12
NEWS
SEVEN STEPS TO BETTER SLEEP
Sleep is a vital time when our bodies
can restore and rejuvenate, but
sometimes getting the amount we
need feels unattainable.
There are many causes to this -
anxiety levels, lack of exercise and
too much screen time, for example -
can affect our ability to rest at night.
The following tips can help:
1. Figure out how much
sleep you need
We all need different amounts of
sleep at different stages in our lives.
While newborn babies need between
14-17 hours of sleep each day, adults
generally need between 7-9, and that
drops slightly to 7-8 hours for people
over 65.
2. Make your bedroom
sleep-friendly
It's obvious but well worth
mentioning: your bedroom needs
to be an inviting and comfortable
space if you want to sleep well. Pay
attention to the temperature (15-
18°C is an ideal level), and invest in
blackout blinds or heavy curtains to
keep out as much light as possible.
Unless you have allergies, plants are
also a wonderful addition to promote
sleep habits. They boost oxygen
levels, and many are natural air
purifiers, removing carbon dioxide
and other toxins from the air.
Also, make sure that you take the
time to try out a mattress in various
sleep positions before you buy to
find the right level of firmness for
you. Although stacking fluffy pillows
galore might look lovely, when it
comes down to actual sleeping, aim
to have your head level with the rest
of your body to optimize blood flow.
3. Manage your digital
devices
The light emitted by devices such
as tablets and phones can reduce
the body's melatonin production by
up to 25 per cent, affecting sleep
patterns. To avoid this so-called
"blue-light effect," turn your phone's
brightness lower at night. You should
also switch off all digital screens
(especially smartphones) at least an
hour before bedtime to give your
body time to produce melatonin.
4. Keep a worry journal
Sleep can be hard when your mind
is buzzing. Try keeping a worry
journal-by writing down your
worries, you'll symbolically remove
them from your mind. Writing
longhand slows you down, giving
you time to process thoughts. And
by identifying specific concerns,
you are well placed to come up with
possible solutions.
5. Exercise for better rest
Our bodies are designed to move-
and research shows that regular,
moderate physical activity improves
our mood and helps us sleep better
and longer. You should generally aim
for around 30 minutes of moderate
activity, five days a week, but if you
can manage only 10 minutes, do it
anyway-you will feel the benefit.
From a sleep point of view, it's usually
best to exercise in the morning or
afternoon. This is because exercise
makes you hot, and to feel sleepy,
your body temperature needs to
fall. While fine for general fitness,
evening exercise will impair sleep if
you don't give the body enough time
to cool down before bed.
6. Create a winding-down
routine
We all need to decompress after
a busy day, and for a good night's
sleep, it's essential to dissipate the
high adrenaline and stress-inflating
cortisol levels we've built up during
the day. Establishing a routine-and
sticking to it-will help your mind
and body prepare for rest. Aim to
do the same thing, in the same
order, every night, whether that's
walking your dog, changing into
nightwear, brushing your teeth, and
incorporating a relaxing activity, like
reading or knitting, to ease into a
restful state.
7. Pay attention to what
you're consuming
Did you know caffeine can stay
in your body for 10 hours? If you
can, avoid coffee, tea, and energy
drinks after midday. Depressants
can also affect your sleep quality,
despite making you drowsy. Alcohol
is a major culprit in disrupting REM
sleep, so you wake up tired and
sluggish.
DK's new book, A Little Book of Self
Care: Sleep explores more ways to
sleep better with plenty of tips to
easily make part of your routine.