With busy working lives that can often spill into our evenings, it’s easy to stay up restless and worried at night – but these tips will help ensure you get the rest you need
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As the nights get chillier and cold season returns with a vengeance, it can be just that bit trickier getting a good night’s sleep.
And with millions of us forced to work from home over the last year, striking that work-life balance has been harder than ever.
While it might be tempting to check your emails in bed or stay up worrying about tasks for the week ahead, burning the midnight oil will only leave you tired and restless.
Here, sleep expert, Rob Davey from Snoozel Green reveals the common mistakes and best habits for getting a good night’s sleep.
Kick your caffeine habit
Caffeine can be a reliable short-term boost, but it should not be relied upon to provide energy throughout the day.
For busy professionals, it’s important to limit stimulants, such as caffeine, that confuse our cortisol levels and interfere with our body’s natural rhythms.
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Instead of relying on caffeine to wake you up in the morning, treat yourself to a refreshing green smoothie or try an energising workout.
If you can’t bare the idea of completely kicking your caffeine habit, reduce your intake by using it as a midday treat.
Do not consume any caffeinated drinks 4-6 hours before bedtime, as it can keep you awake.
Avoid stressful tasks in the evening
Often, busy professionals struggle to find enough hours in the day to get their jobs done.
Sometimes it is not always as simple as the common advice – ‘don’t work in the evenings!’
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Therefore, it is about managing your workflow, tackling the trickiest tasks earlier on and saving your evenings for more relaxed work.
Sleeplessness is often a symptom of mood disorders, such as stress, depression, and anxiety.
Lack of sleep can cause further alterations to your mood, such as irritability and anger, so it is a vicious cycle you must break!
Work at your optimum to solve stressful issues earlier in the day, so you are at ease in the hours before you wind down for bed.
Sleep in a dark room
An excellent way to get better quality sleep is by sleeping in a dark room.
Darkness causes the brain to produce the hormone melatonin, which gives us that sleepy feeling.
Melatonin is the body’s natural sleep aid, which is only produced once all artificial and natural light is gone.
If you cannot install blackout blinds, try sleeping with an eye mask to help you fall asleep faster and improve melatonin production.
Write down your worries with notepad trick
Busy professionals’ brains are constantly ‘on’, resulting in trouble ‘switching off’ when it is time for bed.
An effective way to ‘let go’ of a damaging worrying habit is to simply write down what’s on your mind.
It doesn’t solve the problem, but it does get it out of your head before bedtime, and that in turn allows your subconscious to clear anxieties that may be keeping you awake.
At the end of each day, write your thoughts down on paper for 20 minutes, separating them into hypothetical and ‘real’ worries.
For the real worries, make an action plan in the form of a to-do list that you can tackle the next day.
This simple tip will help relieve stress and keep your mind clutter-free during sleep.
Don’t sleep with your phone
For busy professionals, sleeping without your phone on your bedside table may seem like an impossible task!
However, the blue light from your mobile can trick your body into thinking it’s still light outside and keep you awake.
As little as 2 hours of blue light exposure can slow or stop the release of the sleep hormone melatonin.
Therefore, it is essential to find healthier habits to indulge in before bed, such as reading your favourite book or listening to calming sounds.
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Watch what and when you eat
When you’re busy, you may find yourself preparing whatever is quickest and easiest to eat.
However, unfortunately a ready meal or takeout is not always the healthiest!
A lack of nutritious food options can unsettle your stomach and impact your ability to fall asleep.
The timing of when you eat your meals can also affect your sleep quality.
When you eat something, you release insulin in your body- a process which can signal wakefulness in the brain.
As well as insomnia, sleeping immediately after you have eaten can cause heartburn, weight gain and gastrointestinal issues.
To avoid this, plan your meals so they are over 3 hours before you fall asleep.
Time the mid-day naps
If you are working long hours, you might find yourself falling asleep at random times throughout the day, in places that aren’t in your cosy bedroom!
Whilst a brief nap of 20-30 minutes can be refreshing and restorative, long napping periods can disrupt your sleep cycle and make it harder to doze off at night.
Time the mid-day naps so they are actually in the middle of your working day, and so that they do not last longer than 30 minutes.
Ensure you are always napping in your bed, using an eye mask and earplugs in a dark room for better sleep quality.
If you find yourself feeling groggy after you have woken up, resist the urge to snooze your alarm and nap for longer.
Instead, opt for an early night and early rise so you are energised to complete your work tasks!
Got a story? Get in touch by emailing alex.bellotti@reachplc.com
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