Sleep Hygiene
Photo by Gregory Pappas on Unsplash
Some of us have no issues getting a good nights sleep. Some of us struggle at certain times and others struggle all the time. Sleep is when the body repairs and detoxes, your brain processes all the happenings of the day. While we can manage on less sleep it’s not good for us long term.
Our body naturally produces a hormone in the pineal gland called melatonin. Melatonin is responsible for regulating our circadian rhythm, our sleep/wake cycle.
Sounds amazing right? The kicker is melatonin production starts at about 10:30 if you are asleep. Your body doesn’t produce it if you are awake. This is one of the many reasons a good sleep hygiene habit is possibly the best thing you can do for yourself.
We humans thrive on a predictable schedule, so having a regular wake up time, including the weekends keeps your sleep schedule on track. Making sleep a priority in your day so that it’s important you start your evening wind down at a regular time.
Keeping the same 30 minute wind down routine lets your body know that you are preparing to rest. So double cleaning your face, brushing your teeth, putting on your pyjamas are all good patterns to signal the wind down start.
Reading with soft lighting is good, but please ensure that your ereader has some bluelight protection. In this case books are better. Try to keep phones and other electronics out of the bedroom; late night emails do not help.
Healthy daytime habits to help you drift off in the evenings.
Get out in the sunshine, preferably early in the morning if possible. Get regular exercise. Our bodies need to move for a wide variety of reasons and health benefits.
Caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes have all been proven to disrupt sleep. You have heard this and you know it’s true. Switch to decaffeinated drinks in the afternoon, and try to limit alcohol consumption. You smokers know, you don’t need me to tell you it’s bad for you.
Eating heavy meals late in the evening isn’t good for sleep. If you need to eat late try to keep the meals light and not a mix of proteins and carbs, if you can stick to one it will be easier to digest.
Cooler bedroom temperatures suit most people. We are a confusing dichotomy, we can’t sleep if we are too hot or too cold. So hitting that cooler sweet spot will help. Obviously comfortable mattresses, pillows, bed linen and clothes will all help, it’s worth investing in quality. As my granny would say a comfortable mattress and comfortable shoes will see you right. A lot can also be said for a comfortable bra but that’s for another day.
Black out blinds and ear plugs might be an aid if you live in an area with light or noise pollution.
There are times in life when sleep disruptions are inevitable, raising small children for example. Other life events such as times of high stress can disrupt our sleep. And perimenopause can affect our sleep patterns. Naps are the saving grace of these periods.