LUCKY ENOUGH TO have some extra downtime this long weekend? Let’s put it to good use.
Easter tends to be a relaxed time associated with reflection, family time and long, unhurried walks. The slow pace of the weekend makes it a perfect opportunity to bring any dodgy sleeping (or non-sleeping!) habits to heel.
Everyone knows the immediate effects of a bad night’s sleep – that sluggish, wading-through-treacle haze you suffer through the following day.
Ongoing sleep deprivation and disruption has many more symptoms, many of them not as obvious as red-rimmed eyes or the urge for a double espresso.
What you might find most surprising about that list is that it shows how sleeping is not about being inactive – in fact, it is the time when our mind and body can heal and regulate itself.
Insomnia is the most commonly reported mental health complaint in the UK according to a comprehensive study published by the Mental Health Foundation (you can read that here). You are certainly not alone if your problem is more serious than the odd bad night’s sleep here and there.
First off, it’s important to find out what is the ‘healthy’ amount of sleep for you. While eight hours is the rule-of-thumb for adults, it can be more or less depending on the individual.
Try keeping a sleep diary for two weeks – write down how much sleep you got over a night (including notes about any times you woke up, and for how long) and how you felt the following morning or day, to track potential patterns in disruption or – indeed – what a good night’s sleep looks like for you.
To benchmark yourself against other people, it’s worth looking at the US National Sleep Foundation, which spent two years researching recommended sleep duration targets for different sections of the population:
There are also a number of paid ‘wearable’ devices and free apps that help track your sleep over the night. They analyse when you fall into a deep sleep (the REM portion of your sleep cycle) and tell you when it is best to wake up (in the lightest sleep phase). You can opt for anything from the premium end of the market, like the Jawbone UP24 wristband, to the mid-range Misfit device, to the 99 cent Sleep Cycle smartphone app.
We’ve established why we need to sort our sleep out. Easier said than done though, right?
Equip yourself with some weapons in the battle for a better bedtime:
Give stimulants the boot before bedtime
These include nicotine, caffeine (from before lunchtime, not just an hour before bedtime) and alcohol.
Less obvious stimulants to avoid are food – Hester O’Connor, a clinical psychologist with the HSE, told TheJournal.ie that eating too late disrupts you, both “mentally and physically”. Your mother’s advice on not going to bed on a full stomach? Spot on.
As for those mobile devices, there has been extensive research that the blue light from personal electronic devices is majorly disruptive to sleep. It emulates the effect of the sun and disrupts the production of melatonin, which your body is meant to start pumping out as preparation for sleep.
You may well be reading this on a smartphone or tablet right now. If you are, note that TheJournal.ie has an option to turn your phone to ‘night mode’ [check the 'more' widget], darkening the screen, between the night-time hours of your choice.
Better still, much as it hurts us to say so, put all screens away an hour before bedtime.
Be aware of your body’s natural clock
Science writer Jessa Gamble gave this TED talk which gives a surprising bit of information about how the body clock works (and it might even involve waking up in the middle of the night!) Watch:
Finding that schedule and sticking to it is very important. This might involve avoiding naps, no matter how much you crave one, in order to reprogramme yourself to be ready for a full night’s sleep when you hit the hay.
Meditate and be mindful
So you’ve done everything right. You’ve made your bedroom a haven for sleep, free of distractions, stowed away the smartphone, avoided caffeine and had a lavender-infused bath.
And YOU STILL CAN’T GET TO SLEEP.
One of the most important tools added to the arsenal of good mental health in recent years has been the concept of mindfulness.
Practicing mindfulness is essentially a way of reducing stress and anxiety by practicing techniques that keep your attention in the moment (and conversely, away from the worries that are keeping you awake). These might include meditation, breathing exercises and a spot of gentle yoga.
These resources are invaluable in training you how to be mindful:
Planning for unusual high-stress events
Clinical psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy visited TheJournal.ie offices this month to answer readers’ mental health queries. He had some great advice for a woman who was trying to cope with an incredible amount of stress from college work and childminding – and all of it hitting home late at night.
What I’d encourage people to do is to plan their study, have a really good study plan, talk to their tutors if they’re in third level and explain that they’re experiencing anxiety, go to the student counselling service… If you’re a bit further out, a few months, I’d recommend regular exercise, good nutrition, sleep, starting yoga.
More advice from Dr Eddie here:
Have you some tips on what works for you in maintaining a good sleep cycle? Share them with us in the comments!
The #LittleThings campaign from yourmentalhealth.ie is a national effort by the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention and scores of partner organisations and support groups to bring information, awareness, advice and support around mental health for you and your loved ones.
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