Sleep
We help you:
Get a great night’s sleep
Deal with sleep disturbances
No-one feels at their best when they haven’t slept well. Common sleep problems include difficulty going to sleep, frequent waking and waking unrefreshed. Although there are some serious sleep issues that require specialist treatment, for most people the key to getting a good night’s sleep lies in following a few clear-cut measures.
The first thing to consider is your environment and making your bedroom more sleep-friendly by thinking about the levels of light, noise, temperature and ventilation. Light sensors at the back of your eyes transmit signals to the brain controlling your level of alertness. Soft lighting is far more restful than bright lights, and spending time preparing for sleep in a low-light environment ‘teaches’ your brain that night time, and sleep, are on the way. Ideally your room should have several sources of light, so that you can have bright light when you need it, but lower light for your pre-sleep time, and no light during sleep.
If light comes through the window (e.g. from streetlighting) then blackout curtains or blinds are helpful and can also be useful in the summer months, when dawn comes early. Electrical equipment such as TV’s that have standby lights should be turned off completely and ois all else fails try an eye mask. There may not be very much you can do to control noise if the source is outside, for example if you live on a busy road, or near a railway line. However, as far as possible your room should be peaceful. Some people find ‘white noise’ less disruptive than other sounds whilst others find ear plugs useful. are available. The temperature at which people sleep best varies to some extent with the individual, but the room itself should be on the cool side if possible and kept well-ventilated to refresh the supply of oxygen. This needs a flow of air from somewhere; if you sleep with your bedroom door shut then have a window open.
Secondly think about the bed itself. A firm mattress supports your body properly, preventing stress on any particular area, which in turn could create pain and stiffness. Sagging mattresses cause postural problems during sleep that carry on into the daytime, and can cause an unrefreshed-after-sleep feeling. The same applies to pillows. Your pillow(s) should provide support for your neck to keep it in line with your spine. Too low or too high holds your neck at an unnatural angle, straining your neck muscles, and potentially obstructing the easy flow of air when you breathe. If you are not breathing correctly, your brain and body get low on oxygen which prevents them from working at full capacity. This can also trigger an ‘alarm’ in your brain, which disturbs your sleep, either waking you completely, or bringing you out of deep stage sleep to force you to change your posture. Think about what your pillow is made of. Feather pillows are comfortable, because they adjust to the shape of your head, but occasionally people find they have some level of allergic reaction to them, which may result in a runny or blocked nose – another potential source of sleep disturbance. Consider memory foam as an alternative, although some people find that this makes them sweat. Another possible option would be a water pillow. Whatever your choice, make sure that your neck is well supported, and at a height that doesn’t put it under any strain.
Next consider what you eat and drink. Caffeine should be resticted later in the day as it can take up to eight hours to leave the blood stream and, although alcohol can make you feel sleepy, research has shown that it causes increased disturbances in the second half of the night. A large meal shortly before bedtime can also cause sleep problems as the digestive system works less effectively lying down and body systems slow during sleep so the process of digestion will take longer and be less effective.
Finally prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep by having a regular schedule. Resist the temptation to nap during the day as sleeping during the daytime will affect your sleep at night. If you have been busy through the day, then you should allow both your mind and body to wind down gradually. Setting a bed-time routine can help by teaching our brains that when we carry out a specific sequence of events, that means we’ll be going to sleep soon. This could be a bath, a relaxation exercise; some time spent reading, or just a warm milky drink. These activities should be sufficiently interesting to take your mind off anything that is causing you anxiety or stress, but not exciting enough to cause mental stimulation that will then keep you awake.
Addressing the four aspects of environment; bed and bedding; food and drink and a bedtime routine should mean you get a good nights sleeep.
We are based at Ponteland, or near the Metrocentre, or Hexham but always online - Why not contact us now for a free consultation and to see how we can help you....click here for more details or call 07770 811352.
