A good night’s sleep
We all know what it’s like, we have a busy day coming up and need a good nights sleep, but as soon as we get into bed our mind starts racing and we just can’t drop off. Sleep rests the body and the mind and not getting enough can lead to irritability, lack of energy and poor concentration levels the next day.
Typically during a night we experience ‘deep sleep’ and ‘dream sleep’. It is the deep sleep that’s important to allow our bodies to re-energise, and this occurs during the first five hours of falling asleep. Therefore someone who only sleeps for six hours can get the same amount of quality sleep as someone sleeping for eight to ten hours.
Our ability to get a good night’s sleep can be affected by physical illness, pain and/or psychological problems such as depression. This article looks at ways of achieving a quality night’s sleep.
What we do in the day will have an affect on how we sleep at night, things we can do to help us sleep better include:
Getting out of bed as soon as we wake. By trying to go back to sleep we’re only likely to experience dream sleep, and not quality sleep.
Trying to get up at around the same time every morning can help re-programme our body clocks, so we are ready for sleep at night.
Do some physical activity in the day, such as getting out for a walk in the fresh air.
Do not nap in the day. If you do nap, you’ll be less tired when you go to bed and you’ll probably take longer to fall asleep.
Avoid drinking caffeine after around 4pm and cut down on your caffeine intake during the day.
Getting out of bed as soon as we wake. By trying to go back to sleep we’re only likely to experience dream sleep, and not quality sleep.
Trying to get up at around the same time every morning can help re-programme our body clocks, so we are ready for sleep at night.
Do some physical activity in the day, such as getting out for a walk in the fresh air.
Do not nap in the day. If you do nap, you’ll be less tired when you go to bed and you’ll probably take longer to fall asleep.
Avoid drinking caffeine after around 4pm and cut down on your caffeine intake during the day.
If you’re finding you don’t get off to sleep because of worrying, set aside time in the day to address these worries.
Having prepared ourselves in the day, there are many things we can do in the evening to help ensure a quality sleep:
Allow yourself time to wind down before going to bed. Do something relaxing such as a having a bath with calming essential oils or reading a book (see extra help for a good nights sleep).
Don’t go to bed too early as your body may not be ready for sleep yet. Around 10.30 is a good time to head for bed.
Watching television in bed is not a good idea. Television is stimulating and more likely to wake your mind up than switch it off. Try to use your bed only for sex and sleep, and you will learn to associate your bed with sleeping.
Avoid using alcohol to help you sleep. Alcohol causes you to sleep less deeply and to wake more frequently.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet and cool. If you’re too hot you won’t go into a deep sleep.
Don’t go to bed hungry or with a full bladder.
Don’t be tempted to take sleeping pills, they can be addictive, and you’ll find it more difficult to sleep without them. Try putting a few drops of some relaxing essential oils on your pillow instead.
For some people sleeping problems may last for months or even years, which can lead to worrying about sleep and create a vicious circle which is difficult to break. This can be the case for people suffering from depression. If you have long term sleep problems staying in bed when you’re restless and anxious, is unlikely to result in sleep.
If this sounds like you, then it’s probably best to get up and do something quiet and relaxing until you feel tired. If your mind is racing, then pick an activity that distracts you from your thoughts. When you find you are feeling sleepy, then go back to bed. If you don’t fall asleep shortly after getting into bed get up again and repeat the process.
Extra help for a good nights sleep
Some essential oils can help us relax and aid sleep, a few drops can be added to a bath, or an oil burner can be used in the bedroom prior to sleep. Oils which can help us relax include lavender, chamomile, hops, valerian, and lemon balm.
Try relaxation exercises. Lie on the bed, and focus on every part of the body in turn, starting with your feet. Start by tensing your muscles and then relaxing them so your limbs feel heavy, while doing this be aware of your breathing which should be slower than normal.
Some people find quiet relaxing music can help them drop off. There are a number of CD’s available which are specifically composed using tempos which match the resting heart rate of the listener, to promote relaxation and to calm the mind ready for sleep. A wide range of these CD’s are readily available in shops and on the internet. Try looking at http://www.newworldmusic.com/ or http://www.ambientmusic.co.uk/
Having a cup of a relaxing herbal tea, an hour before bed can also be useful in helping us get to sleep. Choose from Valerian or Chamomile tea or try some of the special tea mixes such as ‘Sleepytime’ made by Celestial seasonings available at most health food shops.
Having prepared ourselves in the day, there are many things we can do in the evening to help ensure a quality sleep:
Allow yourself time to wind down before going to bed. Do something relaxing such as a having a bath with calming essential oils or reading a book (see extra help for a good nights sleep).
Don’t go to bed too early as your body may not be ready for sleep yet. Around 10.30 is a good time to head for bed.
Watching television in bed is not a good idea. Television is stimulating and more likely to wake your mind up than switch it off. Try to use your bed only for sex and sleep, and you will learn to associate your bed with sleeping.
Avoid using alcohol to help you sleep. Alcohol causes you to sleep less deeply and to wake more frequently.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet and cool. If you’re too hot you won’t go into a deep sleep.
Don’t go to bed hungry or with a full bladder.
Don’t be tempted to take sleeping pills, they can be addictive, and you’ll find it more difficult to sleep without them. Try putting a few drops of some relaxing essential oils on your pillow instead.
For some people sleeping problems may last for months or even years, which can lead to worrying about sleep and create a vicious circle which is difficult to break. This can be the case for people suffering from depression. If you have long term sleep problems staying in bed when you’re restless and anxious, is unlikely to result in sleep.
If this sounds like you, then it’s probably best to get up and do something quiet and relaxing until you feel tired. If your mind is racing, then pick an activity that distracts you from your thoughts. When you find you are feeling sleepy, then go back to bed. If you don’t fall asleep shortly after getting into bed get up again and repeat the process.
Extra help for a good nights sleep
Some essential oils can help us relax and aid sleep, a few drops can be added to a bath, or an oil burner can be used in the bedroom prior to sleep. Oils which can help us relax include lavender, chamomile, hops, valerian, and lemon balm.
Try relaxation exercises. Lie on the bed, and focus on every part of the body in turn, starting with your feet. Start by tensing your muscles and then relaxing them so your limbs feel heavy, while doing this be aware of your breathing which should be slower than normal.
Some people find quiet relaxing music can help them drop off. There are a number of CD’s available which are specifically composed using tempos which match the resting heart rate of the listener, to promote relaxation and to calm the mind ready for sleep. A wide range of these CD’s are readily available in shops and on the internet. Try looking at http://www.newworldmusic.com/ or http://www.ambientmusic.co.uk/
Having a cup of a relaxing herbal tea, an hour before bed can also be useful in helping us get to sleep. Choose from Valerian or Chamomile tea or try some of the special tea mixes such as ‘Sleepytime’ made by Celestial seasonings available at most health food shops.
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