Sleep - Why We Don’t Get Enough And How To Get More

I realise the irony of editing this late at night just before National Sleep Day.

How many of us stay up later than we want to in order to get 'that thing' done? How many of us wake up in the middle of the night thinking about something that we feel stressed about? Let's have a think about the importance of sleep before giving you some Office Om techniques to help.

Whilst sleep is a vital physical function, as a culture we are rather blasé about it.  We wear our tiredness like a badge of honour, almost as if by declaring how little sleep we’ve had shows how strong we are or how hard we are working.

The fact of the matter is that if we aren’t getting enough sleep this impacts our health. Our bodies need sleep to perform all daily functions.  Rest and recovery is an essential to allow our bodies to heal and grow. 

When we don’t get enough sleep or if our quality of sleep is poor, our health begins to suffer.  Waking up in the middle night and having difficulty getting back to sleep can be a sign of stress or that something is worrying us.  Having difficulty falling asleep can be frustrating and stressful. The health impact of not getting enough sleep can include, obesity, increased risk of diabetes, depression, not being able to concentrate and ultimately it can shorten life expectancy. This is making me want to get to bed.

One in three of us suffers from poor sleep and the causes include stress, our addiction to our electronic and mobile devices, work load, and even what you eat and drink. If you wake up feeling as tired as you were when you went to bed, find yourself craving an afternoon nap, or feel like you are constantly tired and irritable, the chances are you aren’t getting enough sleep.

Feeling tired yet?

We don’t have to spend our entire lives feeling exhausted.  As a society being tired is something we complain about a lot but shouldn't be an accepted state of being or the norm.

There are lots of simple steps we can take and small changes we can make to our daily routines  that can have huge benefits of the quantity and quality of our sleep. 

Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene doesn’t mean clean sheets or brushing your teeth before you go to bed.  Sleep hygiene refers to the habits and practices that promote sleeping well on a regular basis.  Establishing good routines means better sleep and more of it. 

Here are some small changes you can make if you find yourself constantly in a sleep deficit. 

Environment
A relaxing and peaceful space can make a surprising difference helping us get to sleep. Try to make sure your bedroom is free of clutter and reduce all light sources, both natural and artificial.  

Screen time
Get into the habit of not taking your mobile device to bed.  Many of us are guilty of our mobile phones being the last thing we look at in the evening and the first thing we look at it in the morning . The average person needs at least 8 hours sleep, maybe an hour more or less and the brain needs time to unwind at the end of the day.  Reduce screen time in the evening to let your brain know bedtime is approaching. 

Body Clock
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time everyday.  The body and brain can be taught routine and our internal body clock is sensitive to change. Long daytime naps can disrupt our sleep patterns and make it much harder for us to fall asleep at night.

Artificial Energy Boosts
Try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume throughout the day.  Even small amounts of caffeine can have a big effect on our ability to fall and remain asleep.  Don’t rely on artificial energy boosts to get you through periods of fatigue. This short term hit can have long term consequences on your quality of sleep.

Diet & Exercise
Regular exercise promotes and aids sleep.  Sometimes we may be mentally exhausted but still physically wired.  Many people suffer from a condition called “Restless Legs” which is often worse at night when lying down, making it difficult to fall asleep.  Regular exercise improves circulation and can lessen this often irritating condition. Eating well and drinking are also essential self care practices that we should be doing everyday.  By fuelling and hydrating our bodies properly our vital organs are able to perform their vital functions.

Relaxation Routines and techniques

Relaxation routines before bedtime have been shown to help people who are experiencing  sleeping problems and disrupted sleep patterns. There are lots of techniques you can try including massage, relaxing music, herbal teas, reading and taking a bath.  Essentially, anything that helps you feel relaxed.

If you do wake up in the middle of the night, often our bodies and minds have gone into a stress response. For me, this is a red flag that I need to sort something out in the day and sometimes when we are over-stressed, some sort of action is needed to do something about it. Just not in the middle of the night. We can see if you can mentally put it in a file or box for the daytime.

You can try the following techniques to help you feel relaxed and get back to sleep. They can also be used to get you to sleep in the first place:

• Deep breathing - slowing down our breathing and breathing into our bellies help our minds and bodies move from a stress response to a relaxation response. Start by noticing your breathing then seeing if you can deepen your breath. Take nice slow deep breaths in and out from your belly. You might like to add a count to help focus the mind and to help you relax. Choose numbers that feel right for you and your breath.
• Visualisation - visualisation can be a powerful technique to help you relax, unwind and fall asleep.  Instead of focussing on the stresses of the day or your anxieties, visualisation helps you focus on calming, positive images.
• Mindfulness - with mindfulness, we are bringing our minds to the present moment. You can focus on how your body feels, your breathing, or having an open awareness to whatever you can sense. Whilst this is not about deliberately trying to relax, by keeping our minds in the present moment, it can give our minds a break from stressful thoughts and many people use mindfulness strategies to help them get to sleep. You could try our three part breathing space to give yourself an idea of how to practice.
• Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR) - a method of deep muscle relaxation that is based on the belief that muscle tension is the body’s physical reaction to anxiety and stress.  PMR is a two step muscle relaxation process that involves first tightening muscle groups and then relaxing them. As you work your way up the body you physically release the tension and begin to relax.   You can try this in bed if you have difficulty sleeping. Maybe start at your toes and work your way up your body tightening and tensing different groups of muscles in turn.
• Gratitude Meditations - the practice of gratitude meditations teach us to focus on the positive leaving us better equipped to cope with negative experiences.  By concentrating on and being mindful of the things we are grateful for in our lives, we generate positive feelings which aid relaxation.  You could try focusing on one or more things you are grateful for from the day before you go to sleep. This doesn't have to be anything big - it can be that you enjoyed a cup of tea or the sun shined for five minutes.
• Journalling - much like the visualisation technique, journalling enables you to clarify your thoughts and feelings and let go of anxiety.  Journalling brings you into a state of mindfulness where your frustrations or anxieties lose their power by bringing you into the present moment.  Some people journal before going to bed or if they wake up concerned about something in the night.

Patience and consistency are crucial in forming new habits and it is important not to get hung up on perfection.  If you don't manage to do get your routines done everyday don't give up. Taking care of yourself and making small changes over time will have a positive effect on your ability to fall and stay asleep.  

Improved sleep means reduced stress levels, you are more alert during the day, improved memory, reduces the risk of depression and crucially, makes you more able to deal with the overall stresses and strains of daily life.  Sleep also boosts our immune systems making it easier to fight off common ailments such as coughs and colds. Not getting enough sleep leaves us vulnerable to all sorts of health problems. Good quality sleep and enough of it has mental and physical health impacts that we each need to prioritise as essential in our lives.  

Like most things, we all need different amounts of sleep and different techniques work for different people. It's important to build our self awareness of what works and what helps us feel good. 

What helps you get a good night's sleep? We'd love to know your tips - comments below welcomed!

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