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Originally uploaded by paulpablopawel

Life is crazy hectic at the best of times and when we finally come to the end of our working days we still have loads of things to do from giving our partners love & attention to cooking dinner or taking a run, so how is it that we are supposed to be able to find that 7 to 9 hours to simply do nothing & sleep? We need to change the way we think of sleep, it is a basic need and a lack of sleep will effect every facet of our life. We need to develop effective sleep behaviours in order to equip ourselves with the ability to best handle our busy lives.

The first step to creating a better daily routine & giving your body the rest it needs is to ensure your attitude to sleep is a positive one.

Lets start by dispelling one major sleep myth - that when sleeping we are doing nothing. We need to understand that this is simply NOT the case, sleep is a necessity for us all and our body is super busy repairing & re-energising while we are off taking a wander through dream land. Experts agree that the ideal period of time for which to sleep each day is 7 to 9 hours. Remind yourself that sleep is your bodies time to rejuvenate and recoup from the day. It is the downtime our body requires to be ready to do it all again tomorrow. Think of sleep like cleaning your home or defragging your hard drive, if you like. You complete these tasks to ensure smooth running and to raise the bar in terms of performance. In the same way, your body sleeps to ensure a higher quality of life is enjoyed day to day.


Behaviours to Avoid
In the 2 - 3 hours before you go to bed, avoid caffeine, alcohol & cigarettes. Don't fight the urge to sleep with coffee & energy drinks. If your body requires sleep, listen & do. Whatever task you are working on will be better completed with great accuracy & efficiency once your body as rested.

Television, dinner, computers etc in bed. This one is probably the most difficult for most of us but it does help improve sleep routine to treat your bed as a sanctuary of sorts. Try to avoid watching television, eating your dinner or working online from your bed where possible. Try to reserve your bed as the place you can comfortably sleep without distraction. Of course, this rule can be dashed when you are in on a cold & rainy winters day and just need to snuggle under the doona with Carrie & the girls....

Furthermore in creating your sleep sanctuary, some things that go a long way towards a greater level of comfort are the aspects of your bedrooms physicality. Make sure the colours in your room calm and comfort you, ensure your doona & blankets keep you warm and that your pajamas are comfortable, use good quality pillows & be sure your room is a comfortable temperature, adjust the heating or use a fan if you need.

Trying to catch up on sleep on Saturday. Unfortunately, sleep in's do not cancel out our accumulated sleep debt. This is not to say deprive yourself of a Saturday morning lie in - that is one of the greatest parts of the weekend, right? Just be mindful of how long you are sleeping because oversleeping can be just as detrimental as under doing it.

Taking sleep for granted. It is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Your body needs sleep.


Some Health Benefits of Sleep

It can increase clarity of thought, improve your reaction time and provide greater emotional stability.

It can assist you in controlling you weight. (Source)

It reduces stress levels.

It improves your memory function.

It provides you with increased energy levels.

It can reduce your risk of depression (serotonin levels are impacted by sleep, or the lack thereof).


Ways to Encourage Better Quality Sleep
Creating routine. Give yourself a bed time. Understandably a set time will not always work, we have dinners, discussions, projects on the go and sometimes these things will interfere but try to give your body some normality in way of bed time. Let your body clock adjust & make the most of the downtime you give it. Ensure that your bedtime allows for 7 - 9 hours of sleep.

Darken your room. Shut the blinds, turn out the lights & close your eyes. Dark rooms are conducive to sleep. Give yourself the best chance to get quality, deep sleep by ensuring your environment is giving you the bolster you need!

Clear your mind. This is one that a lot of us have a problem with. We have a lot on our minds and it's difficult to shut it all off & collapse into deep sleep. Why not combat anxiety by writing a to do list for tomorrow just before hopping into bed? Move the focus of your anxiety from your mind to the paper and realise the power you have - you are in control and a better rested you will mean a more productive tomorrow. Meditation techniques can also assist in calming your mind & body and relaxing into a full & deep sleep.

Avoid accumulated sleep debt! If you go to bed an hour late every day, after a week, that's 7 hours of missed sleep. That an entire days quota of required sleep that you have missed out on for the week, effectively, not allowing your body sleep for one day of the past seven. Your body needs you to be strict on yourself in this regard - stick to your bed time and work out a smooth morning routine to avoid snoozing repeatedly & rushing about in order to make the bus on time. Unfortunately, missed sleep can not be caught up through a weekend lie in, prevention is better than a cure!