All I’ve got to say about sleep

Did you know that the average number of hours’ sleep per night has reduced from 9 in 1910 to 6.8 in 2005?

Shocking, isn’t it?

Sufficient sleep is vital for good health and well-being but yet it seems like many of us neglect it. I appreciate it is not always a matter of choice – you know – having a young family is not often synonym with good night sleep and sometimes other pressures don’t allow us to have a proper rest either.

Whilst it is well-researched that getting enough quality sleep can help protect our mental and physical health, thus improving our quality of life, sometimes it is harder to know what to do.

So here we go, some top tips and personal favourites to help you snooze better:

• Timing: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day increases the quality of sleep. Aim for a good 7-8 hours every night, whenever possible.
• Temperature: Our body temperature drops slightly as we sleep, but sleeping in a room that is too warm or with too many clothes on can often become a disruption too. I keep my bedroom’s temperature a couple degrees lower than the rest of the house whenever possible and use light cotton clothes for bed.
• Lighting: Whilst some of us seem not too bothered by lights, it is important to reduce light exposure in the evenings to help the body release melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal glad in response to darkness. Melatonin plays a significant role in the regulation of our circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) and that’s why it is also important to increase our exposure to light during the day, especially in the morning.
• Physical activity: Movement in any shape or form is always useful to de-stress and release unnecessary tension in the body and mind. Movement is also indicated to increase energy levels so avoid doing any strenuous activity just before bed and choose more calming practices such as yoga, qi gong or relaxation.
• Food: Try to eat early to ensure digestion won’t disrupt your sleep. Some of us are affected by caffeine and theobromine which can be found in many fizzy drinks (colas) and chocolate. Alcohol is also a culprit when sleep is disrupted so bear that in mind before having that extra glass of wine before bed.

Although I often say that sleep is not like ‘on-demand TV’, meaning you can’t really catch up on it in the long run, I also believe in the intelligence of our bodies so if you feel tired, try to get as much sleep as you possibly can.

I hope you’ll have a great night sleep tonight 🙂