Healthy Living - Sleeping Well

Making a few minor changes to your daily routine can make a big difference to your health. Create the right sleeping environment. Studies have shown that bedrooms with televisions, stereos, mobile or landline phones, emit strong electromagnetic fields, giving a negative effect on sleep patterns.

On waking up in the morning, turn on the light, as exposing yourself to light as soon as you awake resets your body clock and helps you to establish a good routine. After waking up in the morning, have a glass of water, it will make up for night-time dehydration and help you avoid headaches, and dry skin, also sore eyes.

About the video above - We were inspired to make this video due to the overload of work and stress which many students/parents may have at this time of the year. With semesters coming to an end and the holidays approaching, all of the stress and anxiety can create one to have trouble sleeping. These are a few of our tips and ideas that work for us, we hope this helps!

Are you one of those that lie awake for hours, fretting because you cannot nod off, and when the alarm goes off, you feel as though you have just nodded off and go on dozing, even though you know you should be up.

Bad Start for the day - everything will seem as though it is going wrong, you never catch up all day, then the same thing happens again and again, every night. I hope this article will help you and next time you go to bed you are out like a light and have sweet dreams.

Get into a Healthy Sleep Habit - Rest Easy

• Cut out stimulants and reduce your salt intake.

Avoid stimulating food and drinks such as white-flour products, sugar, tea, coffee, chocolate, cola and other fizzy drinks, alcohol, fatty and fried foods and food containing additives.

• Regular exercise will help you to sleep well at night.

However avoid strenuous exercise in the three hours before bedtime, as this has a stimulating effect on your mind and body.

• Don't eat or drink anything other than water for a least four hours before you go to bed.

It is important that you drink plenty of water though out the day, because being dehydrated can make you feel anxious and drained, which can lead to sleep problems.

• Switch off the TV a good hour before going to bed, as over stimulation of the brain will lead to disrupted sleep.

Avoid watching TV in bed.

• Having a warm bath helps to relax you before bed.

Your body temperature needs to fall slightly before you go to sleep and when you get out of a warm (but not too hot) bath, your body cools down.

• While the amount of sleep we need varies from person to person, it is a good idea to aim at aiming around seven to eight hours.
• If you get six hours or less, you will not only risk having problems concentrating you will find doing mental tasks challenging the next day.

You could also find it difficult to lose weight.

• Studies show a link between weight gain and poor sleep.

You will most likely get a good night's sleep in a cool, dark room.

• If your body temperature is raised it's harder to fall asleep, and being in the dark helps produce the sleep hormone melatonin.

The photo above is a way to relax, but not sure he will have a good sleep, but, at least, he is making his way to bed, in a dark room.

Natural health through improved sleep, this would be of major benefits for our health and well-being in our waking life.

Sleep is associated with a state of muscle relaxation and reduced perception of environmental stimuli.

One major obstacle to getting to sleep is a busy mind. A relaxation technique to try before going to sleep, about half an hour before bed.

Go to a quiet room, no distractions. Light a candle and turn off all light's so you can only see the light from the candle's flame. Sit in front of it and focus on the flickering flame. Begin to breathe slowing and deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Clear away any thought's so your mind becomes still and centered. Don't worry if you get the odd unwanted thought. Just allow the thought to drift away.

Focus on your breathing and the stillness of the moment, while continuing your slow deep breathing. With every slow, deep breath, allow yourself to relax even more and focus your mind only on the flame. Stay in this pleasant state as long as you like.

It's a good way of completely calming your mind. When you have finished blow out the candle and close your eyes. Avoid thinking too much. After a minute or two, go to bed.

You should be able to sleep easily.

Study has found that blue light emitted by electronic devices lowers the production of melatonin, the hormone which regulates sleep.

During the study, those using e-readers and tablets instead of books took one and a half hours longer to fall asleep. Their R.E.M sleep, which is critical to memory consolidation, was also shortened.
Despite having the same amount of sleep, those using light-emitting electronic readers felt groggier and more tired during daytime than those who read a book before bed.

Scientists advised people to minimize the use of such devices before bedtime, especially teenagers who need more sleep than adults.

Breakfast

Missing breakfast may cause these levels to dip, making you feel very hungry later on and you end up eating too much to compensate.

It is important to keep your blood levels stable

• Have muesli or porridge - you will feel fuller for longer.
• Mid morning a piece of fruit, it will help tackle mid-morning sugar cravings.

Bananas are good (they contain potassium which can regulate high blood pressure).

Lunch

• Try beans on toast.
• Beans are full of fibre and provide slow-release energy that will keep you feeling full for hours.
• Having whole grain toast will help steady your blood sugar levels.
• Or at work try a Bean Sandwich, made with whole grain bread.

Chew Gum

• Chewing gum stimulates the flow of saliva, which contain minerals that protect your tooth enamel from being attacked by sweet or acidic foods.
• Chewing gum can also suppress appetite.

Mid Afternoon

• Eat a pot of yoghurt, is helps blood sugar levels stay under control and helps maintain a healthy gut.
• By eating little often, you can avoid the blood-sugar highs and lows linked to heart disease.

When finishing work (about 5.00 pm) this is the time to go to the gym.

Our core body temperature is at its optimal level (which means the heart and lungs function at their best), muscles are warm, tendons are flexible, reaction times are sharpest and the stress hormone cortisol (which can damage the immune system) is low.

Have a light dinner

• Large meals of starchy carbohydrates increase your blood sugar levels.
• Also, too many carbs can lead to fermentation in the gut, which can cause bloating and disrupt your sleep.
• Have a meal that consists of at least 50% vegetables with 25% each of carbohydrates and protein.
• Eat slowly and chew properly it takes 15 to 20 mins for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full so if you rush your food, you will end up eating more.