04/08/2021
😴 6 TOP TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP 😴
In our ongoing quest for a more conscious and intelligent lifestyle, a good night’s sleep is one of the biggest ingredients for any success formula.
Whether you are working towards life-enhancing goals, pursuing professional ambitions, or aiming to improve your mental wellbeing, getting a good seven to eight hours sleep every night is just as vital as the manual labor you need to be putting in.
Sleep will also determine the quality of your overall health: having chronically bad sleep can compromise your immune system, reduce your memory and attention span, and increase the risk of diabetes, depression, heart disease, and, for those over 50, dementia too. These are scary prospects—yet entirely avoidable, if you make some conscious choices throughout your day to improve your sleeping patterns.
So, how do we reclaim our eight hours of sleep in a world where we’re always tempted to be on alert?
1. KEEP YOUR BED FOR SLEEPING
If you spend part of your day working from your bed, your brain will just think that the bed is your makeshift office, not your place of rest. As tempting as it is to lie down and work horizontally when working-from-home, try to resist the urge and use a different part of the room or house.
2. AVOID SCREENS, CAFFEINE, AND ALCOHOL
We are usually battling with screen time and the temptations of our phones throughout the day—but time spent in front of the screen in the evenings can be especially bad for you. The blue light emitted from all the different devices tricks your brain that it’s still daytime, preventing you from properly unwinding and ruining the quality of the sleep you will get.
The solution is simple and takes nothing more than some mental conviction to resist temptation and prioritise your own wellbeing. Commit to a calming evening routine and switch off your devices at least an hour before bed, keep them in a different room, and dim the lights to signal to your brain that it’s time to slow down.
Just like screens, alcohol and caffeine can compromise your sleep. Try to stop drinking caffeine by 2pm to ensure there’s none left in your bloodstream by bedtime. As for alcohol, the best way to avoid letting it disrupt your sleep cycle is to stick to two drinks maximum, consume lots of still water in between, and stop drinking at least three hours before bedtime—because, contrary to popular belief, alcohol is not a sedative and can suppress REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is the stage where dreams occur.
3. WRITE IT DOWN
If you’re struggling with a dilemma and way too many thoughts are circling your brain, it’s inevitable that falling asleep will be that much harder. While there’s no magic solution to clearing away the thoughts or difficult emotions you might be grappling with, you can always alleviate the situation with journaling. By putting your thoughts onto paper and giving them a two-dimensional reality, you will feel an instant sense of relief and gain a refreshed perspective.
4. COMMIT TO A SCHEDULE
No one has ever grown up wanting to go to bed early, but as mindful adults with goals to pursue, an early bedtime can work wonders on our motivation, productivity, and general vitality.
So the next step—after switching off your screens and beginning to unwind—is to commit to a specific bedtime every evening (try to be in bed before midnight) and an early wakeup seven or eight hours later. This will help you become better aligned with your natural circadian rhythm.
5. CONSIDER EXERCISE
Staying physically active during the day will prime your body for sleep in the evening. That doesn’t always mean intense HIIT workouts or heavy lifting every single day. Become more mindful of how much you move your body each day and start introducing some form of movement into your schedule. It can be anything from a walk, to stretching, or simply choosing to take the stairs instead of the lift.
Pro tip? Make sure you exercise up to four hours before bed to give yourself time to unwind.
Pro tip no.2? Speak to us about getting appropriate regular exercise... that's what we do!
6. GET TO THE ROOT
If you are experiencing chronic sleep issues, dig deeper in all other areas of your life and try to identify the root cause that’s keeping you up at night. Are you lacking purpose in the workspace? Perhaps a personal relationship is weighing you down and there’s a difficult conversation waiting to be had with your loved one. Or you feel like you need to take full ownership of your life and be more proactive. Real change can only take place when you get to the root at the end of the day.
Sleep well!
Rachel
