Are you getting enough restful sleep? The key to that sentence is the word restful - we’re all sleeping in some capacity but as so many of us comment on being perennially tired are we getting enough good quality, restful sleep?
Experienced runners frequently discuss the concept of “junk miles" in their training regimen, referring to the miles that don't contribute significantly to progress or improvement. Similarly, I find myself drawing parallels to my own sleep patterns. There are weeks when my sleep feels like a stuck, repetitive cycle, akin to Groundhog Day. Despite getting plenty of sleep on paper, I wake up feeling just as fatigued as when I went to bed. It's as if I'm accumulating "junk sleep miles" and totally missing out on the replenishing rest that I truly need.
Why is sleep so important?
Sleep is essential for ensuring our physical and mental well-being. When our sleep patterns become disrupted, whether due to insomnia, sleep apnea, or other sleep disorders, the repercussions can be profound. Mental fatigue and brain fog are common symptoms, hindering cognitive function and increasing susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Additionally, disrupted sleep often manifests as moodiness and irritability, whilst also compromising our immune system. Of course, I’ve discussed chronic sleep disorders above but we know how we can feel after just one nights bad sleep. There is a reason why sleep deprivation is seen as such an effective form of torture - I am sure there are many new parents out there who have considered whether their baby or toddler is committing a war crime when they are struggling with sleep refusal.
Moreover, the consequences extend beyond these immediate effects. Conditions like sleep apnea can lead to even more severe outcomes, including cardiovascular issues and a heightened risk of accidents due to slowed reaction times. In essence, disordered sleep jeopardises not only our day-to-day functioning but also our long-term health and safety. Developing and prioritising healthy sleep habits and seeking treatment for sleep disorders are crucial steps in safeguarding our overall wellbeing.
What is actually happening to our body whilst we sleep?
The body performs some of its most important functions whilst we get some shut-eye. It moves through different sleep cycles during the night, alternating between two main types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. These cycles typically last around 90 to 120 minutes and repeat throughout the night in a pattern known as the ‘sleep architecture’. It’s during these cycles that the body is conducting cellular repair, producing vital hormones and the brain processes information from the day as well as activating its glymphatic system to maintain good brain health.
We know the difference in ourselves between how we feel after a good nights sleep and a bad one. So what can I do today to improve things?
Good sleep hygiene - Clean sheets, a tidy room and removing distractions. That may be a requirement of total darkness using blackout curtains, or even closing the door so you are not bedsharing with a disruptive pet (sorry!) It might even be (and this is controversial!) choosing to not sleep with your partner!.Sex is a separate matter to sleep, but if snoring or vastly different working schedules are an issue then separate bedrooms can help remove a nightly battle and possibly even pay dividends for a closer, happier relationship. No shame in separate bedrooms if that’s what you need to sleep properly. Suffering whilst listening to a snorer is not going to induce love and good feeling - neither is being repeatedly shushed or nudged by your partner if you are the snorer.
A consistent bedtime routine- if you were a child then how would you choose to look after yourself? Most parents have a strict bedtime routine designed to help their child settle and be ready for a good night sleep - so why do we abandon this practice as adults? By establishing a nightly routine, we signal to our bodies that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep, just as we do for our children. It's a simple yet powerful way to promote restful sleep. A soak in a hot bath with your favourite oils and a scoop of Epsom salts or a sleep oil blend or lavender oil in an aromatherapy diffuser are both luxurious sensory markers that would help establish an indulgent bedtime routine!
Supplements - a daily dose of magnesium before bed has made a noticeable difference to my own unsettled sleep and on really bad nights I’ve also tried cbd sleep drops. Maybe it was a placebo effect, but feeling like I had a further option to help induce sleep with the cbd oil did help me drop off so that I didn’t end up spending the night getting increasingly frustrated whilst watching the hours tick by. On the flipside, avoiding caffeine after 2pm can also make a difference.
Reduce screen time - for me this is probably the biggest contributing factor for poor sleep. Stop the scrolling, put the phone down and commit to no screens after a certain time - at the very least an hour before bed. Journalling or reading a physical book are great screen free activities, as is a gentle yoga practice. Don’t subject yourself to glowing blue light at night which is just going to keep stimulating the brain- and help yourself in waking and feeling refreshed in the morning by getting some daylight into your eyeballs as fast as possible to shrug off the night’s sleep. Try both for a few weeks and see what a difference it can make - surely 5 mins outside with a cup of herbal tea is a nice way to start any day?
Proper support- good pillows, a decent mattress and comfy sheets are a must. And yet - as a side and occasional front sleeper I often feel I am still waking up through the night as I turn from side to side, constantly moving and repositioning. What’s made a difference for me is to make sure I have some support along the torso so that I’m not crushing my arm, hunching my shoulders or twisting my trunk. I have my eye on a long maternity pillow which will support both sides but I currently share a bed with a large whale which acts as a perfect bolster, offering some much-needed shoulder support - and prevents me from spending the whole night in an extended half-frog position!
Consistent bed AND wake times - we’ve spoken about a consistent bedtime routine above but we didn’t mention specific timings. We’re all programmed slightly differently and Night Owls aren’t going to benefit from following the same routine as a Morning Lark - it’s important for you to find the timings that work for yourself, and then commit to going to bed and waking up at those same times. It may be tempting to sleep in over the weekend - and I always say everything in moderation -but if you enjoy quite a few extra hours over the weekend Monday may feel that bit rougher because you have essentially jet-lagged yourself. Consistency and structure are two things that our bodies and minds respond well to.
A final point would be to give the body time to digest meals before bedtime. Drawing upon Seasonal Yoga and the Chinese Body Clock our stomach is performing optimally during 7am - 9am - signally the best time to have breakfast. On the other side the stomach qi is at its weakest during 7-9pm so you want to have had your evening meal before then. As a serial snacker - its a good thing to consider to try and reduce the evening grazing!