Celebrating World Sleep Day
(Blog written by Dr Mark Winwood, Principal Psychologist, Psychological Support Service)
Today is World Sleep Day which incorporates the slogan "Sleep is Essential for Health".
I often reflect on how important our relationship with sleep is in terms of how we manage the challenges of everyday life. No one thing ruins our day more than a bad night’s sleep the night before.
“People should think about sleep like they do other important healthy behaviours such as exercise – as something to reflect upon and, when appropriate, improve so that one can feel better and remain healthier over time.” Dr Lourdes DelRosso, MD, PhD, Co-Chair of World Sleep Day 2023
There are two key messages for World Sleep Day 2023 and they are:
- Message One: Healthy sleep is more than simple duration – quality, depth and continuity are vital for our sleep to be restorative.
- Message Two: Sleep is a pillar of human health - Just like eating well and exercising, sleep is a behaviour that is foundational to one’s physical, mental, and social well-being.
Even Shakespeare agrees “Sleep that soothes away all our worries. Sleep that puts each day to rest. Sleep that relieves the weary laborer and heals hurt minds. Sleep, the main course in life's feast, and the most nourishing.” (Macbeth)
I believe that engaging in a few simple behaviours can support us to get improved sleep. Here are my top 10 tips for improved slumber:
- Caffeine – we have to remember that the effects of our caffeine intake hang around for quite a while. If you have a coffee (tea, Coca-Cola, green tea etc…) at 2pm half of the dose of caffeine may still be present at 10pm. Try cutting down on caffeine especially after 12noon.
- Cut Alcohol – although alcohol might relax us it also interferes with our sleep architecture so it may mean we don’t get the amount of deep sleep that is essential for feeling refreshed
- Cool – we get better quality sleep if our core body temperature is a degree or so cooler at night. So try a warm bath or shower before bed and remember – exercise is great – but not just before sleep so do that jog earlier in the day
- Consistent – we manage children’s sleep by having a night-time routine. As adults a routine is also helpful. Try and go to bed and get up at the same time everyday.
- Calm – spend a few moments putting the day to rest before you go to bed, write a list or journal. Try and lower your heart rate.
- Curfew – have a time each day where you unhook from our technology if possible (if not due to on-call commitments try down loading ‘night-shift’ to eliminate the blue light which activates our adrenaline production)
- Comfort – check your environment is set-up for sleep, dark (or use eye masks), quiet (or use ear plugs), cool (open a window), check pillows, mattress, bedding etc….
- Candles – make your environment dimmer in the evening, use lamps and candles rather than bright lights as these help us to prepare for sleep
- Connection – keep the ‘bed/sleep connection’ by keeping your bed for sleep and sex. Refrain from working, eating etc…. and if you lie awake for longer than 20minutes – get up, do something mundane and then return to bed when you tired. That reinforces this important connection.
- Compassion – there is mounting research evidence that demonstrates a positive relationship between self-compassion and sleep quality. So instead of using bedtime as a moment of thinking, perhaps judging what did not go well today and what worries lie ahead, find ways to practice self-kindness instead!
Other links and useful resources are: