Over the past five years, sleep is finally receiving the recognition it so rightly deserves. Sleep is a key foundation to good health, and I would go so far as to say, it is the primary pillar that we need to invest upon to ensure that our life functions optimally.
Maintaining consistent and good sleep patterns is as vital to our wellbeing as nutrition and exercise. Your physical and emotional wellbeing greatly depend on it. Yet we live in sleep deprived times. Two thirds of adults throughout developed nations fail to get the recommended daily amount of sleep of 8 hours per night (as stated by the World Health Organisation).
The adage ‘I will sleep when I am dead’ is one that is finally falling out of favour as the evidence clearly presents that you will be dead a lot of sooner! Sleep scientists have measured that we are sleeping 1-2 hours less than we did 60 years ago. This sleep deficit is having a huge impact to our health.
How much sleep does a person need? Whilst this can marginally vary and there is a minutia of the population who may get away with 5 hours sleep, for the rest of us mere mortals, this sits between 7-9 hours. The best indicator of whether you have slept enough is awakening without the necessity of an alarm clock feeling refreshed and not running for an immediate caffeine fix.
Some signs you are sleep deficient
· Unable to concentrate/focus on tasks
· Disoriented, slow to respond to situations, clumsy
· Decreased motivation
· Craving the wrong type of foods
Just how bad is sleep deprivation, in a computer simulated driving test, those who had just a few hours’ sleep were more dangerous on the (virtual) road than the people who had consumed a few alcoholic drinks! Not that this is the green light for drinking under the influence but shows just how compromised we are on lack of sleep.
The purpose of sleep is to rest, recover and rejuvenate our body systems through the different stages of sleep. This maintenance and repair process takes between 7-9 hours. Irrespective of some who believe they can ‘get away’ with less than this, there will always be a ‘trade-off’ when you prioritize your sleep.
Insomnia is prevalent amongst a vast number of people and whilst a percentage of them are genuine cases caused by biological and compromised health conditions, most can be addressed and reformed by practicing what is familiarly now known as ‘Sleep Hygiene’. Disruption within our lifestyles such as travel, long work hours, time-shift, stress etc will always show up in some form in our lives at different times, which makes it all the more crucial to follow the principles of good sleep hygiene (e.g. not just clean sheets!).
Good sleep hygiene
· Go to bed the same time every day. Your body thrives on routine
· Keep the temperature in your room veering towards the cooler end.
· Your bedroom should be there for two functions, sleep, and sex. Do not make it an extension of your workspace.
· Your bedroom should be as darkened as possible, light is a big disturbance to good sleep and blocks melatonin production, the sleep hormone that is activated at nightfall to induce sleep.
· Start your day with exposing yourself to daylight, this will regulate your circadian rhythm (your 24 hour body clock) through a part in our brains called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), responsible for such things as sleep/wake cycles, temperature, hormones, memory, performance and a host of other behavioural elements. The main takeaway from this is, GET OUTSIDE!
· Regular daily exercise improves sleep however avoid any high impact exercises a couple of hours before bedtime as this will increase the stress hormone, cortisol and will result in it taking longer to fall asleep.
· Create a sleep ritual at least one hour before going to bed that sets the scene for a good night’s sleep, a hot bath, light yoga, read a book, herbal tea, meditation, journal.
What to do to get a Bad Night’s Sleep
· Caffeine in all its varying forms is highly stimulating and when consumed attaches to a neurotransmitter called adenosine which promotes sleep thus deregulating this neurotransmitter. Avoiding coffee after 12pm will help promote better quality sleep.
· Eating late or a heavy meal 3-4 hours before your sleep will push you body away from its role of regenerating your systems to the big task of digestion. This will impact how you feel when you awake from that of being refreshed to most likely feeling tired and fuzzy.
· Alcohol – this may have the immediate misleading effect of making you feel tired and sleepy but results in you having a fitful sleep. Alcohol acts like a sedative and compromises the sleep cycles (spindles). It impacts the quality of your deep sleep (REM) and when consumed regularly, you will find that your dream stated is reduced, if not, eliminated.
· Technology – laptops/phones/tablets/playstation/tv these all omit the blue light which interrupts the release of the sleep hormone melatonin. This results in it taking longer for you to naturally fall asleep.
I am a dedicated Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach focused on helping us live a better 21st Century Lifestyle. I pour through the data, articles, information and distil down to bring you ways to live an optimal life.
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