When many of my counselling clients first start therapy, they are often struggling to sleep. They may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or a combination of both. Sometimes their normal sleep patterns have been disrupted by a major event in their life, such as a bereavement or losing their job, or it may be issues such as anxiety or work-stress that can be preventing them from getting a good night's sleep. If it goes on for some time, difficulty sleeping can seriously impact our wellbeing, both physically and mentally.
The good news is that we can help our chances of getting a good night's sleep by practising good 'sleep hygiene' which is a fancy way of describing maintaining good sleep habits and creating the right environment for the best quality sleep.
So here are my top 10 tips to help you sleep:
Tip #1 - Create a relaxing, restful environment
Only use your bedroom for sleep or sex. Ensure your bed provides the best support, comfort and space as this ensures you wake up and move about less. Keep your bedroom at the right temperature 16 - 18 C. Keep your room free of clutter to help create a soothing setting. Sleep or pillow sprays scented with lavender and geranium also create a relaxing environment.
Tip #2 - Keep to a routine
Maintain a consistent sleep routine, aiming for 7 - 8 hours sleep each night with a planned wake up time. Set a bedtime that is early enough to allow 7 - 8 hours and get up at the same time every day, even at weekends. This helps set the body into a natural sleeping rhythm.
"...Getting into a regular wake-up-go-to-bed routine is a good starting point. Your regular wake up-go-to-bed routine is known as your 'sleep window'." – Dr Michael Mosley - '4 weeks to better sleep' 2023.
Tip #3 - Physical activity
This is one I personally struggle with but keeping fit and getting physically active is great for sleep as well as for our overall general health. However, if you enjoy a gym workout in the evening, try to leave at least 2 - 3 hours after exercising before planning to sleep as exercise can make it harder to get to sleep.
Tip #4 - Technology ban
Ban all technology from your bedroom and avoid looking at all screens for at least an hour before bedtime. This includes your smart phone, computer and TV. These kind of devices emit a blue light, which suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin.
Tip #5 - Drinks to avoid
Avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon and evening. If you can, allow 10 hours between your final intake of caffeine and planned bedtime. Avoid alcohol before bedtime - whilst it may help you fall asleep, it will often lead to more fragmented sleep.
Tip #6 - Food to avoid
Avoid eating a large meal before bedtime, particularly spicy food. A light snack is best if you are hungry. Avoid sugary foods as the energy spike and following crash can disrupt your body clock.
Tip #7 - Light
Limit exposure to bright lights in the evening. A darkened room helps promote sleep so turn the lights down to encourage you to feel sleepy. Blackout blinds and heavier curtains can help prevent you being disturbed by street lights or bright sunlight at 5 am during the summer.
An hour or more of daylight exposure in the morning can aid sleep at night so go for a walk if you can (helps with tip 3 also!) During the winter months, 30 minutes exposure to a light box in the morning, is a good way to reset your internal clock if you are struggling to get up in the morning.
"Within the brain, sleep enriches a diversity of functions, including our ability to learn, memorise, and make logical decisions and choices. Benevolently servicing our psychological health, sleep recalibrates our emotional brain circuits, allowing us to navigate next-day social and psychological challenges with cool-headed composure." – Matthew Walker - 'Why We Sleep' 2017.
Tip #8 - Mindfulness
Practising mindfulness, breathing and relaxation techniques throughout the day to de-stress can help. A good routine is 5 times a day for 5-10 minutes so, on waking, mid-morning, lunchtime, after work and before bed.
Tip #9 - Relaxation routine before bedtime
Take time to relax before bedtime. Allow a full hour to wind down with relaxing activities such as a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. Consider writing a to do list before bed as it can help free your mind from worrying about the things you have to do tomorrow.
Tip#10 - When you can't sleep!
If you are lying awake for more than 20 minutes and you feel agitated, get out of bed and do a quiet activity without a lot of light exposure (so avoid screens) and then return to bed. You might also try a progressive muscle relaxation technique (you'll find these online) or calm place visualisation exercises (you'll find these on YouTube). Cognitive exercises can also free your mind from worrying about getting to sleep. Try counting backwards from 500 in 3s or listing things using the alphabet, such as birds beginning with a, then b and so on. Avoid clock watching - turn it away so you can't see it and remind yourself that resting in bed and thinking nice thoughts is more productive than tossing and turning.
I hope you find these tips useful. We can feel so much better when we have slept well. The power of sleep should never be underestimated.
If you feel you would like to book some counselling sessions to help you with some of the issues that may be affecting your sleep, please do get in touch.
Tel: 07551 195435
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