Getting enough good quality sleep can make a world of difference to our mental health and sense of wellbeing. Although we’ve been doing it since the day we were born most of us still have a thing or two to learn about optimising sleep.
If you think you could be getting better sleep here is a summary of the basics. Get these right and you’ll soon feel the physical and psychological benefits.
Establish a good routine, day and night
- Good sleep is about honouring our natural circadian rhythm. Establish what your “chronotype” is and set a regular time for waking and sleeping. Stick to this time as much as possible, even at weekends.
- Expose yourself to natural morning light every day. This will help to regular the body’s release of melatonin – the hormone responsible for regulating sleep.
- Keep active and stimulated during the day. This will allow your mind and body to rest at night.
- Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake, as these disrupt the quality of sleep. Stop drinking alcohol and caffeine 3-4 hours before your bedtime.
- Don’t have heavy meals or do intense exercise for 2 hours before your bedtime. This will enable your body to go into “rest and digest” mode.
- Reduce light levels for the last hour before bed. Dim the lights in your home and avoid any blue screens (e.g. TV and mobile phones)
- Practise a wind-down routine. Before you go to bed do relaxing activities that calm and sooth your nervous system such as reading, journaling, sleepcasts or meditation. Do this routine even when you don’t feel tired, as this will help to cue your body into rest mode. (Read this for an interesting finding about listening to music at bedtime).
Learn to manage exposure to light
The body’s natural circadian rhythm is regulated by exposure to blue light in the morning, and red light in the evening – following the pattern of the sun’s radiation throughout the day. Melatonin is only released when exposure to blue light is stopped. This is why it helps to be exposed to natural blue light in the morning, when we want to be awake and alert. This is also why exposing your eyes to blue light in the evening (through mobile phone, TV and computer screens) tricks the body into thinking it’s morning, and disrupts sleeping patterns. Here are some tips for managing this:
- Go outside for 20 minutes each morning to expose yourself to natural blue light
- Consider getting a “sunshine” alarm clock, that mimics natural morning light
- At night limit your exposure to blue light by activating a blue light filter on your devices, and giving your eyes a break from screens for at least an hour before bedtime.
Create a soporific bedroom environment
Maximise your potential for a good night’s sleep by ensuring your bedroom is
- Dark – consider blackout curtains and an eye mask
- Quiet – cut out background noises with ear plugs or a white noise machine
- Cool – try to keep your bedroom cool, ideally between 16-18C
- Comfortable – make sure you have the right kind of mattress and that your bedding is comfortable. Natural materials are usually best as they are breathable, and also help with temperature regulation
- Boring – try to ensure your bedroom is a low-stimulus environment. Keep it clutter free. Don’t work or watch TV in your bedroom. Keep your mobile out of the room. If you need to keep it with you don’t check it during your sleeping hours.
Problem solving
- If you are getting up to go to the toilet in the night don’t drink any fluids after 8pm
- If worries are keeping you up try keeping a notepad by your bed and writing your worries down so that you can deal with them in the morning
- If you are struggling to fall asleep after 30 minutes get out of bed and repeat your wind-down routine, only going back to bed when you are feeling tired
- If you work shifts and aren’t able to stick to a good routine, stay tuned for next week’s blog where Dr David Lee, a renowned sleep expert, shares his tips for managing shift-work.
- If nightmares, rumination or anxiety are keeping you awake, and this lasts more than a few weeks seek support from your GP or a mental health professional.
Next Steps
For more information and support around sleep issues check out The Sleep Charity.
Sources
- Lammers-van der Holst HM, Murphy AS, Wise J, Duffy JF. Sleep tips for shift workers in the time of pandemic. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2020;20(4):128-130. PMID: 32351777; PMCID: PMC7189699.
- Richter K, Acker J, Adam S, Niklewski G. Prevention of fatigue and insomnia in shift workers-a review of non-pharmacological measures. EPMA J. 2016 Aug 2;7(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13167-016-0064-4. PMID: 27486484; PMCID: PMC4970219.
- Lee, D. 2015, CBTi Training, British Psychological Society
- The Sleep Council
- The Sleep Foundation
