5 ways to get a better night's sleep

Not getting enough sleep does a disservice to our brain and

physical health. But how can we improve our chances of getting
a good night’s rest?

Chin Moi Chow

Published 10:40 AM, February 09, 2016

Updated 10:40 AM, February 09, 2016

SLEEP DEPRIVED? You have more to worry about than eyebags if you lack sleep. Photo from
MondoFeed.com
We devote around 7 to 8 hours to sleep each night in adulthood and 10 to 12
hours in childhood. This amounts to around 200,000 hours in our first 60 years of
life.

Not getting enough sleep does a disservice to our brain and physical health. But
how can we improve our chances of getting a good night’s rest?

1. Silence the mind

Trying to fall asleep can be tricky, especially when thought-chatteris involved.

Instead of dozing off, we reflect on the activities of the day and events of the
past. Negative thoughts tend tosurpass positive ones and can set in motion a
train of worry and anxiety.

Strategies to shut down thought-chatter include meditation, praying, listening to

music, or simply feeling at peace and contented. Accepting the notion that
everything else can wait until the morning will help. For most things, you can
“sleep on it."

2. Reduce bad daytime and pre-sleep habits

Stimulants such as caffeinated beverages can delay and disrupt sleep. The day-
long use of caffeine (2 to 3 cups) causes a gradual build-up of caffeine in the
body. But effects on sleep depends on whether or not the person is a regular
coffee drinker.

To avoid it interrupting your sleep, refrain from drinking coffee for at least 6
hours before bedtime.

Other foods can help us ease into sleep. Consuming foods high
intryptophan such as cherries, cherry juice, pumpkin seeds, milk and yoghurt
(consumed at any time daily) or foods that have ahigh glycemic index such as
short-grain rice (3 to 4 hours before bedtime) can help.

At elevated levels, tryptophan makes its way into the brain and is converted to
melatonin. Known as the “hormone of darkness,” melatonin is released at night
time and induces sleep.

Light powerfully suppresses therelease of melatonin and, therefore, sleep. So

avoid using electronic devices that emit light in the period just before
bedtime.Recent studies suggest evenartificial room light can suppress melatonin
levels.

Exercise plays an important role in decreasing the time it takes to fall asleep and
improves sleep quality. The mechanisms by which exercise improves sleep
remain speculative. Some suggest it increases slow wave sleep (referred to as
deep sleep) and psychological functioning.

The appearance of slow wave sleep is associated with growth hormone release.
Growth hormone builds up metabolic molecules and improves muscle mass and
muscle strength.

Getting better sleep after you start exercising may also be explained by improved
psychological functioning. Exercise promotes well-being and self-esteem, and
decreases anxiety and symptoms of depression.

It doesn’t matter what time of day you exercise, as long as the activity is not at
the expense of your sleep duration.

3. Stay asleep

Some people have no problem falling asleep but others struggle to sleep through
the night.

Being too hot or too cold, noise and light can interrupt your sleep. Make sure
your bedroom is quiet, dark and cool (around 20-22°C is optimal).

A full bladder will signal a trip to the bathroom and break your sleep. One way of
getting around this is to stop drinking fluids two hours before bedtime. It takes
around 60 to 90 minutes for liquids to move through the body and turn into urine.

Since alcohol is a diuretic and disrupts sleep patterns, avoid it close to or at

bedtime.

4. Maintain a routine

A structured bedtime and rise time will help establish your sleep-wake pattern.
Sleepiness will automatically descend at bedtime. You’ll also wake more easily
and may not even need an alarm clock.
5. Break bad sleep beliefs

Being anxious about not getting sufficient sleep may amplify sleep problems. So
can worrying about your sleep’s impact on daytime functions such as thinking,
memory, emotions and performance.

It can be difficult to change these patterns of thinking. If you’re struggling, you

can seek help from a clinical psychologist. They can assist you to make the
emotional and behavioral changes needed to promote healthy sleep.

Rest assured that any sleep debt you incur by getting a poor night’s sleep can be
repaid through a catch-up sleep.

Sleeping well is about life-long bedtime and rise-time habits. Preparing a

conducive sleeping environment, curbing thought-chatter at bedtime and
following a structured sleep-wake routine will be a win for all sleepers. –
Rappler.com