We will all suffer with sleep related problems at some point in our lives. During the winter problems with sleeping are far more common and not being able to sleep is a symptom of SAD (seasonal affective disorder.) Due to the shorter days and lack of sun light if we are not exposed to enough natural light during the day it can cause problems when it comes to shutting off in the night.
I’m sure we have all experienced the frustrating feeling of lying awake at night, and the sheer exhaustion caused by disturbed sleep. Christmas is a time of year to enjoy ourselves with children, the last thing you’ll never want is to be sleep deprived. There are some practices you can put in place to ensure you sleep well this Christmas.
Ensure Your Environment Is ‘Sleep Friendly’
Our environment can make a huge difference when it comes to the quality of our sleep. You could see a huge improvement from changing just a couple of factors. Here are some changes you can make to help you sleep better-
- If you have any devices such as a phone, laptop or television in your room try moving them into a different room. Your bedroom should be primarily for sleeping and any stand by lights or noises can disturb sleep.
- If you share a bed and there is a large difference in body weight between yourself and your partner this could be an issue when it comes to support from the mattress. Try buying two single mattresses that are linked together in the middle.
- Mattresses and bedding made from synthetic materials retain heat and can cause you to be too hot. Your body needs to be cool to sleep, consider investing in bedding made from natural materials such as cotton.
Work Towards Sleeping In The Day To Sleep Well At Night
Many factors of your daily routine could be contributing to you being unable to sleep at night. During the day try to get as much exposure to day light. Take a walk at midday if you can, if you work in an office or from home try to be as close to a window as possible and keep blinds and curtains open.
Most advice you will read will tell you to stop consuming caffeine after 8pm but I personally find this is far too late. I won’t have any caffeine past midday as I find it can keep me up at night, you need to work out what is right for you.
Doing half an hour of exercise a day can make the world of difference, when you are tired it’s probably the last thing you want to do. If you can’t manage a vigorous work out try going for a half hour walk instead. Late afternoon or early evening is best, if you leave it too late to exercise you may find it hard to wind down soon after.
If you think you are suffering from insomnia seek professional advice. You could try insomnia treatment in the form of hypnotherapy.
