Let’s talk about sleep
I can actually remember the day I decided that I loved going to sleep. I was about 12 and had always fought it. You know the battle mums & dads have at getting children to bed, well that we me until I turned 12. I suddenly realised how lovely it was to sleep. The joy of snuggling down in the duvet all warm and cosy and drifting off slowly to dream land. I had never before understood how incredibly good it feels to retreat to our beds as a sanctuary after a hard or hectic day. Well after that I always loved going to bed and since then have a total love of sleep and all the wonderful restorative qualities it holds. Beds can be an absolute pleasure, clouds of duvets and feather soft plumped up pillows. What is not to love.
Did you know that if we live to be 75 we will have slept for approximately 25 years of this, so let’s make it comfy!
Quality sleep, and getting enough of it at the right times is as essential to survival as food and water. Without sleep you can’t form or maintain the pathways in your brain that let you learn and create new memories, and it’s harder to concentrate and respond quickly.
Sleep is important to a number of brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep.
Recent findings also suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake. I once heard the night time clearing up that happens in our brains likened to someone sweeping up and clearing things up for the next day ahead. Putting all our memories that we’d like to keep in the filing cabinet and the ones we don’t in the waste basket.
People who don’t get enough sleep, the recommended 7-8 hours a night can be heading for trouble. If you are chronically sleep deprived you are more likely to be overweight, have strokes and cardiovascular disease, infections, and certain types of cancer than those who get enough sleep.
Here are my top tips for getting a good nights sleep.
Alongside the amazing duvet and fluffy pillows of course!
Set a schedule – go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
Exercise 20 to 30 minutes a day but no later than a few hours before going to bed.
Avoid caffeine and nicotine late in the day and alcoholic drinks before bed.
Relax before bed – try a warm bath, reading, or another relaxing routine.
Create a room for sleep – avoid bright lights and loud sounds, keep the room at a comfortable temperature, and don’t watch TV or have a computer in your bedroom.
Don’t lie in bed awake. If you can’t get to sleep, do something else, like reading or listening to music, until you feel tired.
See a doctor if you have a problem sleeping or if you feel unusually tired during the day. Most sleep disorders can be treated effectively.
I help lot’s of clients improve their sleep and feel amazing. Please book a free chat with me if you’d like my help.
https://www.sarahstannard.com