IT’S alarming how lack of sleep affects us, from zero motivation to sore eyes and aching joints.
We suffer on average nine nights of bad kip a month.
Now The Sleep Charity has launched a national helpline for insomniacs, which is open Sunday to Thursday from 7pm until 9pm.
The charity’s deputy CEO Lisa Artis shares some tips.
Think about staying awake: If anxious about sleep, you tend to focus on stresses in your life and may clock-watch or calculate how little sleep you might get.
This sets off anxiety, further preventing sleep.
Instead, concentrating only on not sleeping stops you focusing on anxieties and helps your brain relax, so you nod off.
Marmite and banana sarnie: The Romans thought lettuce good for sleep as it contains lactucarium, a milky fluid that helps shut-eye.
But the best “sleep sandwich” has to be Marmite, banana and lettuce.
Banana is a source of both magnesium and potassium, which help to relax muscles.
They are also rich in tryptophan, which stimulates production of brain-calming hormones.
Marmite contains natural substances that help induce sleep.
Just remember to eat it at least two hours before going to bed.
4-7-8 breathing: A great relaxation trick. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven then breathe out with a “whoosh” for eight.
Do this four times.
Warm your feet: If they are cold, your body must work to stay at the optimal temperature, which can disturb sleep.
A hot water bottle by your feet, or bedsocks, help.
Listen to a bedtime story: Choose a sleepy audiobook with soothing sounds and voices.
Penguin Sleep Tales, or Stephen Fry’s stories on the Calm app, are perfect.
Write it down: Often at bed-time we worry about the next day’s tasks.
Writing a to-do list can be therapeutic.
Hide bedroom clocks: Many rely on an alarm clock.
It is not necessary to remove it altogether, but having it out of sight or its face turned away reduces sleep anxiety.
Ban the snooze button: You will not get deep sleep in that extra time.
It will not make you more rested and may leave you feeling worse.
Set the scene: Soft or dimmed lighting will raise your level of melatonin — the hormone we need to feel sleepy.
Candles create an appealing ambience and a calming scent can also help.
Lavender is well known for promoting relaxation.
Avoid the kitchen after 8pm: It is important not to go to bed hungry — hence that Marmite and banana sarnie — but avoid a big meal two or three hours before bed, as it can cause indigestion.
Also avoid heavy, spicy, rich or fatty foods late at night.
These can upset your tummy.
- For more information call The National Sleep Hotline on 03303 530 541. Or you can visit thesleepcharity.org.uk.
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