Sleep is the single most affective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day but lack of sleep has become such a problem that we are now in a sleep loss epidemic. Not surprising given the ‘sleeping is cheating’ mentality and precious hours being sacrificed for more time online. More than 50% of us are getting less than 6 hrs/ night, compared to just 10% 80 years ago. Lost sleep can never fully be recovered and can lead to impaired learning, memory, creativity and emotional stability as well as altzeimers, heart disease & BP problems, weight gain, diabetes, gut disorders like IBS and reduced immune function.
With that in mind, below are some tips to encourage mindful downtime and improved sleep quality:
1) Daytime Preparation
- Spend at least 20 minutes outside (even if cloudy) within 1-2 hrs of waking (resets circadian rhythm)
- Caffeine before noon (if you can tolerate it ok)
- Exercise sufficiently & earlier in the day
2) Create a bedtime routine for the brain to recognise
- Phones onto ‘night-time’ mode 2-4 hours before bed
- Eat earlier, before 7pm if poss
- No-Tech 90 mins before bed
- Do something relaxing each evening e.g. easy watching TV, cooking, baths, yoga, stretching, listening to music, adult colouring books!
- Practice stillness for 5-10 mins e.g. 3-4-5 breathing, meditation, mindfulness (Calm or headspace apps)
- Read next to low light in bed until ready to fall asleep
3) Bedroom Environment
- Create absolute darkness e.g. blackout blinds
- Remove all screens from bedroom (use old type alarm clock for waking or glo-clock)
- Open bedroom window (17 degrees is perfect temp for sleeping)
- Red light bulbs (very good for kid’s bedrooms/ landings)
- If you can’t sleep after 20 mins go into another room and do a relaxing activity until tired (to strengthen the association between bed & sleep)
