Sleep - Good quality sleep is important...
Good quality sleep is like hitting the reset button for your mind and body - it's absolutely crucial! Quality sleep goes beyond recharging your energy levels, but plays an important role in your concentration, productivity, mood and overall health. Click here for sleep guidance and advice.
Why is sleep so important?
It's important to appreciate why we sleep: to rest and repair our mind and body. It's vital for good physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Longer stretches of bad sleep can do the opposite and have a negative impact on our physical and mental health or wellbeing.
How many hours of sleep do you need?
A healthy adult usually needs around 7 to 9 hours of sleep. However, age, health and personal circumstances affect how much sleep we need, plus some people naturally sleep more than others.
Teenagers, children and babies need more sleep because they are still growing, but that varies, too, with a newborn sleeping anywhere between 8 to 16 hours.
What are the signs or symptoms of sleep problems?
You may:
- find it difficult to fall asleep
- lie awake for long periods at night
- wake up several times during the night
- wake up early and be unable to get back to sleep
- feel down or have a lower mood
- have difficulty concentrating
- be more irritable than usual
Longer-term sleep problems can affect our relationships and social life, and leave us feeling tired all the time, eating more and not able to do daily tasks.
How to fall asleep faster and sleep better
Find out some simple things you can do to help you sleep better.
Tips for sleeping better
- Have good sleep routine (sleep hygiene)
- Relax, unwind and try meditation to help you sleep
- Try mindfulness for sleep
- Create the right sleep environment
- Do not force sleep
- Improve sleep through diet and exercise
Sleep hygiene
Your bedroom environment and your habits (behaviours) during the day, as well as your habits before you go to bed, all play a role in how well you sleep.
‘Sleep hygiene’ is the term used to describe healthy habits that you can practice during the day to help you get a good night’s sleep.
Fighting tiredness
Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. there are many help-help tips to restore our energy levels.
If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition. Consult a GP for advice.
How can meditation help with sleep?
Meditation is a practice that can help prepare our bodies and minds for a restful night's sleep. It can help us to fall asleep faster, sleep longer and even deeper. Meditation exercises can enable us to relax, unwind and let go of thoughts or worries from the day.
Practicing meditation has many calming effects on the body. It helps encourage slower breathing and lowers our heart rates, all of which can help with drifting off to sleep.
Go to the Better Health website for more information on how meditation can help with sleep.
Beditation video by Better Health
Relax, unwind and try meditation to help you sleep. Remember, your sleep routine starts before you get into bed, so build in time every evening to relax.
When you're ready to sleep listen to this audio-only video to help you to relax.