We all know that sleep is one of the most important things that you need to survive. Sleep improves memory, reduces blood pressure, enhances creativity, supports us in eating better, and the list goes on.
Three factors have a big impact on sleep – time, temperature, and light. The cave where you sleep needs to be dark and cold and you need to go to bed at the same time each night.
It is recommended that you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. I was once the worst sleeper ever. If I had 4 hours sleep a night I was ecstatic. Because of this, I read lots and lots and lots of books and have tried lots of different techniques. These tips won't work for everyone, but here are the basics of what works for the majority;
Exercise every day – a 30-minute walk is the recommended minimum; at the end of the day is great for sleep as it helps us burn off the built-up stress from the day
Coffee: Try stick to just two cups per day and never after 3 pm.
Don’t use a smartphone or tablet within 1 hour of bedtime.
Have a hot shower one hour before bed - as the brain cools, it sends a signal to that it is night-time.
Have dinner at least four hours before bedtime and don’t eat too much.
Have a small piece of protein right on bedtime to help stop you waking at 3 am.
Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each day – this forms a sleep pattern.
Think about one thing and one thing only. Concentrate on that one thing – a happy place, an inanimate object, something that stops other thoughts coming into your head.
Easy to say but hard to do - relax in knowing that you will get to sleep eventually and that you won’t be as tired the following day as you think you might be.
Try to stick to the same pattern every night. Any changes to your pattern will influence your brain and you will have to restart the pattern.
Lastly, it takes a while for your body and brain to adapt to change so don't do something different every night - it is the smallest changes done consistently that make the biggest difference.
If you are someone who really struggles with sleep and need a few more tips to try, we have constructed a document that you may find helpful. Head to our website, scroll down and hit the sleep tips button and we'll send you back our sleep tips document, free of charge, no catches.
Happy dreams.