We all benefit from getting the best quality sleep available to us, so whether you consider yourself to be a good sleeper or not, read on for the best advice to achieve your optimum
If you have been having trouble sleeping or feel you should be getting a better quality of sleep it can be difficult to know where to turn. Since sleep is such a natural function of the body, there is little we can do to control it, even at times we feel we need to change it in some way.
You probably already do all the recommended ‘sleep hygiene’ activities such as having a warm bath and avoiding using electronic equipment too close to bedtime. So here are my 5 tips simple bits of advice for taking things to the next level.
[divider number=”1″ title=”Separate day from night”]
It is really important to develop the skills to effectively leave the day behind and prepare for night at the end of the day. We need to be signaling to our brains that there is a transition to night time and therefore sleep. In our constantly on the go society, it can be very confusing for our minds as they seem to be always working. So, at some point in the evening, there should be a mental acknowledgement that the day is finished, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet but what you have is the night ahead of your for rest and recuperation before a new day starts. Avoid doing anything stressful or strenuous in the hour before bed.
TRY having a shower and imagine that you are washing the day off you. Remind yourself that the day is over and shift your mindset to night time.
[divider number=”2″ title=”Wind down before bed”]
After mentally leaving the day behind, use the hour before bed to unwind. Stick to quiet activities, keep the lights low and the volume low if you are watching TV. This will help your mind to recognise that it is night time. Using a relaxation audio in the last hour before bed can be really helpful. Listening to the audio to relax starts to change your brain activity to be closer to that during sleep. Lots of people will listen to this and then simply take the earphones out when it finishes and then go straight to sleep. A guided imagery audio seems to work best for most people as there is no pressure, you can just listen along and enjoy the process.
For the relaxation audio I created, click here.
[divider number=”3″ title=”Allow yourself the time”]
Most of us have an idea of how much sleep we require to feel at our best. Not everyone fits the 8 hour standard model, some needing more, some needing less. Whatever your optimum amount of sleep, make sure you are allowing yourself this time to sleep at night. If you have to set an alarm in the mornings, work backwards from this point to determine what time you need to be going to bed. I see so many people who feel exhausted all the time but who are not allowing themselves the window of time to get the right amount of sleep, often for reasons like watching TV for too long.
Whilst this is really important, it is also realistic to say that this can’t always happen every night because life gets in the way. I simply suggest aiming for this the majority of the time and particularly on week nights.
[divider number=”4″ title=”Don’t put too much pressure on yourself”]
Some nights it is difficult to sleep. Fact. The night before an exam, a big meeting at work or going on holiday will always be harder to switch off and therefore your sleep is likely to be more erratic. The more you worry about it, the worse it will be so simply relax as much as you can and accept that just getting some rest will be beneficial. The more peaceful and calm your body and mind are, the better you will feel the next day.
[divider number=”5″ title=”Waking up is normal”]
Waking up during the night can cause a great deal of anxiety for many people who will then begin to worry about getting back to sleep or believe that they must have having a bad night. The truth is that is is perfectly normal to wake up during the night as our sleep comes in cycles. Often we will pop to the loo or readjust the duvet at these times and then drift back into sleep. The worst thing to do when we wake up is to worry or panic about the fact you are awake as this will then prevent you from going back to sleep. Try to accept that waking up is normal, and the more calm and relaxed you can remain, the more likely you are to drift back to sleep quickly.