Treating yourself to a good night’s sleep

Are you part of the two-thirds of British adults who say they are sleep deprived? Although many people believe it’s the be all and end all if you don’t get your 8 hours beauty sleep, this isn’t always the case. It doesn’t solely depend on the time you’re asleep for, as the saying goes; its quality not quantity.

We can all feel the benefits of a good night’s sleep, improvements in attention and concentration which is helpful while at work, but it’s even more important if you have a big decision looming over you or you’re driving. However, there are many benefits of a good night’s sleep that you may not initially feel.

Lack of sleep can make it difficult to control your appetite and in turn may cause you to gain weight. Your body will be in need of energy from other sources therefore it is likely that you’ll make unhealthy choices in attempt to increase your attention and cancel out the effects of a sleepless night. Additionally, your body restores itself during sleep, it’s great for your immune system, your heart and your mind. So… what are the tips for getting a good sleep?

Reach a deep sleep
Begin to think of sleep as 90-minute cycles rather than hours. Deep sleep is especially beneficial to not only your physical, but your mental health too, even though it only makes up 20% of total sleep. A good first step to ensure you sleep well is controlling factors which disturb sleep; stress, alcohol, uncomfortable mattress, an overly warm room and finally your partner’s snoring!

Keep the same wake time
While it may sometimes be difficult after a busy weekend catching up with friends and staying up later than usual, it’s important to try and keep your wake time the same. This way your body clock will naturally begin to work with your new routine and you may even be able to chuck away the annoying alarm clock!

Avoid the snooze button
Although most of the time it feels like your best friend, the snooze button can soon become your worst enemy. By hitting the snooze button you run the risk of falling straight back into a deep sleep, meaning you’ll feel more tired when you can no longer ignore the alarm and have to get up. There’s nothing wrong with relaxing in bed for a while once your alarm has gone off, but it’s important to resist the urge to fall asleep again.

If these tips are tried and tested and you’re still struggling with your sleep, there may be underlying issues which can only be diagnosed by a specialist. At Spire Harpenden Hospital we have expert consultants who are on hand to help you in times of need.

To book in today, call us on 01582 714 420.