Sleep is just as important for our overall health and well-being as a consistent exercise routine and a good diet. This means that not getting enough healthy sleep could contribute to the development of a variety of disorders and diseases, including stroke, heart disease and anxiety.
We all have an internal body clock that works to regulate our sleep wake cycle, essentially ensuring that we become progressively more tired throughout the day and peaking at bedtime. However, there are a number of factors that can influence this sleep wake cycle, including excess exposure to light, caffeine and a poor diet.
If you're struggling to sleep or would like to improve the quality of your sleep, there is a range of different steps you can take to create a healthy sleep routine that works for you, your lifestyle and your sleep needs.
What Does a Healthy Sleep Routine Look Like?
There are three components to healthy sleep:
1. Quantity
2. Quality
3. Consistency.
Our personal sleep requirements vary, but most adults need between seven and nine hours every night.
But quantity isn't everything, so it is also important to ensure that you are getting enough high-quality sleep to give your body the rest it needs to recover from a busy day. Some of the main indications that your sleep quality is poor include waking numerous times in the night and failing to feel properly rested even after at least seven hours' sleep.
Crucially, consistency is key to forming a positive sleeping routine, which should include going to bed at the same time every night and resisting the temptation to sleep in after you have had enough sleep.
The Benefits of Having a Healthy Sleep Routine
Unfortunately, sleep is one of the most neglected elements of our health and well-being, but as it is one of the most important a healthy sleep routine can provide numerous benefits, including:- Improving mental health and well-being
Poor-quality sleep has strong links to a range of mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. It can also negatively impact our ability to interact with others and regulate our emotions.
- Boosting productivity and concentration
There are numerous brain functions that are impaired by a lack of sleep, including concentration, cognition and performance. Getting enough high-quality sleep every night can enhance our problem-solving abilities and improve memory.
- Maintaining a healthy weight
Studies indicate that "short sleep", which is categorised as getting fewer than seven hours sleep per night, carries a greater risk of struggling to maintain a healthy weight and developing a higher body mass index (BMI). There are thought to be several reasons for this correlation, including an increase in hormones that make us feel hungry and a decreased desire to exercise due to tiredness.
- Enhancing physical performance
Sleep is essential to maintaining and improving physical performance, which includes enhancing reaction times, endurance and fine motor skills. There is also some evidence to suggest that people who aren't getting enough sleep are more likely to sustain exercise-related injuries.
- Reducing the risk of developing diabetes
Studies have shown links between short sleep and insulin resistance associated with type 2 diabetes. A lack of sleep can lead to various physiological alterations, including increased inflammation and a reduction in insulin sensitivity.
How to Form Healthy Sleep Habits
The things we choose to do throughout the day and right before we go to bed can have a significant impact on the amount of quality sleep we will get during the night. But the good news is that even small changes to your daily routine can improve the quantity and quality of your sleep.
"Sleep hygiene" is a term that refers to a selection of healthy sleep-promoting habits that can help you to fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. In fact, it is such a powerful tool that it forms part of the cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment that is offered to those who experience chronic insomnia.
- Prioritise consistency
Maintaining a consistent schedule will help your body to adjust to a routine, meaning you will be more likely to feel sleepy immediately before bedtime and naturally start to wake up around your preferred wake-up time. Try to avoid sleeping in at weekends or on holidays, as this can disrupt your routine and reduce the quality and quantity of your sleep.
- Put away electronic devices before bedtime
Turning off the TV and putting your phone and tablet away at least half an hour before you go to bed can help you prepare for a restful night. Exposure to bright lights can affect our natural sleep wake cycle, causing us to feel more awake when we should be winding down for the day.
- If you can't sleep, get up
Although this may initially seem at odds with getting enough sleep, the frustration of not being able to fall asleep or the anxieties of not having time to get all the sleep your body needs before your alarm clock goes off can make falling asleep more difficult.
So if you aren't asleep within 20 minutes of getting into bed, get up and do something quiet. It is best to avoid electronics, as light exposure can cause further sleep disruption, but something like having a warm bath or reading a chapter of a book can induce feelings of sleepiness and help you to drift off when you do get back into bed.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol and large meals
Consuming alcohol, caffeine or large heavy meals before bedtime can cause significant disruption to our sleep cycles. Instead, sip a calming herbal tea or refreshing glass of water, and if you're hungry, choose a light snack with nutritious benefits.
- Minimise naps
Sometimes we need a quick 20-minute nap to make it through the day, but it is generally best to avoid making this a frequent habit, as it can prevent you from getting to sleep when bedtime rolls around. If you do find yourself needing to nap, it is best to do so in the early afternoon right after lunch.
- Prioritise sustainability
As with any form of change, making gradual alterations to your routine will ultimately help you to make lasting changes to your sleep routine. Ideally, you shouldn't adjust your schedule by more than an hour each night to give your body time to get used to a new routine.
How to Create a Restful Bedroom
A restful and relaxing bedroom space can help us to enjoy a peaceful night of high-quality sleep. This might seem like an incredibly obvious statement to make, but it is something that is overlooked far too often.
- Choose a comfortable pillow and mattress
We all have slightly different needs when it comes to the level of support we want from our mattress and pillows, which means that it is incredibly important to make the right choice to encourage full relaxation. Your spine requires proper support during the night to avoid the development of aches and pains in the back and neck.
