How To Get A Restful Nights Slumber

Many of us burn the candle at both ends on these long summer evening and perhaps over indulge in both food and drink. The odd late night won’t do us any harm but to avoid burn out, you need to make sure you are getting enough quality sleep. Damian Topping, sleep expert at Dreams explains why a good night’s rest is so important and gives advice on how to successfully drift off into the land of nod.

Sleep is important for a number of reasons
1. It prepares you for the day ahead and helps you remain alert and focused

2. Repairs your body and aids a healthy heart. Whilst you are sleeping, your body produces extra protein molecules that help boost your immune system, fight infection and stay healthy

3. Reduces stress and can help lower blood pressure

4. Improves memory. During the night, our brains are free from distraction and have the capacity to absorb information like a sponge. Regular disturbances however, mean that you easily forget and don’t retain information

5. Regulates hormones that control and affect your appetite. If you are sleep deprived, this can lead to an increase in hunger pangs resulting in cravings for high carb foods

6. Controls your mood. A bad night’s sleep can result in tetchy tempers, anxiety and depression

Struggling to get your forty winks? Then try the following
1. Add a few drops of relaxing lavender or chamomile oil to your pillow to help unwind and de-stress before bed

2. Bedroom temperature is vital to a good night’s sleep. With the cold arriving there is the temptation to turn up the heat full blast but the optimum temperature for an adult’s bedroom is said to be 16°c, so steady with those radiator settings!

3. Don’t dwell on things and never go to bed angry or upset

4. If your mind is buzzing, write things down – have a notepad and pen by your bed and get everything down on paper before you hit the sack

5. Take some gentle exercise such as yoga or Pilates in the evening and if you are a gym bunny, make sure your work out is done and dusted at least 3 hours before bed

6. Get some air. Being too hot and stuffy can keep you awake so open the window a couple of centimetres

7. Try deep breathing techniques. Close your eyes and take a deep, slow breath. Do this 10 times and make each breath deeper than the last

8. Change position. Side lying is regarded as the best sleep position to ensure a good night’s sleep as it helps keep your airways open and gives optimal blood circulation

Diet is key to ensuring you get a good night’s sleep. Here are my dos and don’ts
1. Do eat a banana before bedtime. Packed full of magnesium (which is a muscle relaxant) they also balance serotonin and melatonin levels which aid a powerful snooze

2. Do sip on some chamomile tea. This is a mild sedative that helps calm and relax the mind and body

3. Don’t overdo it on the caffeine. Limit yourself to a max of 2 cups a day and don’t drink any coffee after 6pm

4. Don’t eat spicy or acidic food in the evening as this can cause heartburn and troubled sleep

Sleep myths
1. It’s a myth that a couple of glasses of wine will help you nod off better. Drinking too much alcohol actually increases the number of times you wake up during the night

2. Weekend catch up doesn’t work. Stick to a regular regime of getting up at the same time even at weekends and try taking a short cat nap during the day instead

3. It’s a myth that older people need less sleep. Everyone needs an average of 7 hours sleep no matter what your age

4. Eating cheese before bed will not give you nightmares. In fact, the compounds in dairy foods have actually been shown to help aid sleep