Sleep. How do you view it? Necessity? Waste of time? Or can you really look forward to it in the evening? And what is the quality of your sleep? Do you fall asleep quickly or do you toss and turn for a while? Do you sleep through or do you spend the night worrying?
It’s a topic that often comes up in conversations with my clients. Sleep is the key to better focus, more energy, and higher productivity. And a good night’s sleep contributes to a good immune system, which is essential – especially in these times of COVID-19. I’ve learned to sleep better myself and have tried out many things over the years.
According to Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, we are in the midst of a ‘sleep deprivation crisis’. And this has major consequences for our health, decision-making, work, and happiness. According to her, we need more sleep than we think.
How to Sleep Better and Improve Focus
Below are some tips that work for most people and have also emerged from scientific research on sleep.
1. Turn Off Screens
Turn off screens about two hours before bedtime. Oops, that’s immediately a tough one if you like to catch up on the latest news on your mobile phone or watch your favorite series on TV. Research shows there is a connection between sleep and that blue light. It disrupts melatonin production, and melatonin helps with falling asleep.
2. No Caffeine and Alcohol
It’s best not to drink caffeine after around 4 p.m. We’re a coffee country, and it’s wonderful to drink a few strong cups of coffee. But too much is not good and can keep you hyper when you want to go to sleep. I can’t drink caffeinated coffee in the evening, or I’ll be bouncing off the walls all night. Oh yes, many types of tea also contain caffeine, so it’s handy to check that. Here’s more about the effect of coffee on our brains.
Alcohol can be relaxing, but it’s known that while we fall asleep quickly with alcohol, we sleep more restlessly from halfway through the night. A glass of alcohol is often used as a ‘nightcap’, but this only applies if other sleep aids don’t work. Alcohol harms the liver.
3. Avoid Late or Heavy Meals
Eating late or eating fatty foods causes our bodies to still be busy digesting when we go to sleep. This disrupts the sleep pattern. Don’t eat in the hours before bedtime. If you’re still hungry, a piece of fruit or a light (non-fatty) snack before bedtime can help.
4. Pre-Sleep Exercises
If you have experience with meditation or mindfulness exercises, you already know they work and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. There are also many good breathing exercises that prepare you for a good night’s sleep. One example is Dr. Andrew Weill’s 4-7-8 breathing technique.
5. Exercise
Exercise is so important. Sitting is often called “the new smoking”. Since COVID-19, it’s even more of a challenge to exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps, but also daily walks, stretching, or being outdoors give more energy and lead to a better sleep pattern. However, exercising within a few hours before bedtime is not good. It raises the heart rate and makes it harder to fall asleep. In my experience, regular exercise works best when you actually schedule it in your agenda. This way, you sleep better and improve focus.
6. A Warm Bath or Shower
According to the University of Texas, a warm bath or shower can significantly improve sleep quality. Especially if it happens one to two hours before bedtime and if the water temperature is between 40 and 42.7 degrees Celsius. It promotes the production of melatonin. It turns out that a cold bath has the same effect. What’s your preference?
7. A Cool Room
A cool room has a big effect on the quality of your sleep. How cool? Research shows that the ideal temperature is between 16 and 19 degrees Celsius. What are the benefits? You fall asleep faster, your melatonin production improves, you get more sleep signals. You also lose weight faster because metabolism works harder when it’s colder.
8. Brain Dump
Do you know that? Tossing and turning at night? Or waking up and suddenly remembering something you shouldn’t forget? Empty your head so you don’t keep worrying about it. Keep a pen and paper next to your bed.
9. Put Away Your Phone
It’s said to be better not to have electronic devices next to your bed or even in the bedroom. The benefits are that we don’t sit on the phone right after getting into bed, and we don’t grab the phone first thing when we wake up. And at night, you’re less tempted to check the time. That can also cause stress if you notice that the night is far from over or if you see that the alarm is about to go off.
Finally
Am I the best example? No, not at all! I often still look at my mobile phone in bed in the evening, and – despite the good sleep advice from my husband (and
