Sleep Soundly: Essential tips for better sleep.
Good sleep is a foundation for health and wellness. Individuals not getting enough sleep often struggle with cognitive function, metabolic health problems, and slowed recovery from injury and illness. Nowadays, there are so many things that keep us awake longer and interfere with getting deep, restful sleep, that what once was a simple rhythmical, biological process now often has to be taught and re-learned.
There are many sleep myths that drive poor behaviors and cause distress around sleep. Those include that you need eight hours of sleep, that REM is “the deep sleep”, or that middle-of-the-night wake-ups mean your night is ruined.
Different people require different amounts of sleep. An individual’s required amount of sleep will also vary with seasons, stress, health, and level of activity. In addition, sleep requirements change as we age. In most cases, the amount of sleep we need decreases over time, and sometimes the desire to get those “eight hours” of sleep causes increased stress and worry and further perpetuates a poor night's sleep. Aim to find a balance of quantity and quality sleep that allows you to wake up feeling rested.
REM is a vital part of our sleep cycle. It is necessary for cognitive abilities and energy, but REM is not our deep sleep. It is actually so shallow that if you could view your brain waves in REM sleep, you wouldn’t be able to tell if you were awake or asleep. Deep sleep produces big, slow, delta brain waves. It is this stage that is critical to restorative sleep, allowing for bodily recovery and growth. There are also some suggestions that it may bolster the immune systems and other key body processes. As well, there is evidence that this deep sleep contributes to insightful thinking, creativity, and memory. Most of your deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night.
Another myth around sleep is that alcohol helps you sleep. Initially, there is a sedating effect of alcohol, but it will later cause disruption of your sleep in the second half of the night.
Finally, there is the myth that you have to sleep solidly throughout the night. It is normal to have brief awakenings at various parts of your sleep cycle. If you think these awakenings are harmful, your mind will go into a stress cycle in the middle of the night, which will then negatively impact the rest of your night’s sleep.
Your behaviors during the day, and especially before bedtime, can have a major impact on your sleep. Here are some tips for a good night’s sleep.
Ultimately, you only want to be in bed when you are sleeping. Don’t watch TV in bed, read in bed, or stay in bed if you aren’t able to fall asleep after 20 minutes. Get out of bed and go do a quiet activity without a lot of light exposure. Don’t use electronics.
Avoid large meals or heavy snacks, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. If you are hungry, try a light protein-based snack, and remember to reduce your fluid intake before bedtime to avoid bathroom trips during the night.
Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning (including weekends). Going to bed much later than usual - even if you are still getting 7-8 hours of sleep - might cause you to lose out on some of the important sleep stages earlier in the night.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings. Turn off electronic devices 1-2 hours before bed.
Make sure your room is quiet, dark, relaxing, and a comfortable temperature.
Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smartphones from the bedroom.
Exercise. Physical activity during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
Try experimenting with relaxation techniques to help you glide into the deeper stages of sleep earlier in the night. This includes things like diaphragmatic breathing, prayer/meditation, body scans, and progressive muscle relaxation.
Good sleep is essential for your health and sense of well-being. Having good sleep habits needs to be a regular part of your general health care that we need to be aware of and make a priority. Talk to your medical provider if you have sleep problems that persist.