Exercise more. Drink smoothies. Eat kale. We’ve never been more health-focused and everyone seems to offer different advice when it comes to the subject of maintaining a healthy body and mind.
Body balance is of course key to a happy and productive life, both at home and at work. However, flax seeds and expensive juicers aside, there is one thing that can really boost your physical and mental well-being: a good night’s sleep.
Not getting enough sleep can have a knock-on effect on your day-to-day life; your attention levels, productivity, health and mood can all be hindered by tiredness. In fact, science geeks state that those who don’t regularly get 7-8 hours of sleep at night are more at risk of mental health issues and even serious physical illnesses such as heart disease.
At work, you need to be at your best; even if you think you’re an invincible work machine, if you’re not getting enough shut-eye, the cracks will soon start to show. Accuracy, motivation, concentration and focus can all suffer when you’re over-tired – don’t compromise your professional success by neglecting your body clock!
You should never undervalue the importance of getting enough precious deep sleep. So whether you think you get enough sleep, struggle to make your way to dreamland or are a midnight Netflix binger, everyone can reap the benefits of sleep by following these tips on how to sleep better.
How to sleep better: Create the perfect sleeping environment
Small things can have a big effect on the quality of sleep you get, so it’s crucial to make sure your bedroom is tailored to your night-time needs.
- Bedding – Lumpy pillows? Sinking mattress? Itchy duvet cover? You may think these things are no big deal, but if you’re having trouble nodding off due to being uncomfortable, or waking up to rearrange your bedding, these are all interrupting your sleep pattern. Make sure that your mattress and pillows are right for you and that your bedding is comfortable and in-line with your preferences.
- Lights – That streetlight blaring away outside your window could be a real pain when it comes to getting golden sleep. Try some new curtains or blinds that will block it all out, and make sure that any lamps or lights that may illuminate your room in any way are off (we promise, there’s no monster under your bed).
- Temperature – Some folks prefer a tropical sleep environment, whereas others love nothing more than an Arctic bedroom! Being too hot or too cold at night can prevent you from getting that deep sleep your body needs to perform. If the temperature in your bedroom isn’t quite right, make the appropriate adjustments (an open window, electric blanket or different duvet, for example) to make sure you’re not going to be tossing and turning all night.
- Unwelcome sounds – Any noises that might irritate you or catch your attention are big sleep distractions. Earplugs or white noise machines are great solutions to things like noisy neighbours, howling dogs or traffic-related sounds.
How to sleep better: Get your mind and body sleep-ready
Staying active is not only a great way to stay in shape, but can also help you drift off at night – just avoid exercising within 4 hours of going to bed, or those endorphins and adrenaline will keep you spark awake!
Are you a smoker or partial to a tipple in the evening? Alcohol and nicotine can stop you from drifting off, as can eating a large meal before bed; try to leave a gap of a few hours between eating, drinking alcohol and smoking to make sure you can nod off.
Did you know it is possible to train your mind into a sleep routine? Implementing a ‘wind down ritual’ at night can help signal to your brain that it’s time to get snoozing. The sleep hormone, melatonin, can be triggered by dim light, so avoiding bright lights and screens for an hour or two before bed can make sure you’re sleepy by bedtime.
Speaking of bedtime, having a set bedtime and waking up at the same time every day can kick your circadian rhythm into action. If you set an alarm to go to bed, and one to get up (don’t you dare hit that snooze button!) your body will soon get into a natural sleep routine, leaving you feeling well rested and refreshed every morning.
How to sleep better: No distractions
Worries. We’ve all been guilty of letting worries and preoccupations keep us up at night. However, the fact of the matter is, there’s not much you can do about it from bed! You’ll be much more able to approach and tackle anything that’s bothering you once you’ve rested up. Try to put these thoughts to the back of your mind or, if you struggle to do so, try writing them down to get them out of your head.
Technology. Texts, notifications, emails. You may tell yourself you’re going to sleep but the temptation to check your phone, tablet or laptop just one more time can be too much to resist. That Facebook ‘like’ or meme can wait until the morning, it’s definitely not worth staying awake to mindlessly scroll through your social media pages! If you need to, turn your devices off or even put them out of reach so you can focus your mind solely on sleep.
Clock-watching. Even if you do wake up in the middle of the night, try to ignore your clock. You may want to know how long you have left until you have to get up, but this is counterproductive when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. It can be much harder to get back to sleep if you know you only have a few more hours before work.
Mastering your sleep pattern is an art form, but like with anything it’s a case of putting in the time, effort and commitment to get things right. Put these tips into action and you’ll soon be falling asleep like a baby and waking up with a spring in your step, ready to work hard and achieve more!
