Reclaim the night: Your quick guide to better sleep habits

In this week’s Connect the Dots, we’re exploring:

• The importance and value of good sleep
• How easy it is to let bad sleep habits creep in
• How easy it can be to turn things around

Sleep.?

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to hear it’s important.

As far as sound mind and body are concerned, there’s not much that trumps it.

I know this too.

So when the penny dropped recently that I wasn’t getting enough sleep, I felt a little daft.

How could I let something so obvious pass me by?

A quick and entirely unscientific survey made me feel a bit better.

I asked twenty people if they felt they regularly got enough sleep.

Fourteen said no.

A doubtless more scientific approach led the CDC in the US to report that one in three Americans aren’t getting enough sleep.

How can this be? We all know sleep is important, but a huge number of us may be shorting ourselves of a good night’s kip on a regular basis.

A slippery slope

My lack of shuteye crept up on me over several months.

You see, I have young children and as Tom Segura would say, that makes your life about moments.

Searching for those elusive peaceful moments led me to go to bed later, and later and later.

At the same time, my two-year-old has, over the last six months, developed a rather troublesome habit of getting up earlier, and earlier.

Earlier starts, later finishes and the net result being my sleep getting squeezed from both sides.

While your circumstances might be different, I bet the end result may well be the same for you.

Deep impact

Some of the signs I had a problem were fairly obvious.

Never feeling fully rested. Never feeling up for the day ahead. Constantly feeling up and down emotionally.

But of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Numerous researchers (including DJ Gottlieb and S Reutrakul) have shown that adequate sleep:

• boosts immune function
• reduces the risk of chronic diseases (heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke)
• sharpens our cognition (memory, problem-solving).

It’s not just about quantity either. Quality, uninterrupted rest is an important part of the equation.

Making small changes

For me, what makes this all the more ridiculous is that I have a watch on my wrist that tracks my sleep. Every single night.

But in my sleep-deprived state, I neglected to refer to the mounting evidence for guidance.

When I did, the truth was abundantly clear.

My average sleep duration had dropped to a little over seven hours a night, and in some weeks, it was below seven.

Everyone is different, but the National Sleep Federation recommends an average of eight hours per night to maintain good health.

Problem was, I knew my wake-up time wasn’t likely to improve in the short-term, which meant the only other option was an earlier bedtime.

But like a lot of people, I associate with being a “night-owl” so I tend to believe magical things will happen for me the later I stay up!

So, I had to chunk this down to make the change that was needed and make it sustainable.

The answer was 20 minutes.

Just twenty extra minutes per night as a starter.

Though it doesn’t sound much, it soon adds up…

• An extra 140 minutes (more than two hours) a week
• An extra 606 minutes (more than ten hours) per month
• A whopping 121 hours, or fifteen extra nights of sleep, over twelve months?

Strategies for prioritizing sleep

So far, this small adjustment has made a big difference to my life.

For others, it might take a bit more to get you where to want to be.

In a world that celebrates 'busyness' and equates productivity with success, sleep is often wrongly seen as a luxury or a sign of laziness.?

This mindset needs a shift.?

Sleep, as I’ve outlined, is not a luxury, but a necessity for our brains and bodies to function optimally.

Changing your habits, however, requires more than just intention; it requires action.?

Here are a few practical steps to embrace better sleep:

1. Consistent schedule: Stick to a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends. This regularity strengthens your body's sleep-wake cycle. I find this one is crucial.
2. Restful environment: Ensure your bedroom is conducive to sleep - cool, dark, and quiet. Consider using earplugs, white noise machines, or blackout curtains if needed.
3. Mind your intake: Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime. They can disrupt your sleep cycle.
4. Wind down ritual: Establish a pre-sleep routine to signal your body it's time to wind down. This could be reading, a warm bath, or some light stretches.
5. Limit screen time: That blue light from your screen isn’t doing you any good right before bed. You know it as well as I do! Set yourself some boundaries and disconnect at least an hour before bed.

Get it done!

As you continue to navigate your busy life, don’t ignore the foundational role sleep plays in our health and well-being.?

If sleep is a problem for you, I challenge you this week to adopt one of the strategies mentioned here and see the difference it makes.?

Share your journey towards better sleep in the comments.?

Let's inspire each other to rekindle our relationship with beautiful, wonderful sleep!