What sort of sleep did you have last night?
Did you sleep like a log or was it interrupted?
Do you take sleep for granted?
For many of us good quality sleep can be elusive.
We know about it when we've had a terrible sleep for a few nights in a row.
It's no coincidence that sleep deprivation is used as torture.
WHY IS SLEEP IMPORTANT?
Sleep gives our body rest and repair time and our mind time to wind down and process events and information.
It's been shown that our immune system needs sleep to function well, weight control has a sleep component, mood can be affected by sleep, cognitive function and memory are influenced by sleep ... and the list goes on.
How much sleep we need is controversial, but studies tend to show somewhere between 7-9 hours for adults seems to be helpful.
Quantity is one thing but more importantly, quality is what really counts.
Good quality sleep is made up of rem and non-rem sleep.
Rem sleep (rapid eye movement is when you typically dream) and non-rem or light sleep, cycling throughout the night, is what you're after.
Given the right conditions our bodies will just do it for us, which is awesome.
My new day starts when I go to bed because that's the foundation for the following day.
This really hit home after I had a couple of weeks' rotten sleep.
I needed more sleep: it was time to take action and tidy up my sleep routine.
• Jan Aitken is a Dunedin-based life coach.
For more go to www.fitforlifecoaches.co.nz.
TOP TIPS FOR SETTING UP A GOOD SLEEP ROUTINE
1. Establish a regular sleep routine and stick to it. Going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time conditions your brain and body for the set bedtime.
2. When you wake, open the curtains and let natural light in. This will help establish your body's internal clock.
3. We're photosensitive creatures, it's imperative that we sleep in a darkened room. Thick curtains (preferably blackout) or an eye mask are helpful. If you need to go to the loo in the middle of the night, leave the light off (maybe plug in a night light so you don't break your leg or stand on the cat!).
4. In the four hours leading up to bedtime, avoid stimulating substances such as caffeine, nicotine, spicy food, sugar and alcohol. Alcohol can also exacerbate snoring and sleep apnoea (that can lead to your partner's sleep being disturbed!).
5. For an hour before bedtime, avoid activities that are stimulating, especially electromagnetic devices such as computer, laptops, smartphones, tablets and TV. Try reading a book, but perhaps go easy on the horror fiction!
6. Try to eat your evening meal at least a couple of hours before bedtime. If you want a snack, there's a reason Mum used to give us warm milk before bed. It contains tryptophan, which makes you feel sleepy.
7. The more stressed and anxious we are, the more cortisol (stress hormone) we have in our system and the less likely we can relax. Take regular mind-breaks throughout the day. A mind-break involves quietening your mind.
One way of doing this is to breathe deeply and slowly into the belly, focusing on breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. This can be done anywhere. If you can, getting outside and taking a short walk is ideal, again while focusing on your breath.
8. Exercise helps you sleep sounder and longer. Exercise before 8pm (or at least three hours before bedtime) as exercise stimulates your muscles, brain and heart, the opposite of what you want.
9. Sleep in a cool room, as a drop in temperature sends the body to sleep. A warm bath or shower before bed can help, which seems contradictory, except it's the drop in temperature once you get out, that induces sleep.
10. If you toss and turn for more than 30mins, get up and do something boring. Sit quietly or read something calming (not a gripping novel). Keep the lights low and as soon as you feel sleepy head back to bed.
11. Sort out stressors in your life, get help if you need to.
Regular good quality sleep isn't a luxury, it's a necessity! Do you need to sharpen up your sleep routine?
