It’s well-known that sleep is essential for health and wellbeing. It has a direct positive influence on energy levels, psychological wellbeing, memory, immune system and stress-management – but isn’t limited to just these areas.
On the other hand, poor sleep leads to a reduced attention span, increased irritability, impaired judgement, reduced physical coordination and more.
When sustained over time, poor sleep is linked to health concerns including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Unfortunately, 1 in 4 Australian adults aren’t getting enough good-quality sleep.
If this is you, the good news is there is plenty you can do - here are 20 tips to elevate your sleep experience.
1. Linen lover
Make your bed and bedroom as inviting as possible, with high quality sheets and blankets that are comfortable to the touch, cushions, soft lighting, plants and other snuggly or calming items.
2. Realise that sleep varies
Thinking sleep can only be good or bad is not helpful. You may sleep fine, good enough or better than yesterday. These nuances allow us to widen our perception of sleep.
3. Know yourself
Many people have absorbed the idea that eight hours is the ideal, but that isn’t the case for us all. Try not to prescribe to strict rules about how much sleep is enough sleep – and listen to your body, mind and how rested and generally well you feel instead.
4. Progressive muscle relaxation
Lie or sit comfortably, then slowly focus on individual muscles, tensing them for 10 seconds before releasing. Breathe normally throughout. Doing this before bedtime can help release tension and promote physical relaxation.
5. Calm and relaxing activities
Do these an hour or two before bedtime. Think meditation, reading, journalling, a warm shower, stretching, a gentle stroll, drawing, listening to music or a slow skincare routine.
6. Mindfulness, and breathing
According to Beyond Blue, these can help us focus on the present moment when anxiety creeps in, let go of daily stress and ease our mind into sleep. Apps are available with free sleep mindfulness and meditation exercises to get started.
7. Power down
Everyone loves a late-night movie or scroll. However, phones, laptops and TV emit blue light which stimulates the brain to make us feel awake, making it harder to wind down before bed.
Sleep Health Foundation says that bright screens for 1.5 hours or more before bedtime can increase alertness and that repeated bright screen use over five days delays the natural body clock by 1.5 hours.
While everyone is affected differently, it’s a good idea to limit pre-bed scrolling time.
8. Audio
Try listening to calming music, instrumentals or soundscapes to help you fall asleep. There are even special sleep podcasts where nothing much happens, so you can nod off and not feel you’ve missed the story.
9. Avoid overstimulation before bed
This includes projects or other work that may increase alertness. Need to have a difficult conversation? Schedule it earlier in the day so you can have time to debrief.
10. Set worry time
Beyond Blue says signs that your anxiety may be heightened at night include tightness, feeling you cannot control your anxious thoughts, catastrophic thinking and difficulty calming down. If you tend to worry in bed, set yourself “worry time” during the day.
Importantly, don’t do this in your bedroom or close to bedtime.
11. Consistency
Spontaneity is great – just not when we need to slip into sleep.
Going to bed and waking at roughly the same time each day (including weekends) can help long-term sleep quality and help the body’s circadian rhythm align itself better.
12. Limit naps
It's fine to nap if you need to. However Health Direct8 recommend keeping your shuteye short (no more than 30 minutes), avoid napping too close to bedtime, and ideally have a 4 hour wake window before bed.
13. Consider the root
Rather than catastrophising (“I’ll never sleep again!”) consider what could be at the root (“I’ve been stressed about doing my tax return. I’ll put aside a morning next weekend to get it done.”)
14. Skip the nightcap
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system3 helping us power through a busy day, though is less helpful when you’re trying to sleep. Additionally, a low amount of alcohol (just 2 drinks for men and less than 1 for women, according to SleepFoundation.org) can decrease sleep quality by 9.3%.
Opt for tart cherry juice, hot cocoa (not sweet chocolate), warm milk, herbal or decaffeinated tea instead.
15. Reduce fluids
What goes in must come out, and if you drink several cups of water before bed, chances are you’ll need to make a night-time dash to the toilet. Try to cut down on fluids in the evening and use the bathroom just before bed.
16. Move it!
Exercise during the day can increase our sleep quality by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep and help reduce daytime sleepiness.
It also helps relieve stress, which can be a contributing factor to poor sleep.
The fall in body temperature after we finish exercising can also signal to the body that it’s time to rest. The BetterHealth Channel recommends moderate evening exercise to help us wind down.
17. CBT-I
The Sleep Health Foundation reports that CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) is an evidence-based, first line treatment for insomnia, which has been found to help 80% of people with insomnia. While results may be gradual, they are normally long-lasting.
18. Think light
A big, warming meal can be heartening – but it can also leave us feeling heavy or plagued with heartburn and reflux, none of which helps our sleep. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends allowing 2-3 hours between your last meal and bedtime.
Try eating earlier and lighter, and if you need to snack before bed opt for something low GI and protein-rich (such as a boiled egg, some Greek yoghurt or even walnuts, which naturally contain melatonin!).
19. Troubleshoot
If you are experiencing daytime sleepiness, snore heavily or have type 2 diabetes, depression or high blood pressure, see your GP to rule out a disorder like sleep apnoea.
20. Talk alternatives with your Pharmacist
If you do need support, there are plenty of sleep supplements with natural sleep aids in their ingredients. Speak with your Terry White Chemmart Pharmacist.