'I'm so tired...' is an all too familiar lament nowadays. But although good-quality sleep is as vital to our health and well-being as food or water, for some reason we seem to place it much lower down our list of priorities.
What to do if you're not sleeping well
Our chances of a good night's sleep can be affected by different things – environment, circumstances and bad habits. How does your current lifestyle measure up?
Environment: is your bedroom:
Cool and airy - temperature should be 60-70 degrees max. Keep the window open, or at least air the room daily
Dark – the smallest amount of light can disturb your body's production of melatonin, an important aid for sleep. Invest in good, heavy curtains or blinds
Soothing – brightly coloured walls or bedlinen, or a heavily cluttered room can overstimulate or disturb relaxation on a subconscious level
Restful – computers and TVs do not belong in bedrooms. Bedrooms are for sleep and sex, not work
Crimes against sleep – what are you guilty of?
Alcohol: it may make you drowsy initially, but you're likely to wake before you've had your full sleep quota. It also stops you falling into the healing deeper sleep stages
Caffeine: coffee, tea, cola and chocolate consumed after mid-afternoon can affect the quality of your sleep that night
Stress: long term, take time out to identify what is causing your stress, and how to manage it. Short term, try relaxation CDs or music specially created to assist sleep; some are surprisingly helpful. Also, keep a notebook by the bed, write down any thoughts that are keeping you awake and then let them go until the next day
Over-stimulation: action-packed TV straight before bed, or a gripping book that you can't put down until 3am do not aid sleep
Bedtime snacks: sugary snacks will raise your own blood sugar level and wake your body up. Have a banana or glass of milk instead
Petulance: are you subconsciously still rebelling after many years of being told what time to go to bed? It might sound crazy - but make sure you're not habitually staying up late just because you can.
Things that can really make a difference:
A good mattress – if yours is not completely comfortable, or if it's more than 10 years old, buy a new one from a shop that can give expert advice. Even if money is tight, make this a priority purchase
Exercise – the single best thing you can do. But you must stick with it, as it may take four sessions a week for 16 weeks before you see results, but it should pay off with nearly an extra hour's sleep each night. Don't exercise vigorously too close to your bedtime. The exception to this is, of course, sex – but that's different, as a great orgasm can also assist sound sleep (this applies whether you have company or not…)
A bedtime routine - at first, use an alarm clock to remind you to begin your preparing-for-bed routine in good time. Choose things that will help you to unwind, like a bath, soothing music, light reading, gentle stretching, etc. And even if you have a late night, keep your rising time regular, otherwise your body clock will reset itself.
Sleeping well and still tired all the time?
This could be caused by low iron, possible side effects of medication, depression, insufficient activity, etc – arrange to see your GP for a diagnosis. Meanwhile, fight daytime fatigue with regular movement - have a short walk around every half hour to reinvigorate your body and give your brain an oxygen boost.
Can you have too much sleep?
Waking up feeling groggy after a long sleep often indicates you've slept for longer than necessary. Penelope Cruz claims she needs 12 hours a day to feel well rested, whereas Margaret Thatcher swore she only needed four hours a night at the height of a very demanding career! Although an absolute minimum of seven hours a night is recommended, sleep requirements are very individual – but you should always wake feeling rested and refreshed.
