Sleep: The illusive 8 hours!

The illusive 8 hours of sleep!! Do we all need it? Individual needs vary, and many people feel their best with either more or less sleep than the general recommendations. Pay attention to how you feel during the day: if you’re experiencing low energy, difficulty concentrating, or irritability, you might need to either adjust your sleep or eating habits, or both. If you are taking enough fluids and nutrients then look at your sleep patterns.

Age, health, physical activity levels, women’s menstrual cycles and even the seasons influence the amount of sleep you need. You will probably find that the amount of sleep you need fluctuates from time to time.  Though you might need an hour or more either way general recommendations are:

·         Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours per day

·         Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours per day

·         Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours per day

·         Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours per day

·         School-age children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours per day

·         Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours per day

·         Young adults (18-25 years): 7-9 hours per night

·         Adults (26-64 years): 7-9 hours per night

·         Older adults (65+ years): 7-8 hours per night

Sleep is often one of the first things to be affected by any kind of stress or disruption. Insomnia can be really tough to deal with, but there are strategies you can try to improve your sleep quality.

Because the fatigue resulting from insomnia affects all aspects of your day you need to combat it wholistically considering your whole lifestyle. If possible, set a sleep schedule going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. However, this is not always possible e.g. if you are working shifts or have young children to care for though there are other lifestyle improvements you can still make like limiting caffeine and alcohol especially leading up to bedtime so that they don’t disrupt your sleep patterns. Stay active during the day. Regular physical activity promotes better sleep but avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime. Diet is important too. Eat a balanced diet but avoid heavy meals and snacks right before bedtime. Try a warm non caffeine drink (warm milk or a herbal tea for example) or a light, healthy snack like some nuts if you're really hungry. Manage your stress as best you can by trying relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or journaling to calm your mind.  You could try a melatonin supplement which is a natural hormone to help regulate your sleep-wake cycle but most importantly create a relaxing bedtime routine.

Preparing for a good night's sleep is primarily about creating a bedtime ritual that will help you relax and signals to your body that it's time to rest even if you can’t do it at the same time every day. Here are some tips:

1.     You need a Pre-Sleep Routine

Start winding down at least an hour before bed with activities that relax you, such as reading, listening to calming music, paining, colouring practicing mindfulness or whatever works for you. If you are reading or listening to podcasts, try to keep them calm and even boring rather than an action adventure story designed to stimulate your thought processes. There are podcasts like ‘Get Sleepy’ specifically designed to put you to sleep.

Raise your core temperature about 30 minutes before going to bed preferably with a warm bath or shower, but a warm drink could also be helpful. Chamomile or valerian root tea can have calming effects.

Minimize exposure to screens that emit blue light, like your phone or computer. Blue light can interfere with your body's ability to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Lower the lighting in your home as bedtime approaches. Soft lighting can help signal to your body that it's time to wind down.

2.     Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment

Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Blackout curtains or eye masks to block out light are useful particularly in summer or if you are sharing a room with someone who is still awake. A comfortable and supportive mattress and pillows also improve your sleep quality.

Reduce Noise by using earplugs or listening to sleep music if you live in a noisy area.

3.     Relaxation Techniques

Practice deep breathing exercises to help calm your mind and body. Try holding your breath for a second, breathe in counting slowly to 4, hold for a second and breathe out slowly counting to 6 and repeat about 12 times. Your body should then naturally start falling into that rhythm which is similar to your unique natural sleep rhythm.

Try meditation.  Clear your mind and focus on one thought or mantra. If you are religious or spiritual you can recite and repeat set prayers or mantras alternatively make your own mantra up just focus on a good memory or peaceful scene. If other thought intrude on your moments of calm imagine attaching them to balloons and watching them fly away up to the sky.

Gentle yoga or stretching exercises can also help relax your muscles.

Try to be Consistent

Try to be consistent in your sleep routines going to sleep in the same way. If you find yourself waking up during the night make sure you care comfortable and hydrated and go through the same mantras, podcasts etc again in a cool, dark room. Even if you are not actually sleeping lying still and relaxing is giving your body the physical rest you need as long as you are not stressing about it.

If you need to nap during the day, keep it to a short 10-15 minute power nap earlier in the afternoon if possible to avoid interfering with your nighttime sleep.

Everyone is different, so it might take some experimentation to find your own unique formula to meet your unique needs, but you will get there. Sweet dreams!