8 Tips For A Better Night Sleep

Life is busy. Longer working hours, family demands and entertainment available 24/7. Something’s got to give. And that something is often sleep. On average we now get 1-2 hours less sleep per night than our grandparents did.

 

But, what does it matter? ‘Sleeps for wimps’, right? ‘You snooze, you lose’, don’t you? Erm, well no, actually. 

Sleep: The all-round performance enhancer

 According to sleep expert Dr Guy Meadows, sleep is the most powerful performance enhancer available to man. It increases your energy, your concentration, your capacity to learn and improves your immune system function. High quality sleep increases your life expectancy and reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases. Put simply, it’s crucial for both your mental and physical health.

 

In fact, sleep deprivation is thought to cost the UK economy a whopping £40bn per year. Recognising the benefits of higher productivity, less sick days and better results, Google, NASA and Samsung have even installed sleep pods into their offices so employees can take 20-minute naps. 

How much sleep do I need?

There’s no one size fits all answer. It’s sleep quality that counts, not the number of hours spent asleep. The best way to know if you’re getting enough is to listen to your own body. GP Dr Chatterjee suggests asking yourself:

Do you wake up each morning feeling refreshed?

 Do you drop off to sleep quickly each night?

 If you didn’t set an alarm, would you wake up at roughly the same time each morning?

 

If you answered “Yes” to all 3 questions, give yourself a pat on the back, it sounds like your sleep is in pretty good shape. If you answered “No” to one or more, then chances are you’d benefit from some improvements. The good news is there are plenty of simple changes that can have a big impact on your sleep health. Try some of the tips below and you’ll soon be sleeping like a baby (or, as the saying goes in our house, sleeping like a
baby’s father).

 

Sleep Tip #1: Create the right sleep environment

Ideally your bedroom should be completely dark, cool and quiet. Darkness triggers the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, so remove all light sources at night. Put up black-out blinds or thick curtains, remove blue night-lights and any other lights such as TV stand-by lights and electric alarm clocks.

Your body temperature drops to its lowest level while you sleep, so it’s thought that the ideal sleeping temperature is a cool 16-18°C. If possible open your bedroom window to let cool air circulate.

 

Sleep Tip #2: Banish your mobile from the bedroom

If your phone is the last thing you look at before you drop off, you’re not alone. But this could be having a big impact on your ability to sleep. Not only does scrolling through your newsfeed or checking your emails stop your mind from switching-off, but screens also emit what’s known as ‘blue light’. This is the same wavelength of light as the morning sun and stops the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

 

Ideally, switch off all screens at least an hour before you go to bed. If you really can’t do that, try switching on your phone’s night-time mode or downloading an app such as f.lux for iPhone or Twilight for Android phones. Alternatively, buy some blue-light filtering glasses to minimise your blue-light exposure. I’ve found these really effective when
working on a computer in the evening too.

 

Sleep Tip #3: Choose red night-lights

Red is the wavelength that has the least impact on your body’s circadian clock. If you often have to get up at night or have young children who like to have a night-light, opt for red light. You can buy red night-lights with sensors, so they automatically switch on as it gets dark. For kids’ bedrooms try a Lumie Bedbug night-light or, for a more budget-friendly option, just pop some red fairy lights in a lockable Kilner jar.

 

Sleep Tip #4: Embrace natural morning light

Aim to spend at least 20 minutes outside in natural light every morning. Without sunglasses. The shortwave blue-green light that is only present at this time of day aids your body clock and will also help you wake up and feel more alert. Try having your breakfast or morning cuppa outside. There’re extra brownie points for a short walk or run. 

   Sleep Tip #5: Enjoy caffeine before noon

It may give us a much-needed pick-me up during the day, but caffeine is also a major sleep disruptor. It can increase the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, reduce total sleep time and worsen the quality of sleep.

 

The effects of caffeine last longer than you might think too. If you drink a coffee at noon, around a quarter of that caffeine will still be in your system at midnight. It’s like drinking quarter of a cup of coffee just before you sleep!

Even if an evening coffee doesn’t stop you dropping off (lucky you!), think about your sleep quality too. A study has found that just one evening dose of caffeine is enough to decrease the amount of deep sleep you get by 20%. So, if you wake up feeling unrefreshed, it could be worth swapping that post-lunch coffee for a non-caffeinated herbal tea. Give it a go and see if it makes a difference for you.

 

Sleep Tip #6: Have a regular sleep schedule

Waking up and going to sleep at the same time each day supports our body’s natural rhythm and helps us to feel drowsy when your body is ready to sleep. One study found that irregular sleep patterns caused changes to circadian rhythms, led to poorer academic performance and had the same impact as jetlag on the body.

 

Sleep Tip #7: Avoid vigorous exercise at least 2 hours before bed

Although exercise is known to have a positive impact on the quality and quantity of sleep, being active too close to bedtime has been found to raise cortisol levels, preventing sleep. You could try a gentler exercise, such as yoga, which will help you to relax and wind-down in the evening too.

 

Sleep Tip #8: Alcohol is not a sleep aid

As alcohol is a sedative, it’s a common myth that it can help you sleep better. But sedation is not the same as sleep. Alcohol activates the fight or flight branch of your nervous system, so you wake more frequently. It can also block the deep REM dream sleep which affects emotional and mental health and even creativity. So sorry folks, best to give that nightcap a miss. 

 

Ready to ZZZZZ?

 

So there you have it. A number of simple and natural ways to improve your sleep. You probably don’t need to make all these changes to notice a difference. Try picking just 2 or 3 and see how it makes you feel. Let me know how you get on or share your own tips in the comments.