Sleep is one of our most basic needs and I encounter so many people who struggle with it!
Up to 71% of Australians struggle to get a good night’s sleep, according to a December 2024 survey by financial comparison site Finder. This includes not being able to go to sleep easily, waking through the night and struggling to return to sleep. Sleep problems affect all ages.
Disturbed sleep can contribute to a multitude of health problems – compromised immunity, weight gain, diabetes, cardiac disease, higher levels of mental ill-health such as depression and anxiety. It can also be linked to car accidents due to driver fatigue, as well as the prevalence of addiction to stimulants (coffee, anyone?) Lack of sleep also challenges relationships. Just ask anyone who’s tried to sleep in the same room as a heavy snorer!
The Number One reason I am given by clients for sleep disturbances is “I can’t switch off.” When they lay down for sleep, they find themselves ruminating on past things can’t be changed or worrying about the future. This thinking about things we have no control over drains our energy, at the same time as making us miss out on the thing we need the most. It’s like our own mind is the enemy!
I’ve observed that we often don’t prioritise sleep. We might go to bed later than we planned, after spending hours scrolling on our phone, calling this our wind-down time. Then in the morning, we wake abruptly to an alarm that we set to get the maximum hours of sleep. We begin the day both rushed and tired, not giving ourselves time to wake properly and begin our day with self-care.
How can you be the best version of yourself if you’ve not had adequate rest to reset your body and mind? I know when I’m tired, I can be grumpy, short-fused and am more likely to make crappy food choices.
What are some ways you could enjoy better sleep? A big factor is developing and maintaining healthy habits, starting first thing in the morning:
- Aim to wake around the same time and open the curtains. Exposing yourself to natural light at a consistent time supports a healthy circadian rhythm. We’re designed to wake in the morning and go to sleep after dark.
- To extend on this, go outside for a walk, yoga or other exercise for 30 minutes.
- Limit caffeine during the day, if you know it affects you. Limit alcohol also, as it impedes quality sleep.
- Create space for a short rest during the day. A 10 minute power nap or a meditation of up to 20 minutes can really support a restful night. The Insight Timer app has fantastic guided meditations.
- Establish and maintain a bedtime routine. We do it for little ones but forget us! As adults, our bodies and minds still enjoy the predictability of routine. It makes us feel safe, so it’s easier for us to fully relax. A routine could look a bit like this:
- Go to bed around the same time each night.
- Limit screen time an hour or two before bed. At the very least don’t get into bed with your phone in hand.
- Set up your environment: Dim the lights, have a relaxing herbal tea and have a warm shower.
- Talk through your day with someone or write about it, if you like to journal.
- Read a book before you turn out the light.
- If you’re prone to solving the problems of the world at bedtime or in the wee hours, here are some ideas to get you drifting off:
- Schedule a time to think about your worries, leaving the evenings free for relaxation. Not a lot of problems require solving at 3am, unless you’re a shift worker! Choose a time earlier in the day and write down all the things you’re worried about. Keep this list handy so you can revisit it, each day if needed. Add new worries that come up, and when you notice things that no longer occupy your mind, cross them off.
- If you wake through the night, have a go-to phrase ready to talk yourself down – to remind you this is not problem-solving time. For example: “That’s out of my control; I choose sleep now.”
- Bring your focus to your physical body. Notice one body part at a time, starting from the toes and working your way up your body, relaxing each part one after the other. A meditation track can also help with this.
I am very passionate about helping people to sleep more soundly, because I know first hand the impact it has on our overall health. It can lead to significant health problems if it’s poor, but it can be life changing when it improves.
The key takeaway is that there’s a lot you can do right now, to sleep better and feel better. So why wait?
If you’d like better quality sleep and to live an empowered life with more freedom and enjoyment, you’re most welcome to book a kinesiology balance with me.
Photo by Stellar_speck on Unsplash