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The benefits of sleep – ways to improve sleep: Part III

How do you improve sleep?

Taking steps to improve sleep can sometimes be challenging, but the benefits gained from a decent kip can be huge. The following is a list of important points that you may wish to consider:

Get into a routine

Having a sleep schedule is just as important for adults as it is for children. A child who has no bed time routine and goes to bed late is more likely to be irritable and tired the next day. So why would an adult be any different? Going to bed the same time most nights is a helpful start.

Wind down

We are very good at winding our systems up with our busy non-stop lifestyles, but how much time do we really allocate to relaxing or winding ourselves down?

How to do this is really down to individual preference. Take a moment to think about what sort of things help you to unwind.  It may be taking a bath, reading a good book or listening to some classical music for example. Breathing exercises, meditation or even yoga may also help. This should then become part of your regular nightly schedule.

Stay away from the screens

We love our phones & tablets and saying goodnight to them can be hard to do! But the blue light from these devises will interrupt our rhythm, duration and therefore quality of sleep. Especially when used late at night. Try to have an hour before bed when you avoid such devices.

Exercise

Frequent exercise is a necessity. There’s strong evidence that regular exercise helps sleep. So if you’re not used to being active then it is important do a little every day and build gradually. Aiming for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercises at least 5 times a week (whatever age).

Anxiety and stress

Most of us will have experienced restless nights at some stage in our lives when there is something on our minds. Which is pretty normal. However if this is happening regularly and over a sustained period of time sleep deprivation can become a problem. Potentially having a negative impact on our health. Dealing with anxiety and stress can be challenging but seeking help in this area is important if it is overwhelming you.

Time spent asleep

The recommended time for an adult is around 7- to 8 hours sleep a night. Less than 6 hours and greater than 9 hours can both have a negative impact.

 

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