- Select high-quality bedding
When our beds look inviting and feel comfortable, we will actively want to get into them to enjoy a restful night. The sheets, bedding sets and blankets you select will play a significant role in helping you to create a retreat that will help you to get the rest you need.
During the cooler months, a cosy blanket with a comfortingly soft texture like the Malini Serena blanket can keep the chill at bay and ensure that your bed always looks beautifully put together.
Throw pillows like the Malini Ivor cushion can be stacked beautifully on your bed all year round to create a comforting sanctuary that allows you to truly relax after a long day. Additionally, throw pillows can be used to introduce texture into your bedroom, which is both charmingly tactile and incredibly easy on the eye.
- Minimise light disruption
As light can interrupt our natural sleep wake cycle, selecting blackout curtains to dress your bedroom windows and wearing a sleep mask will help you to avoid being woken by the sun or any street lights that may be visible from your bedroom.
Adding a beautiful shade to your bedroom ceiling lights can also help to diffuse the light, sending a warm glow around your space without being too bright. The RV Astley Nasser chandelier would slip seamlessly into a glamorous sleeping space, whereas the RV Astley charcoal shade with gold lining can be effortlessly incorporated into a contemporary or mid-century modern bedroom.
- Maintain a consistent temperature
There is a lot of research to indicate that many of us experience better sleep when our bedrooms are cool. However, the most important thing is to ensure that you are neither too hot nor too cold, as this can be a significant distraction that may keep you from drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
- Prioritise peace and restfulness
In addition to maintaining a comfortable temperature, blocking out as much noise as possible will contribute to the creation of a relaxing sleeping space. Headphones or earplugs can be used to drown out irritating noises that you can't control, as can fans or white noise machines.
- Incorporate pleasant scents
Calming and soothing scents can be excellent sleep aids, allowing you to relax and drift off naturally. Essential oils are an excellent choice, particularly lavender, ylang ylang and chamomile, and they can be used in both oil burners and diffusers.
The gentle flickering of a candle can also be extremely relaxing, and Olivia's Raven candle holder shaped from petrified wood can make a stunning addition to your bedside table. Alternatively, if you want to achieve a more contemporary aesthetic in your bedroom, Olivia's hexagonal lantern will make a stylish statement on a bedroom console table or shelf.
How to Wind Down in the Evenings
When we're having trouble falling asleep, it can be easy to assume that the problems start from the second we get into bed. However, the things we do in the hours immediately before going to bed can have a significant impact on our ability to easily fall asleep.
Creating healthy pre-sleep habits can send signals to your body and mind that the time for sleep is approaching, so the key is to incorporate attainable steps that you will want to follow every evening.
- Dim the lights
Minimising exposure to bright light can help the body to produce the sleep hormone melatonin and ensure that you drift off to sleep quickly and effortlessly.
- Ditch the devices
Light emitted by computers, tablets, phones and TVs can interrupt the body's natural melatonin production and keep your brain stimulated in a way that isn't conducive to relaxation.
- Lean into relaxation
At least 30 minutes before bedtime is the ideal time to really lean into a state of relaxation. There are a variety of activities you could choose to do to help this transition, including listening to calming music, completing a low-impact stretching routine or reading a chapter of a book.
How to De-stress After Work
After a long and busy day at work, it isn't always easy to de-stress and get in the frame of mind to enjoy our downtime. If this is the case for you, prioritising calming activities and practising self-care are extremely important. Here are a few tips and tricks to try.
- Go for a walk
Incorporating 30 minutes of exercise into your everyday routine has an array of health benefits, including promoting healthy sleep. While it is generally recommended to avoid exercising close to bedtime, going for a 30-minute walk after work can increase mood-boosting hormones, ensure you're getting enough light to regulate your sleep wake cycle, and free your mind from any stressors you experienced during your work day.
- Do something you enjoy
Treating yourself with kindness and compassion is an essential component of maintaining your overall sense of self and well-being. When you get home, make a point to do something solely for you that you enjoy. This could be watching an episode of your favourite TV show, having a calming cup of tea in the garden or enjoying a luxurious bath.
- Practise mindfulness
People who view the world from a mindful perspective are proven to be better equipped to keep their focus on the present and avoid thinking back over a stressful day or dwelling on anxieties about the future. There are a variety of ways to incorporate mindful practices into your daily routine, including practising meditation and breathing techniques.
- Invest in your non-work time
It can be easy to fall into the trap of endlessly scrolling social media or getting caught up in the continuous news cycle, but it is important to maximise your non-work time and create a sense of balance between your personal and professional lives. One of the best ways to invest in your down time is to make time for your hobbies and make a point to socialise with close friends and loved ones to really nurture those healthy connections.
If you are experiencing difficulties getting to sleep and staying asleep, it can be frustrating to hear just how important getting enough rest is to our overall health and well-being. However, even the smallest changes can make a hugely positive difference to the way you feel.
It is important to remember that what works for some is unlikely to work for all, which is why trying out a few different methods and combinations will ultimately allow you to put together a healthy sleep routine that works for you. To help with this process, you may find it beneficial to keep a sleep journal to track the quality and quantity of your sleep. You can also use this to identify any factors that are helping or hindering your sleep and to determine whether the changes you have made are having beneficial outcomes.
If you continue to have trouble sleeping for an extended period of time, it may be worth checking in with your doctor, who will be in a position to provide qualified advice that can improve your overall health and well-being.