Sleep is as important to our health as fitness and nutrition, according to the Sleep Health Foundation. But you are not alone if you have difficulties with insomnia: research conducted by the Sleep Health Foundation in 2010 with 1,512 people (men and women, of different ages and from different places in Australia) found that 20% of respondents had frequent difficulties to fall asleep, and 35% reported waking up frequently during the night.
Sleep problems are quite common, but there are a few things you can do to help. Here are three:
1) Challenge the myths about sleep.
Your beliefs about sleep can help or interfere with a good night’s sleep. It is important to rethink some of those unhelpful beliefs, as this can cause a real change in the quality of your sleep. Here are some of the most common myths and the truth about them:
Myth 1: “I need 8 hours of sleep a night”
Eight hours is just an average. Some people can do well with less and others need more.
Myth 2: “Napping is not a good idea”
Naps can be quite beneficial as long as they are brief (typically less than 20-30 minutes) and don’t come too close to your normal sleep time.
Myth 3: “A good sleep is one in which I sleep soundly throughout the night”
In fact, we typically have sleep cycles of about 90 minutes in length, and we can go through up to 4 stages of sleep in each cycle, ranging from light sleep (even brief awakenings that we may not remember) to deep sleep.
Myth 4: “Successful people don’t need a lot of sleep.”
You may have heard that famous people like Leonardo Da Vinci or Winston Churchill didn’t need much sleep. Actually, it is not as simple as that. Some people naturally need less sleep. Also, some famous people took naps, while others slept for long periods of time when the pace of work was slower.
Myth 5: “Dark circles under my eyes are caused by lack of sleep”
Dark rings can often be caused by food allergies or other factors.
Myth 6: “Alcohol helps me sleep”
Alcohol can help initiate sleep if taken early enough in the evening, but later, as the body processes it, it can actually decrease a person’s likelihood of entering the deeper, more restorative stages of sleep. .
2) Improve your “sleep hygiene”.
Adopting healthy habits associated with your sleep can make a difference in the quality and duration of your sleep. Most of these habits are common sense, but it may be helpful to review them by referring to the following list:
• Avoid stimulants like nicotine and caffeine near bedtime.
• Check that sleeping conditions are the best possible. For example, make sure it’s not too hot or too cold, that your mattress and pillow are comfortable, that noise is minimized, and light is minimized.
• Try to expose yourself (safe from the sun) to sunlight during waking hours. This helps regulate the levels of melatonin in your body, an important hormone associated with the sleep cycle.
• Avoid heavy or rich foods before bed as they can cause heartburn that disrupts sleep.
• Try not to use electronic devices with screens in bed. Using a device is likely to increase your emotional and / or cognitive levels and increase arousal due to increased light. Also, you may be weakening the mind’s association that “bed = sleep.”
• Try to avoid naps if they are less than 6 to 8 hours before your normal sleep time.
• Try to have a regular nighttime routine.
• Try not to keep looking at your watch if you have trouble sleeping.
• If you are not asleep within what feels like 20 minutes in bed, move to another room with minimal stimulation until you feel like going back to sleep.
3) Visit a healthcare professional
Sleep disorders can be associated with a variety of psychological, physiological, or medical problems. There has also been increased awareness that sleep disturbances can be a problem in and of themselves; in fact, the DSM-V identifies 10 groups of sleep-wake disorders, including insomnia, breathing-related sleep disorders, and sleep-wake circadian rhythm disorders. . If you are concerned about your sleep, it would be a good idea to speak with your GP or psychologist, as they can help you accurately assess your difficulties and provide evidence-based treatment options.