Life is full of surprises and challenges that keep us on our toes (and maybe even up at night). Getting a good night’s sleep is an important way to keep up with the ability to manage life’s occurrences constructively and positively.
As a society, we are notoriously sleep-deprived, yawning or groggy, grabbing that extra cup of coffee throughout the day.
To understand how to avoid sleep disturbances, you might ask “Well how does sleep work?” which is a great question. A “normal” sleeper will cycle between two major categories of sleep every 90 minutes; considered one sleep cycle. During quiet sleep, your body temperature drops and your muscles relax, your heart and breathing rate slow down. In the deepest part of this sleep cycle, your body’s immune system is boosted and physiological changes and repairs happen. There are three stages of sleep during this cycle that last 5 to 15 minutes each before reaching Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.
- Stage 1: your eyes are closed, but it is very easy to wake you up. The typical length of this stage is 5 to 10 minutes
- Stage 2: light sleep is the second stage. Your heart rate slows and your body temperature will drop
- Stage 3: this is the deep sleep stage. Much harder to rouse you during this stage of sleep. If you were to get woken up during this stage you are likely to feel disoriented for a few
Once this 90-minute cycle is complete, you reach REM sleep. What this means is your body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate all increase to levels displayed when awake. REM sleep is more than just dreaming – it helps with learning, memory and contributes to our emotional health.
Bill Gates said that one of his favourite books is “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams”.
It looks at the biology behind sleep, what happens to our brains while we sleep, sleep’s restorative power, and makes the connection to well-being and strong mental health. Check it out if you’re interested.
Here are five of my favourite sleep tips:
- Regular physical activity helps you spend more time in deep sleep and wake up less during the night. It’s recommended to get at least 30 mins of cardio per day.
- Limit daytime naps. If you must nap, limit it to 30 mins and no later than 1 pm.
- Get lots of natural sunlight a day. If that’s not possible, try investing in a light therapy light to bring to work or have in your home.
- Limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine at least three hours before bed. All three contribute to sleeplessness in their unique way. While alcohol is a depressant that affects the nervous system, it wears off people tend to wake up more in their sleep.
- Practice good sleep hygiene as it plays a major role in how you sleep (or don’t): Removing all electronics from the bedroom, keeping it dark and distraction-free is a key component in getting a good night’s sleep. A few other good sleep hygiene tips: avoid electronics 30 mins before bed, and wake up and go to bed at the same time every day.
If you’re looking for some great tips and a highly recommended app to assist you in changing your sleep habits check out “Sleep School for Insomnia” available on Android and Apple store.
What are some of your tried and true sleep support ideas? Share your thoughts below.