Sweet Dreams: How to Get Good Sleep

So, how's your sleep, are you getting enough? Studies show that a good night's sleep improves learning, preparing your brain for the next day and forming new neural pathways to allow you to learn new stuff and remember it!

GETTING GOOD SLEEP

I for one am a huge lover of sleep and have no issues popping right off, but I know a staggering amount of people who suffer from insomnia or who have kids that wake them continuously through the night.We've all had a crappy nights sleep before and we all know that foggy brain next day feeling. The effects of sleep deprivation are pretty startling and affect us both mentally and physically. 

Mental effects of sleep deficiency

• you may have trouble making decisions

• you may have trouble solving problems

• you may have issues controlling your emotions and behaviour

• you may have trouble coping with change

Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior. 

Physical effects of sleep deficiency

• ongoing sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease. Your blood vessels and heart undergo healing and repair during sleep!

• increased risk of obesity

• lack of sleep causes hormonal imbalance. The hormone in charge of making you feel full (leptin) drops with lack of sleep and the hormone in charge of making you feel hungry (ghrelin) goes up!

• changes how your body reacts to insulin

• deep sleep supports healthy and normal growth and development in children and teens

• deep sleep also helps to repair cells and tissues and build muscle mass

• our immune system is compromised by lack of sleep

How much sleep should you be getting?

Generally, for adults, 7 - 9 hours is recommended. For teens, 8 - 10 hours and children age 6 - 13, 9 - 11 hours is recommended. Here are some achievable tips on how to get (you and your kids) to sleep and stay there -

1. Keep to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and rise at the same time, every day of the week

2. Put down those laptops, phones and iPads a good hour (at least!) before your bedtime and make sure they are at least 2-metres away from your bed while you sleep

3. Don't have any caffeine after lunchtime

4. Take part in regular exercise. Pilates anyone?

5. Use essential oils to help create a peaceful and relaxed state of mind. Lavender, ylang-ylang, and chamomile activate the alpha wave activity in the brain. Try a roller with some diluted essential oil in carrier oil on your temples, the back of the neck or diffuse it in your bedroom.

6. Make sure your bed and pillow are top-notch. You spend a lot of time in your life in bed (hopefully) so get the best you can afford.

7. Planning/organising for the day ahead, food prep for healthy lunches/snacks, it feels good to be organised.

8. To help switch off, moving to a darker room with candles, practicing meditation, breath work, lite movement or hot shower can all help assist to getting that good sleep.