5 top tips to help you fall asleep faster.
“Without enough sleep we all become tall two-year-olds”
We all know sleep is an essential function which allows our mind and body to recharge, leaving us refreshed and alert when we wake up. Healthy sleep also helps the body remain healthy and starve off diseases. Without enough sleep the brain cannot function properly. We all know how a day turns out after we’ve had a very difficult night’s sleep. Since the pandemic there’s been a massive increase of people reporting sleep issues over the last 12 months
Firstly let’s look at 6 benefits of sleep:
1. Increased energy levels, reducing overwhelm and irritability.
2. Improved mental health, reducing the risk of depression.
3. Decreased inflammation, which leads to a healthier gut.
4. Improved brain performance, increasing problem solving and memory.
5. Weight loss, balancing hormones ghrelin and leptin.
6. Improved immune system, reduces the chances of illness.
Dr Shelby Harris, Clinical Psychologist of behavioural sleep medicine, offers five top tips for falling asleep faster. Some of them you will have heard before, but how many habits, are you willing to change, to have a better night’s sleep.
Have a consistent wake up time.
If you have a lie in on the weekend, the chances are this will disrupt your sleep pattern. therefore, you will have difficulty sleeping on Sunday night. Which extends into a bad Monday night’s sleep too. So, before you know it you’ve kicked on a dangerous domino effect. If you’re someone who has trouble falling asleep at night, try and get up at the same time each morning even if you’ve had a restless night the night before. Then see if that helps reset your 24-hour internal body clock.
2. Limit your screen time.
Multiple studies have now shown that screen time can delay sleep onset and sleep quality is affected by the amount of time we have on our devices. This can delay sleep onset; many people believe it’s one of the reasons why insomnia has become chronic issue. This is because screens emit blue light which has a similar wavelength to sunlight. When we are on our phones and laptops at night, it’s like staring at the Sun, and that light is telling your body to hold off on producing melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that gets released in our brains to help regulate our circadian rhythm. In the medical world, melatonin is known as the hormone of darkness, because it doesn’t like blue light.
Many mobile/cell phones come with a night mode, and you can also buy blue light blocking glasses. I have recommended this to my clients that are studying or working late. But if someone is really struggling with the sleep, the best thing to do is to have no screen time at least one hour before bed.
If that seems impossible try by putting your phone away 10 minutes before bedtime, then 20 minutes before bedtime and so on until you reach an hour. No reaching to check your socials before you go to bed.
3. Wind down time away from the bed.
It is important to have a wind down routine to help initiate sleep onset. If you make the steps the same, you will signal to your brain bedtime is coming soon. We have the same routines for babies/ toddlers, bath, bottle/boob or bed, to let them know it’s time to sleep. Or alternatively, think of your wind down routine like a dimmer switch, slowly quietening your brain and setting the stage for sleep.
A few suggestions to help wind down, could be things like reading a book, listening to music, or a podcast, writing in a journal or doing an adult colouring book or having a warm bath or shower. A crucial part of your wind down routine is that it should occur away from the bed. If you’re lying wide-awake in bed with anxious thoughts later, you’re only going to associate the bed with worry. Instead, stop the struggle. Get up and go and sit somewhere. Continue doing your calming down exercises like reading, until you feel relaxed and sleepier then go back to bed.
4.Follow the rule of three hours.
When it comes to exercise, foods and liquids try to stick to the rule of three hours. No rigorous exercise within three hours of falling asleep. This is because our body slowly cools off a bit through the night to enhance melatonin production, heavy exercise warms you up and makes it harder for your bodies to cool down in the way it needs to be in a sleepy state. Try to avoid liquids like water and alcohol three hours before you go to bed, have your last big meal of the day at least three hours before bed. Eating too late can cause indigestion issues or heartburn.
5. A daytime meditation routine.
A lot of people try meditating in the middle of the night in a desperate attempt to fall asleep, it can help in the moment, it’s not the most practical long-term solution. Instead, try doing a 20-minute daily meditation during the day. Meditation is like a mental muscle. The stronger it is, the more you can use it to redirect your attention when you find yourself lying in bed at night, consumed by anxious thoughts.
If you’re cultivating your practice when your emotions aren’t heightened, you might be able to grasp and hone in on meditation techniques better. So, later at night, you’re able to rely on those practice techniques to ease the pressure of falling asleep.
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With love and gratitude,
Siân
