A blog by Belinda Clark (Osteopath).
Sleep is good for just about everything; mental health, concentration, energy levels, positive relationships, adequate physical recovery, healthy eating habits, decision making. So, understandably, most things quickly suffer when we have inadequate amounts of quality sleep.
The trick to a good night's sleep is good sleep hygiene!
Here are a few tricks and tips to ensure you get a good night's sleep and keep functioning at your best.
1. Light exposure:
Our bodies respond to sunlight, so being able to maximise time and timing in the sunshine is important to our body’s regulatory system, as well as making sure it is totally dark when it is time for sleeping too.
Our body has a biological clock which works in coordination with the environment around us to regulate and influence things such as when we wake up, get sleepy, hungry, and even when we need to go to the bathroom. These mechanisms are controlled by the hypothalamus (a small organ in the midbrain which regulates the autonomic nervous system), and the circadian rhythm (regulates sleep/wake cycles).
Light exposure provides insight to these two areas and helps you:
Sleep well
Reduce over sleeping
Help you get to sleep faster.
2. Brain food:
Food affects the chemicals that send signals between the neurons in the brain, so what we eat directly affects the activity in our brain, and can either help or hinder our energy levels/arousal. Some foods and drinks are natural stimulants, while others are depressors.
Coffee habits ~
Coffee can be a great way to kick start your morning, however drinking coffee after 1pm can have a negative effect on your sleep. Try and limit yourself to one cup (maximum two) in the morning.
A good way to manage coffee intake is to keep it flexible, and make sure you are not relying on it to ‘wake you up’, alternating days you have one and don’t. Trying to get up and have some water and go for a walk outside to help your body wake up naturally is a nice way to slowly adjust your coffee reliance. This helps our body better calculate the energy needed for the day and will allow us to become tired at the appropriate time.
Tyramine ~
Tyramine is a natural chemical compound associated with the production of nor-epinephrine (noradrenaline) in our brain. It is found in foods like avocado, raspberries, bacon, cheese and nuts. It helps us stay alert and focused during the day, so best to incorporate these foods in breakfast or lunch, however avoiding them at dinner time is suggested to avoid sleeplessness.
3. Mindfulness, meditation, breathing - tackling anxiety:
Anxiety acts as a stimulant to the nervous system which prepares our body for fight or flight, which is great if we’re running from a tiger but not so much when we’re trying to sleep.
Short term anxiety and stress can be a normal response to the increasing daily demands, however unmanaged or prolonged anxiety causes a state of stress on the body which may result in insomnia and produce physical side effects.
Sleep meditation practices to improve sleep by reducing physical effects of stress;
Breathing exercises: slow deep diaphragm breathing helps to calm the body and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).
Calm slow music: recent study shows that our brain waves can synchronise to music rhythm. So slow music can help slow the mind before sleep.
Short stretch routine: releases endorphins, decreases muscle tension and improves circulation.
Weigh yourself down: heavy blankets have been shown to reduce stress.
Quick tip to help reduce the psychological effects of stress:
Focus on positive emotional interactions: recalling positive emotions can reduce stress and improve mood. Sharing a nice thought or experience with a friend has been shown to allow your brain to relive the experience/thought and reinforce the reward loop so you produce more happy hormones the second time.
Gratitude diary: try listing 3 positive moments from your day before bed.
These practices help to refocus your day and get your brain into a more positive and relaxed state, therefore improve your sleep.
4. Set a regular bedtime:
Our bodies crave consistency. Sleeping and waking up at regular times is the best way to keep our brain's circadian rhythm happy.
Think of it like a monthly budget; if you have the same expenses each month it is easy to budget and make sure each day you have enough to cover costs, if the expenses change each month you will still manage to prioritise for your needs but you might have to cut costs in other areas.
Our body is the same; our hypothalamus manages our energy expenditure, and it loves consistency. We plan how much energy we need and can distribute it appropriately over the day. A stable energy ‘budget’ helps keep us functioning optimally.
Some tips for sleep consistency:
Set a bedtime, and waking time; your body will get used to how much energy each day requires.
Pre-bed routine: establishing a bedtime routine can help your brain prepare you for sleep by associating these habits with sleep.
Morning routine: a stable morning routine is just as important as a bedtime routine. These habits will be associated with waking and energizing.
5. Exercise daily:
Exercise helps us improve sleep quality, reduce stress/anxiety - especially when done outside.
Making exercise a regular part of our day can lead to healthier sleep habits as well as many other benefits.
References:
Chen PH, Kuo HY, Chueh KH. Sleep hygiene education: efficacy on sleep quality in working women. J Nurs Res. 2010;18:283–9.
Friedman L, Zeitzer JM, Mumenthaler MS. Role of healthy sleep practices: Alcohol/caffeine/exercise/scheduling. In: Sateia MJ, Buysse DJ, editors. Insomnia: Diagnosis and Treatment.Informa; London: 2010. pp. 260–7.
Sadeh A, Keinan G, Daon K. Effects of stress on sleep: the moderating role of coping style. Health Psychol. 2004;23:542–5.
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