Sleeping is so important to our bodies and how we function during the day. The effects of not enough sleep can significantly impact our health as getting a good nights sleep can set you up for the day to come.
Read below for some of our tips to getting a good nights sleep.
- Limit stimulant like caffeine or nicotine in the lead up to bedtime ideally no later than 2pm
- Avoid alcohol in the hours leading to bedtime, as alcohol does not aid in sleep rather it has an adverse effect on your brain causing unconsciousness not sleep (2 very different things)
- Light exposure during the brightest and lightest part of the day; ideally getting direct sunlight onto some exposed skin as Vitamin D is an important co factor in sleep
- Sleep in a pitch-black room the darker the better; this helps with regulation of the important sleep hormone melatonin
- Sleep in a cool room 17-19 degrees, when our core body temperature is too high it is hard to sleep. Which seasons do you find you sleep best in? The middle of summer when it doesn’t get below 40 or in winter when is super cold?
- Brain dump before bed: clear your mind, put thoughts on paper or into a to-do list before hitting the hay, the less mental distraction the better.
- Do not use electronic devices in the bedroom. Means no phones computers or television in bed, it should only be used for sleep.
- Reduce artificial light exposure after the sun goes down; by using blue light filters on technology (NightShift Twilight F.lux) wear red lens glasses when at home or in front of the television.
- Have set times to go to bed and set times to wake up, for those of you that have children you would know they sleep best if they have set bed times. Everyone works best when they have a schedule. I understand that if you work shifts this can be very difficult; the important thing is to prioritise sleep.
- Have stable blood sugar levels.
- Supplementation with vitamin D and magnesium can help with getting better quality sleep
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