This post is by Anthony Savage of Sparta Health
We all work hard. And often, when sitting at our desks to begin a day’s work at 9am, we’re already excited to get home and get some much needed shut-eye. So there’s nothing more frustrating than finally climbing into bed after a stressful day’s work, and finding yourself too wired to sleep.
Why is that our bodies can feel so utterly exhausted, yet our brains just won’t allow us that rest we crave? It could be a many number of things that are stopping you from achieving your full eight hours. “Sleep keeps us healthy and functioning well. It lets your body and brain repair, restore, and reenergize. If you don't get enough sleep, you might experience side effects like poor memory and focus, weakened immunity, and mood changes.” [1]
Here are our top 5 changes you can make to ensure a good and restful sleep.
- Wind down - It’s important to start giving your body signals that rest is coming. When your working away at midday, your body doesn’t allow itself to feel that it could sleep, because it knows it’s in work-mode. If you spend every minute up until getting into bed doing the laundry, washing the dishes, sorting lunches or taking out the bins, your body is staying in work-mode until the minute you get into bed. Try to make sure you stop working, and begin resting, before you want to actually fall asleep. Begin to wind down by getting into your pyjamas and making a hot drink to relax to your body before it falls to sleep.
- Avoid blue light 45 minutes before bed - In 21st century life, screens in some form are integral to our day-to-day life. And often when we’re tired, it’s easy to want to sit and scroll and enjoy some absent thought for a while. But the blue light omitted from your phone or laptop stimulates your brain, keeping it from preparing for a restful sleep. Most smartphones have a function to turn of the blue light, which you could do as you wind down for the evening, but better would be to swap out the screen for a good book, a journal, or some meditation.
- Prepare for tomorrow - Often, we can be just about to slip into a comfortable sleep when we’re yanked back into consciousness by the reminder of something we must remember to do tomorrow, or worse, something we forgot to do today. Try laying out your clothes for the next day, putting that thing you need to remember in your bag, and writing a to-do list of what needs to get done. Then, your brain can allow itself to let the thought go, and let you fall fully into that rejuvenating rest.
- Stop eating before bed - Whilst we all like a midnight-snack, it can reap havoc with your sleep cycle, and the ‘cheese gives you nightmares’ cliche isn’t a total myth! If our bodies are working hard to digest something, it sends an array of messages to the brain, ultimately effecting your sleep pattern and making you uncomfortable. Try to only drink water or a herbal tea in the hour before you plan on sleeping, this will allow all of the functions of your body to prepare for rest.
- Clean your space - We all know how well we sleep in clean bedding. A nice environment to rest in can allow you to fall into a deeper, more restful sleep. We aren’t suggesting you change your bedding daily but try to organise your space a little before bed. Move any clutter off of the bed, put that laundry away, or water that plant. Not only will a clear environment help you achieve a clearer mind, but there’ll be less things on tomorrow’s to-do-list to stress out about and keep you awake.
Making small changes to your night time routine can have hugely positive effects on the quality of your sleep. And when you sleep better, you live better! Take these steps to ensure you’re rested and make the most out of life this spring.
About Anthony Savage
Anthony Savage is the Medical Services Manager at Sparta Health, having joined the team in 2017 and is responsible for the overall operational delivery of our high quality services to our clients. He has a solid background in workplace physiology, health and safety, as well over 12 years of delivering, and holding senior management positions, for leading injury and condition management providers.
He is known for his innovative approach in his design and execution of services and his ability to build enduring relationships.
References:
- Dasgupta, R., 2020. Why Do We Sleep?. [online] Healthline. Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/health/why-do-we-sleep> [Accessed 28 March 2021].