Prioritise Sleep!

Prioritise Sleep!

Just as we know how important good quality natural food is for our bodies, it is important that we acknowledge how important sleep is for our overall health and wellbeing.

It is likely that each of us will have difficulty sleeping at some point in our lives. Not getting enough sleep or having disrupted sleep is very common.  At any given time, about one third of adults are experiencing sleep difficulties i.e. trouble falling asleep, waking during the night or waking too early.

Good sleep is characterised by appropriate timing, sufficient duration, high quality, regularity and alertness during waking hours.  There are several repercussions of insufficient or interrupted sleep which include memory impairment, increased risk of accidents, cognitive deficits and increased BMI.  Yes, sleep quality can cause weight gain! When we are sleep deprived, we even find it hard to make simple decisions and we are certainly not in the best mood!

As well as being implicated in complex cardiovascular and mood disorders, the quality and quantity of sleep that an individual gets determines the risk of developing metabolic or immune system disorders.  Sleep helps our brains and bodies recover and promotes both physical and psychological wellbeing.

Sleep is not optional – it is vital for optimum health and wellness.

The amount of sleep we need is very individual – teenagers can need 8-10 hours while adults over 25 years need 7-9 hours per night. At times we will need more e.g. pregnancy, post-operative or recuperating from illness.  When our sleep is interrupted by newborns for example we must catch up on sleep when we can.  We can also have sleepless nights due to illnesses and discomfort. Sleep is very individual but as an adult over 25 years aim to for a minimum of 7 hours every night.

Sleep is an essential component of physical and mental health as well as general wellbeing.

Make sleep a priority.

If you have difficulties with sleep, reassure yourself your sleeping pattern will soon be regularised.

Follow a nightly routine.

As part of that routine, consider burning a lavender candle; listening to relaxing music; practicing calm breathing or writing a gratitude list.

Have specific times for going to bed and for waking up.

Avoid staying up late and sleeping in late (even on weekends or days off).

Get sufficient sunlight every day.

Keep bedrooms tidy and dimly lit.

Avoid naps in the late afternoon or for longer than 20 mins.

Avoid screens and bright lights at night including TV, laptop or handheld electronic devices because they wake us up and can stop the hormone melatonin which helps us sleep.

Alcohol and cigarettes negatively affect sleep.

If you wake at night, resist the urge to check the time, instead, reassure yourself that you will catch up on sleep another night.

Wear bed-socks to keep you warm while you sleep.

Keep bedroom temperatures neither too hot nor too cold.

Exercise during the day but not too late into the night.

Beds are for adult fun and sleep and not for worrying, watching tv, eating, etc.

Don’t eat too late but don’t go to bed hungry.

Avoid caffeine after lunch or completely if possible.

If you are having difficulty with your sleep routine, or if you find yourself lying in bed at night with your brain trying to find different issues for you to worry about, then please talk to someone.  Help is at hand – reach out and ask.

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