I heard a bloke on th3 radio talking about "sleep hygiene" which sounded like an instruction to wash your hands before bedtime. But it actually means developing good habits, arranging your bedroom, for an optimal night's sleep. I got a book from the library but it involved buying the author's products. Huh! I returned the book promptly. Then I saw a hand lettered graphic online [cannot find it again, sorry] it SAID
HEAL THY SLEEP HABITS
At first I thought it was an Old Testament command, then realised the spacing was bad!
HEALTHY SLEEP HABITS
makes much more sense.
I read various articles, and I've made just three significant changes
- No screens after 10pm. I don't watch the 10pm news, I don't check Facebook or emails or WhatsApp [or blogs and blog-comments]
- Last drink of the day is water, or milk not tea
- I wear a blackout sleep mask
And after just two weeks, I really am sleeping better. The My Halos mask cost £10, but it's so comfortable. It comes with a neat storage case. The padded foam inside lifts it away from my eyes, so no pressure on eyelids or tickling lashes. And the memory foam fits round my nose, so it is total blackout.
I'm making fewer 3am trips to the loo too. And if I do wake up, I fall back to sleep faster.
Poor sleep affects weight-regulation hormones [hence many new mums struggle to lose "baby weight"] i am hoping better sleep will help with that.
What are your most successful sleep tips?
🛌💤💤💤
I stopped getting uptight about being awake in the middle of the night when I learned that historically people used to get up around soon after midnight and go for a walk, have a snack, whatever. So now just put on a suitable audio book or radio program, set the timer for 10 mins and listen through soft headband earphones. I'm usually asleep before the timer reaches the end.
ReplyDeleteHave you read Robert Harris "The Second Sleep"?
DeleteI have to have the room pitch black to sleep so we just have ordinary clocks that are not lit up and a black out blind at upstairs windows. I have to have my mobile in the room in case my mum needs to ring someone in the night but I put it under my bed face down, I don't look at it or it would keep me awake. I heard from some podcast that when children miss that point of being tired then hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released to keep the body awake ...hence the term second wind. I presume it applies to adults too. I believe going to bed at same time is good too and 9 or 10pm is a good time and keeping all your lights down low both in brilliance and physically low down as the evening progresses even the tv screen...so havi g tv wall mounted is not good either. Some fascinating research going on at the moment. Sleep well.
ReplyDeleteReally helpful info here, thank you,!
DeleteI'm definitely not sleeping well at the moment and haven't been for almost a year now! I just wake up anxious and don't get back to sleep. I do need to regulate what time I'm going and avoid screens though too!
ReplyDeleteSo glad your sleep is improving!
The screen thing has really made a difference. And the mask helps with night time waking
DeleteThanks for the sleep tips as I am having a spell of not great sleep just now. I might try one of the masks as we live on a busy road with lights shining even through the heavy blackout curtains. I like a warm bath before bed and then a bit of reading. Norrie is currently painting the bedroom a very pale green and hopefully the calming shade will help as I settle at the end of the day. Sweet dreams. Catriona
ReplyDeleteDo try a mask. Paying a bit extra for this Halos one was worth it!
Delete