Tired of Tossing and Turning? 8 Ways to Improve Your Sleep Tonight

Last week was World Sleep Day and it made me realise I had not created a blog to support sleep. So better late than never, here are 8 tips that can help you achieve a better night’s sleep.

In the UK approximately 37% of adults in the UK experience insomnia and the numbers appear to be rising. Younger people are also experiencing sleep problems with Mental Health UK citing that this is impacting mental health: Source

We know that ideally adults should have between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. No more and no less for optimum health. A lack of sleep effects our appetite (it increases the desire to eat more), ability to concentrate, our immunity, our mood and just about all aspects of our overall health. It is when we sleep that the brain can clear out waste and toxicity, the body can repair tissues and there is an overall reset of bodily functions.

So, how can we support a better night’s sleep? Here are 8 recommendations I suggest you may like to try if you find sleep can be problematic:

Movement

I prefer to use the word movement to exercise as exercise conjures up strenuous activity and this may be counterintuitive. I have described before how intense cardio workouts can trigger the stress response- the very thing we want to turn off when we want to unwind and sleep!
Movement can be a simple as using the stairs rather than the lift. Taking a ten minute walk (or longer) before starting work, at lunchtime, after work. Getting up from your desk and moving on an hourly basis. And if you’re feeling uptight and stressed moving (walking, gardening, dancing, yoga, thai chi) will really help rebalance the mind.

Daylight in the first hour of the day

Exposure to daylight first thing in the morning has been shown to improve sleep by helping to reset the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Daylight exposure will regulate the pineal gland to turn off melatonin production in the morning and stimulate its production when it is dark (at night). Melatonin is an important hormone to promote sleep. So go for that morning walk- even ten minutes is sufficient!

Circadian rhythm

This is your body’s own internal clock that helps to regulate various physiological processes including the sleep-wake cycle. It is important to maintain a stable sleep and wake schedule seven days a week. Whilst it may seem desirable to sleep in for hours at the weekend to make up for early waking on work days, it is not in your body’s best interests and won’t help your sleep patterns long term. Try to adjust your habits so that it does not vary by more than 60-90 minutes each day.

Night-time Routine

If getting to sleep is a problem, start to implement an evening routine. Reduce your exposure to blue light from gadgets in the hours approaching bedtime as blue light stimulates the pineal gland as described above, suppressing melatonin production. You may find blue light blocking glasses helpful. Remove tech like mobiles from the bedroom. Avoid stimulating TV and music.

Bedroom Temperature

Keep the bedroom temperature cooler than you would want during daytime. This is typically about 18C. Your body’s temperature naturally drops when you sleep so a slightly cooler room should encourage a better night’s sleep.

Choosing your evening meal wisely

If your blood glucose levels becomes imbalanced during the night and dips low, the body’s natural response is to stimulate the release of adrenaline (the stress response) which in turn releases stored glucose. This adrenaline can trigger you to wake up and make it difficult to go back to sleep. Look carefully at your evening meal to see if it is heavy in starchy carbohydrates and low in protein and fats. Readjust these ratios as too much sugar from the carbohydrates will make it more difficult to maintain stable blood glucose levels during the night.

Consider a bedtime snack

Snacking is not the ideal situation however a small snack may encourage you to fall asleep. 2 kiwi fruits one hour before bed is one technique that may help increase melatonin production. To support stable blood glucose through the night- if this seems to be the problem- then a handful of nuts or a couple of oat cakes with nut butter can help.

Watch stimulants

Many people know that coffee impacts a good night’s sleep, but caffeine is also found in tea and various fizzy drinks. Caffeine creates that adrenaline release that we want to avoid at bedtime. Whilst alcohol may make you feel drowsy, it actually disrupts sleep quality leading to a lighter sleep and frequent waking. Keep to a minimum and have on fewer days.

If all else fails…

If these fail to reach the desired effect there are many supplements now available that can really help you achieve a better deeper more refreshed sleep. I have had success with several products both myself and my clients. Do reach out if you’d like to learn more.

Getting quality sleep is essential for your overall health, mood, and energy levels. By making small yet meaningful changes, like managing light exposure, choosing the right foods, and maintaining a consistent routine, you can set yourself up for better, more restorative sleep.

Sleep well! 😴✨

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Again, thanks for reading.

Keep your eye out for more articles and Peyton Principles in the media.

Caroline

A little more about me…

Providing expert, personalised, health advice utilising 10 years of nutritional therapy and naturopathy experience with a strong emphasis on digestion and gut health. Zoom or face to face Consultations.

I also develop and deliver well-being in the workplace workshops.