We spend ⅓ of our lives sleeping, and can recognise its importance when we feel that groggy, can’t-function feeling caused by inadequate sleep. But how do we improve the quality of our sleep?
Good sleep is essential for key body functions, such as growth and repair, but it also impacts our mood, wellbeing and cognitive functions.
Here are 8 tips for getting a good night’s sleep, every night:
#1 Lighting
It might seem counter-intuitive, but lighting is important for the development of good sleep habits.
Ensuring that you are exposed to at least 10-30 minutes of midday sunlight helps to maintain your serotonin levels and your circadian rhythm (what you might call your ‘body clock’), which in turn aids sleep. Getting enough daylight (or vitamin d) is also beneficial for mental health, including depression.
Although daylight can be hard to find in the dark winter months, light-up alarms can help your circadian rhythm - and also banish the groggy mornings to distant memory!
However, not all light is good for sleep. Blue light exposure - the unnatural light from those pesky devices that you keep by your bed - is bad for sleep, especially in the evening. This is because it blocks your melatonin - the hormone which makes you sleepy. But it is easy to correct the problem - simply put away your electronic devices 2-3 hours before bedtime.
#2 Eat and drink
Eating unhealthily and especially eating late can disrupt sleep. Evening snacks should be light and relatively healthy so digestion doesn’t prevent you entering into a deep sleep.
Caffeine and alcohol, especially in the evening, hinders sleep. Although alcohol might make you feel drowsy, it’s impact upon the brain lessens the quality of your sleep, and so should be avoided near bedtime. Equally, caffeinated drinks can cause long-term sleep deprivation as reliance on instant energy boosts disrupts your sleep cycle.
There are some ingredients that are proven to aid sleep. A chamomile tea can improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety, while almonds are a natural source of melatonin and kiwis are rich in serotonin.
#3 Sleep pattern
Developing a consistent sleep pattern allows for more high-quality, recuperative sleep. Reducing disruption is important so that you can access deeper levels of sleep - this is the essential part of your sleep cycle in which your body can repair and grow, toxins are removed, and memory is consolidated. An interruption in your sleep at this stage results in that groggy feeling!
Sleeping at roughly the same time every day allows for better sleep. Creating a schedule which allows you to get the right amount of sleep will help - work backwards from how many hours of sleep you need to know what time to start your bedtime routine.
If you need to adjust your sleep pattern, move it gradually, perhaps just by 1-2 hours per night, so that your body can adjust effectively.
While creating your new sleep schedule, you might want to note that daytime naps should be limited! The perfect nap is approximately 20 mins and occurs in the early afternoon, after lunch.
#4 Environment
Establishing a sleep-friendly environment is key for good sleep. Comfort is an important consideration, so you might want to think about how comfortable your mattress, pillows and bedding are - what can be more important to invest in than your sleep?
Minimising disruption, for example by reducing noise or using white noise to block out irritating sounds, will ensure your sleep is less disturbed and more restorative. Equally, finding an optimum temperature for your bedroom is also good practice for reducing sleep disruption.
Introducing a calming scent, like lavender, could also improve your sleep and encourage your brain to associate your bedroom with calmness.
Most of all, your bedroom should have a feeling of homeliness and serenity. Remove the clutter, invest in soft lighting and ensure you have good light-blocking curtains.
#5 Evening activities
While staying away from tempting digital activities in the evening is useful, you might be wondering about how to fill those pre-bedtime hours. Playing board games or reading can be calming. You might even enjoy your book in a relaxing lavender-scented bath.
For stress-reducing activities, you might consider some light evening exercise, such as yoga (strenuous exercise should be avoided in the evening). Other mindfulness activities, like breathing exercises or guided meditation can also help calm the mind and aid sleep. Listening to relaxing music or a soundscape as you get ready for bed will help to build a positive sleep routine.
#6 Clear the mind
Often, sleep eludes us because our minds feel so full from the day's activities and with future plans. Clearing the mind before you get into bed can help. This could be as simple as writing a to-do list for the next day, or tidying away work-related clutter.
#7 Dealing with the inability to get to sleep
Avoid a connection developing between your bed and your frustration at being unable to sleep. If you have spent 20 minutes in bed unable to sleep, get up. Do something relaxing, preferably in another room, with low light. Do something which distracts your mind from thinking about sleep. When you start to feel sleepy again, go back to your pre-sleep routine.
Most importantly, don’t beat yourself up about it.
#8 Sleep diary
Keeping a log of your sleep experiments will help you to focus on making those positive changes which will improve your sleep for the long-term.
