a lunchtime walk is my non-negotiable. It helps reduce the post lunch Circadian dip and exposes me to even more natural light
Avoid sugary snacks and have some fruit and nuts instead
No caffeine after 2pm (if you're about to say "But Emer I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and I have a coffee every evening" don't - just trust me
Evening time...
Dim the lights, I turn off all bright overhead lights and switch on nice ambient side lamps. This helps your brain realise it's time to suppress Cortisol and start releasing melatonin - the sleepy hormone
Eat a light meal, heavy meals sit in your stomach and can cause heartburn
Avoid alcohol close to bedtime
No screens - again, just trust me
Create a lovely, relaxing, screen free evening routine for the hour before you get into bed
Put the coffee down!
I hope this helps you.
Please let me know what your sleep routine looks like. What are your non-negotiables? What habits do you want to stop and start? I'd love to hear!
Sweet dreams x
I deliver face to face or online Sleep Well Live Well sessions to help you or your organisation reap the whole health rewards that follow good sleep. Get in touch to find out more.
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