Quality sleep
We all need good quality sleep every night for good health and anti-ageing. It allows us to cope with the day ahead and what it might throw at us. But unfortunately, sleep can be a problem for many due to pain and anxiety. Somehow pain seems to worsen while we lie there in the early hours. For others, lying in bed aggravates their anxieties as their brain can’t switch off.
Recuperative sleep is essential to every aspect of our well-being in general. After a few nights of disturbed sleep, look at your face in the morning; can’t you tell? Most adults need 6-8 hours of good quality sound sleep per night. Few people can function optimally, if they don’t get enough sleep over a long period of time.
A third of our lives in bed
Since we spend approximately 1/3 of our lives in bed, this environment must be as healthy as possible and conducive to sleep. Keep the bedroom as dark and quiet as possible. Light and sound tend to activate our brains. If your curtains let in too much light, change them or add a window blind underneath the curtains. Closing the blinds and the curtains should certainly keep your room dark enough. Any gadgets giving light, either move or turn off.
Comfortable mattress & pillow
Proper sleeping support is essential and is different for every person. Some people feel more comfortable and sleep better on a firm mattress, and others with a softer one. Choose what feels best for you. Invest in a good mattress and get rid of your old one. While you are choosing your new bed, get one bigger than you would have bought usually. It is so much more peaceful if you have plenty of room, especially if the person in the bed next to you is a bit restless.
On the other hand, you may have just bought a big new bed and still not find it as comfortable as you would have hoped. Unfortunately, this is often the case. Maybe, you can solve this problem by buying a ‘memory foam’ topper; they range from about 2 to 4 inches and are placed on top of your existing mattress. Comfortable, supportive pillows are also essential, particularly if you have neck and shoulder discomfort. A pillow that provides gentle neck support is ideal if you sleep on your back.
Sleep positions
If you sleep on your side, it is essential not to have the neck kinked left or right with a pillow that is too high or low. While sleeping on your side, your upper knee should not touch the mattress; this can put strain on the spine as it gets twisted. A cushioned support between the knees can help prevent this twisting. Sleeping on your stomach is not ideal as it twists your neck. The best position for sleeping is on your back, that is easier said than done.
Good quality sleep is a big deal, essential for our overall health, our healing processes in general, and our mental well-being enabling us to cope better with everyday life.
Bedroom
Your room should be at the right temperature, with enough covers, so you feel neither too hot nor too cold. Some people find a bath (with or without essential oils) before they retire to bed helps them sleep. While others find reading in bed helps.
Try relaxing essential oils in an oil burner. There are also sprays you can make with soothing essential oils that can be sprayed directly onto your pillow or spray into the room just before you retire to bed. Do not use any stimulants such as tea, coffee, sugar, chocolate, alcohol, or vapours before going to bed. If you consistently have difficulties sleeping well, you consider giving up stimulants altogether. Your room should be uncluttered. Walls should be painted or wallpapered in calming colour, nothing stimulating or vibrant. Air
Air
Make sure the bedroom is aired regularly by opening the window or, better still, sleep with the window open. Do not have radios or electrical clocks too near your head area due to the electrical emissions that interfere with your electrical circuits, known as electromagnetic stress. Keep in-depth conversations out of the bedroom just before you go to sleep. Too much stimulating discussion just before you sleep can hinder your sleep quality. Don’t watch something on TV that very stimulating – horror, action movies etc. Polluting your home
Sleep apnea –
is a sleep disorder characterized by interruptions in breathing during sleep. These interruptions, called apneas, can last from a few seconds to minutes and can occur 30 or more times per hour.
Snoring –
get checked out by your doctor, there maybe an underlining reason?
Alcohol –
drinking in the evening regularlytially make you tired, but later, you will get a burst of norepinephrine which is, at, ultimately disturbing sleep.
Caffeine –
is a stimulant which will interfere with our quality of sleep; it increases our stress hormones. Besides coffee, tea (black or green) contains caffeine, as do many soft drinks (sodas) and some painkillers (read the label).
Foods –
that raise our blood sugar levels in the evening will interfere with our quality of sleep and our growth hormone production.
Supplements –
for some people, eating ginger or chilli last thing at night can have a stimulating effect, just like caffeine. If you are in the habit of taking vitamins and minerals, don’t take a B complex last thing at night. Instead, take it in the morning, as B-complex can be stimulating for some people.
Herbs that help –
Chamomile tea, Passiflora and Valerian capsules follow the instructions on the label.
If you have trouble sleeping well and have been taking ginseng, I suggest you stop. It is a short-term energizing tonic, not to be taken long-term.
Melatonin –
Melatonin helps some people.
Exercise –
don’t exercise last thing at night, its stimulating, unless its something like yoga or stretching.
Sleeping Pills –
before considering sleeping tablets try as many things as possible first. If you are on sleeping tablets and you are thinking you would like to stop using them, I suggest you see a naturopath to help guide you through the necessary lifestyle changes that will allow you to reduce your medication gradually. Eventually, you will be able to do without them. BUT it takes time.
Aromatherapy –
check out the essential oils that can help improve your sleep quality, relax muscles or reduce stress.
Generally no one thing helps it’s usually a combination of things working together to improve you quality of sleep.
