LIVINGLIVING
L
ife's hectic enough at the
best of times. Keeping all
your plates spinning at
work and home, finding
your days growing longer
while time for some much-needed shuteye getting shorter.
Getting enough sleep, and one that
isn't 'toxic' (disturbed or inadequate), is
important for us to wake up refreshed,
mentally and physically - ready to deal
effectively with whatever the new day
throws at us. In fact, the average adult
spends around a third of their life sleeping,
needing somewhere between seven to
nine hours a night, depending on their
age. However, there's no norm, and some
people will need more, or less, than this.
But, whatever your norm, more and more
of us just aren't getting enough.
According The Sleep Council's Great
British Bedtime Report, 74% of people
in the UK - that's almost three-quarters
of us - are getting less than seven hours'
sleep a night, with one in 10 of us getting
less than five. And, for 61% of us, five to
seven hours each night is the norm. Why
are so many of us struggling with sleep?
Trouble sleeping?
Finding the underlying reasons for
recurring sleep problems is key. Could
your diabetes (see DIABETES AND
SLEEP, below) be getting in the way of
good quality slumber? Do you need to
WINTER SLEEP
If your all-important bedtime routine is
on the slide, with bad habits creeping in,
read on for ways to help you get your
sleep back on track for the new year.
By Sabeha Syed.