Sleeping Well

Are you having trouble falling asleep, getting back to sleep or having difficulty getting up in the morning? If so, you are not alone. Approximately 35% of people report their sleep as ‘poor’ or ‘only fair’.

The benefits of getting a good nights rest are endless. Sleep is associated with having a better mood, lower levels of anxiety and depression, better skin and physical health, as well as improved concentration and driving ability.

On the flip side, having ongoing difficulties with sleep is associated with some pretty nasty consequences. These include memory problems, moodiness, depression, hallucinations and increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Fortunately, there are several steps you can take today to improve your sleep:

No Napping

Napping in the day may be satisfying at the time, but often means that you aren’t tired enough to go to sleep at night. Consequently you go to bed late despite the need to get up early for work or school. The next day you may feel exhausted, take a nap, and the cycle continues. The most useful thing you can do to improve your sleep is to get up at the same time each day and to stop napping. Within a few weeks your sleep pattern will improve. If you feel tired then splash your face with water or go outside and stand in a cool breeze. If you have to nap make sure it is before 3pm and less than an hour.

No Caffeine After 3pm

Did you know that although caffeine’s strongest effects are felt 30 minutes after drinking it, it takes 6 hours to leave your system? In fact, research shows that consuming caffeine less than 6 hours before bed reduces sleep by one hour. Caffeine can affect how long it takes to fall asleep and how many times you wake up a night. Remember that caffeine doesn’t just mean coffee. It also includes caffeinated drinks (coke, energy drinks), dark chocolate and some teas (black, green or white tea).

Avoid Watching the Clock

Checking the clock when you are having trouble falling asleep can cause anxiety. You may have thoughts like ‘I’ve been awake for 2 hours now and only have 4 hours till I have to get up!’’. This can make it harder to fall asleep. Remove or cover any clocks in your room at night and keep your phone out of arms reach.

Restrict Use of Technology Before Bedtime

When it starts to get dark, our bodies begin to produce melatonin, which makes us feel sleepy. Often the light from technology(often called ‘blue light’) can disrupt this production of melatonin as it tricks your brain into think it’s still daytime. If you need to use your phone in the evenings, make sure you turn down the brightness and use an app that filters out the ‘blue light’ your phone emits.

Write Down Your Worries

Due to our busy lives, often the time when worries come to surface is at night. Instead of letting worries go round and round in your head like a washing machine, write down your worries as they arise and set aside 30 minutes each day to work through and problem solve them (e.g. at 7 pm in the evening). Make sure you limit your worry period to 30 minutes or less, and that you reward yourself after your worry period (e.g. eat your favourite food or watch your favourite TV show).  It should be noted that excessive rumination (dwelling or worrying about negative events) can be a symptom of depression or anxiety. If you feel this may be the case, it is important to speak to your GP about seeing a psychologist to help you cope.

Remember that that if you have had difficulties sleeping for a number of years, it will take a few weeks or months of adhering to the above advice for your sleep patterns to change. You’re re-training your brain and body. The good news is if you follow the advice mentioned above, it is possible to change negative sleep patterns for good.