The Evolution Journey Weekly Words: Big Rock #1 - Sleep

I don't know about you, but life just feels so much better when the sun is shining. The warm weather also means it takes me less time to get dressed in the morning which is always a bonus!

As I sit here sipping my morning coffee, I feel well rested after an almost unbroken eight hours sleep. Getting to a consistent eight hours sleep a night is something that I've had to really work on. Until I had kids, it wasn't a problem. For about five years I had broken sleep of between five and six hours a night. During this time I was also working, running a house and doing all the other emotional work that we automatically take on. Then the kids started to sleep better which was fantastic but, peri-menopause hit so my sleep continued to suffer (for different reasons).

When the magic happens!

It wasn't until about four years ago that I really started to gain a proper understanding of the importance of sleep. When we're asleep, our body works it's magic! It repairs and regenerates cells and tissues, the brain sorts and processes the days information and gets rid of toxic waste, your immune system fights inflammation, your 'fight or flight' sympathetic nervous system gets a chance to relax. For adults 7 - 9 hours sleep a night is generally regarded as the optimum for good health.

How sleep deprivation affects us

If we deprive ourselves of sleep, the body loses the potential to carry out these tasks which are essential for maintaining goof health. Sleep deprivation can lead to low mood, low energy, lack of concentration and cognitive function, increased appetite (and consequently weight gain), lack of motivation, increased inflammation and stress. If you don't get enough sleep every now and then, it's no biggy, but if you're continually sleep deprived, it can have a major impact on your health and well-being.

I would argue that sleep is the foundation stone on which all the other big rocks sit. Without it your other big rocks - nutrition, water, daily exercise and stress management - become habits which are much more difficult to sustain.

6 Top tips for a better night's sleep

Now I'm generally getting a much better nights sleep, I can see how sleep deprived I was and also how much it negatively affected my life. I've had to be proactive in making changes to help me get the sleep I need. It's not perfect and probably never will be, but here's my 6 top tips that I've implemented that might help you too:

1. No phone/laptop/TV at least 30 minutes before sleep time - ideally an hour. Let the brain think for itself for an hour before you go to sleep!

2. Avoid caffeine and caffeinated products after 2pm (it can stay in your system for up to 8 hours)

3. Avoid drinking water or other drinks after 7pm and drink more fluids in the morning

4. Avoid big meals after 7pm

5. Make the bedroom dark, cool, quiet and free from artificial light

6. Get out in the fresh air every day. Research shows that the more exposure you have to natural light, particularly in the morning, the earlier that melatonin (the sleep hormone) is released. (It's not the fresh sea air that makes you sleepy after a day at the seaside, it's the exposure to lots of natural light).

I should also add to this that I've discussed the importance of sleep with my partner and kids and they know that when I have to be up at 5am, they need to be quiet after 9pm! (It works for them too as nobody likes a tired and grumpy Charlotte!) If you have the support of those around you, it makes habits much easier to implement and sustain.

A book and a podcast recommendation

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker is a great read for those of you who are interested into getting a deeper understanding of sleep. I also listened to a great episode with Linda Geddes on the Feel Better Live More podcast - Why getting more light will help transform your health.

Two questions for you:

1. Are you getting enough sleep?

2. What can you do today to improve your sleep tonight?

Until next week!

Charlotte

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