IT’S alarming how lack of sleep affects us, from zero motivation to sore eyes and aching joints.
A month’s worth of bad kip can see us suffering from an average of nine nights.
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Now The Sleep Charity has launched a national helpline for insomniacs, which is open Sunday to Thursday from 7pm until 9pm.
The charity’s deputy CEO Lisa Artis shares some tips.
Think about staying awake: If anxious about sleep, you tend to focus on stresses in your life and may clock-watch or calculate how little sleep you might get.
This can increase anxiety and prevent sleep.
Instead, focus on the fact that you are not sleeping will stop you from focusing on your anxieties. It also helps your brain relax so you don’t drift off.
Marmite and banana sarnie: The Romans thought lettuce good for sleep as it contains lactucarium, a milky fluid that helps shut-eye.
But the best “sleep sandwich” has to be Marmite, banana and lettuce.
Bananas are a good source of magnesium and potassium. This helps to relax muscles.
They are also high in tryptophan which stimulates the production of brain-calming hormones.
Marmite is a natural substance that induces sleep.
Make sure to consume it at least 2 hours before you go to bed.
4-7-8 breathing: A great relaxation trick. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven then breathe out with a “whoosh” for eight.
This should be repeated four times.
Warm your feet. If your feet are cold, your body will try to keep them at the ideal temperature. This can cause problems with sleep.
Hot water bottles or your bedsocks can be helpful.
Listen to a bedtime story: Choose a sleepy audiobook with soothing sounds and voices.
Penguin Sleep Tales, or Stephen Fry’s stories on the Calm app, are perfect.
Write it down: Often at bed-time we worry about the next day’s tasks.
It can be therapeutic to write a list of things to do.
Hide bedroom clocks: Many rely on an alarm clock.
Although it’s not necessary to completely remove the alarm clock, it can be helpful to have it hidden or turned off. It will help reduce sleep anxiety.
Ban the snooze button: You will not get deep sleep in that extra time.
You will feel less rested, and it may make you feel worse.
Set the scene: Soft or dimmed lighting will raise your level of melatonin — the hormone we need to feel sleepy.
The soothing aroma of a calm scent and candles can create a welcoming atmosphere.
Relaxation is promoted by lavender.
Avoid the kitchen after 8pm: It is important not to go to bed hungry — hence that Marmite and banana sarnie — but avoid a big meal two or three hours before bed, as it can cause indigestion.
Avoid heavy, spicy or rich foods, as they can cause stomach upsets.
These can cause stomach problems.
- To find out more, call 03303 530 541. Or you can visit thesleepcharity.org.uk.