Why do we need sleep & Sleep hygiene?
Sleep is something we all need and most of us love. But there are few things worse than not being able to get to sleep or having trouble staying asleep. You might have heard of the term sleep hygiene. This term refers to the behaviours and processes you can follow before trying to sleep. I have laid out some sleep hygiene tips below, so keep reading.
Be Consistent
Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each night; it can give your body a sense of routine. Following the same steps before you get into bed, like doing your skincare, brushing your teeth, or making a cup of tea, will let your brain know that it's time to get ready to sleep.
Dark, Quiet Room
By turning off your lights and making sure your environment is as quiet as possible, your body can relax, and your brain will slowly start to wind down. Being in a dark environment is what triggers our bodies to start the production of melatonin, a hormone our body produces to induce sleep.
No electronic devices 30 minutes before bed
This one is super important; the blue light emitted from our devices can cause our brains to get confused. The light causes our brains to think we are still in daytime hours, so it doesn't start the slow release of melatonin. Not only that, our electronics are very distracting and often cause us to stay up way later than we should, meaning we are not getting in as many hours of sleep as our bodies would like.
Try getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
This may sound easy for some and super hard for others, but 8 hours is the optimal amount of sleep for most. Oversleeping (10–12 hours) can cause lethargy and reduce your ability to focus; undersleeping (4-5 hours) can also cause these as well as make you feel more easily irritated.
Only use your bed for sleep or intimacy.
By treating your bed the same as you would your couch, your brain will not differentiate between the two. So, when you come to your bed to sleep, your brain will have a hard time realising that's what you want to do. Instead of recognising your bed as a place to unwind and settle into sleep, your brain will think it is another space for activities.
After implementing some of these changes, you won't necessarily see results immediately, but over time, the quality of your sleep should improve. If it doesn't, it may be time to get a sleep specialist involved, but cross that bridge when you get to it. A few more tips that might work for some are to not take as many or any naps. Naps can give you some energy in the moment, but they can also take away from your quality sleep at night. You can also set aside 30 minutes or so before bed to do some wind-down activities like meditative breathing, stretching, reading, or affirmations. Mediation can be a great way to almost trick your brain into sleeping. If you are someone who feels sleepy, then as soon as you get into bed, think “I can't sleep”, try focusing on meditation instead. If you are just tossing and turning and not able to drift off, it is actually suggested that you get up and read, walk around, or do something else calming, as this will reset your brain a little, and when you lay down again, you may have better success!
Why is sleep actually important?
Sleep is not only necessary for feeling rested and ready to take on the day; it also affects our bodily functioning—our sleep affects growth, our immune system, the way we breathe, our blood pressure, and so much more. According to research, a lack of sleep can lead to increased health risks, like heart disease and infection. Blood pressure rises and falls during the night, and this is key to healthy cardiovascular functioning. The hormones our bodies release while we sleep helps with cellular repair and more. Your body will really thank you for getting hours of quality sleep.
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