SLEEP–NATURE’S SUPERPOWER

WordsMartinMalone SimplyNutritionPersonalTrainer/SportsNutritionist

Sleep is nature’s superpower. Consistently good sleep is the perfect partner to a healthy lifestyle, yet, so many of us struggle with our sleep.

Our bodies need good quality restorative sleep to grow and repair, while also boosting the immune system. From a psychological perspective, sleep is crucial for concentration, memory, response times and coordination. Poor sleep can result in an ongoing negative impact on our personal and professional lives and in some instances, when we consider things like slower response times, affect our safety too. From a nutritional perspective, we are more likely to make poor food choices when we are tired and if weight loss is the goal, we move less when we are tired and therefore, we burn less calories.

We all know how unpleasant it is to be tired and not able to sleep and we all have the occasional bad night’s sleep. We can usually put it down to a particular cause but then we recover with a great night’s sleep and life goes. However, consistently poor sleep can be overwhelming and debilitating.

We need on average 7 to 8 hours quality sleep each night to ensure we remain healthy but if we are struggling to do that consistently, the mental and physical fatigue accumulates and it starts to affect all aspects of our lives, even our food choices.

We all have a circadian rhythm (body clock), which is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep–wake cycle and repeats every 24 hours. Therefore, one of the most important things to remember about good sleep is being consistent with your sleeping habits so it becomes a bedtime ritual. There are of course physical conditions and sleep disorders such as snoring, insomnia, sleep apnoea, periodic limb movements, narcolepsy and nightmares that may require professional help or medical interventions from a Somnologist (sleep Doctor) but if none of these apply to you, all is not lost.

Here are some of the things you can do to help you develop better sleeping habits:

Create a sleep schedule

Your body clock likes routine. By going to bed at the same time each evening and waking up at the same time every morning, you create a sleep schedule within our body. And while the idea of sleeping extra at the weekends seems like a great idea, it’s probably not because once your body adjusts to a consistent schedule it repays you with reliable sleep, night after night. So, if you do happen to have a late night and sleep a little longer than normal, try to get back to your normal sleeping pattern the next night.

Create a sleep ritual

A simple sleep ritual to transition from day to sleep time can be as simple as reading a few pages of a paper book (not electronic). You should avoid looking at your phone or watching TV just before bed. The blue light omitted by these devices has a stimulating effect on a part of your brain called the ‘suprachiasmatic nucleus’ (SNC), which controls your body clock, releases cortisol and other hormones to wake you up. Phones, TVs etc. trigger the same response, which can interrupt your sleep patterns. At night time when it starts to get dark, your SNC triggers the release of melatonin to make you sleepy, so interrupting this process can have a negative impact on your sleep.

Exercise

People who exercise tend to sleep better. Aerobic activity such as brisk walking, jogging or cycling can have a fantastic impact on your sleep, especially when it comes to quality and duration. However, intense exercise in the evening shortly before bed may not be beneficial.

Stress and Sleep

People who are stressed or worried about something often tend to fall asleep but then wake during the night and struggle to get back to sleep. If this happens to you, don’t battle with your thoughts. It can be helpful if you just get up and break that negative thought cycle. Maybe have a warm drink and try to relax and rationalise your concerns. Writing them down can help. Don’t watch TV or look at your phone and when ready, go back to bed and try to get off to sleep again.

Avoid stimulants, alcohol and heavy meals before bed

Stimulants such coffee will either stop you from getting to sleep or reduce sleep quality. Large meals should be avoided just before bed but a light snack around 45 minutes before bed may help. Some people find alcohol helps them relax and get to sleep but this is outweighed by the negative effect it has on sleep quality. According to the Sleep Foundation, alcohol disrupts REM sleep (your dream state), which is an important part of a normal sleep cycle.

Audit your Bedroom

Try and use natural fibre bed clothes that promote air flow and breathability. Invest in comfortable pillows and replace them every 1 to 2 years. It’s also worth noting that the life expectancy of your mattress is about 8 years.

Your bedroom should be cool. The optimal temperature for sleep is about 18 degrees Celsius. Your bedroom should also be dark. Invest in blackout curtains or blinds. If you are able to wear a sleep mask, that can be really helpful. If noise is a problem for you, try using soft silicone earplugs.

If you have a TV in your bedroom, don’t watch it before sleep for the reason mentioned above (blue light). Or better still, don’t have a TV in your bedroom at all. And for my last sleep tip - Try sleeping naked. Sleep research shows that sleeping naked improves sleep quality and it may even improve your sex life!