In honour of World Sleep Day on March 14, we asked the experts for tips on getting your best sleep yet – through Ramadan and beyond
Getting a good night’s sleep is important at every age – from newborns through to older age. Not only does it allow the body to rest and recover from the stresses and exertions of daily life, but it’s also when the body switches from the sympathetic (fight or flight) to the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing our brains to consolidate memories, process emotions and repair cellular damage – all vital for a well-functioning mind and body.
While we don’t all need the same amount of sleep, we do all need good quality sleep, says Hollie Shannon, a clinical psychologist at Sage Clinics. “Most people understand that sleep is important for their physical and mental health, yet often neglect their sleep hygiene,” she adds. “From a psychological point of view, getting enough sleep is one of the simplest ways to protect your mental health and improve wellbeing.”
As Hollie puts it, sleep “sets the scene” for everything else in our lives. “Getting almost enough sleep is not the same as getting enough. So, creating healthy sleep habits really should be a top priority for everyone.”
Why? A lack of good quality sleep – even cutting your sleep by one hour – can impact your stress levels and mental function. “If you consistently go to bed late, struggle to sleep and/or wake often during the night, you are more likely to accrue ‘sleep debt’,” explains Hollie. “This is when you consistently get less sleep than your body needs. People will often wake up feeling tired and irritable, struggle to retain and process information, take longer to complete tasks and generally feel more stressed and anxious. Chronic sleep deprivation poses many risks to our physical and mental health and can reduce overall quality of life.”
But we’ve all been there… Those nights when you simply can’t sleep. Tossing, turning, overthinking life, and no matter what you do, nodding off feels eternally elusive.
Here to help is Claudine Gillard, a sleep therapist and founder of Sweet Dreams Sleep Consultants who works with children and adults to re-shape poor sleep habits, with a five-step guide to getting good sleep:
BE REPETITIVE AND CONSISTENT
At the heart of getting good sleep is a healthy bedtime routine. Ensure lifestyle choices are beneficial: Follow a healthy diet, eat at a time that doesn’t hinder sleep, get a good level of exercise but avoid late in the evening, and find things to de-stress you before bedtime.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
If you’re struggling with things, listen to your body and look at what it is you’re not achieving, either at work, with family time or in leisure time, and consider making adjustments to maximise sleep. Most of the time, extra sleep can improve the issues you’re facing.
SET UP YOUR BEDROOM
Create a calm, welcoming and sleep-inducing environment in your bedroom and avoid using it as a workplace or location for entertainment. Soft, warm lighting, quiet, curtains to keep out the light, not too warm… Develop a good routine of pre-bed relaxation, be it gentle yoga, a bath or reading a book.
BANISH BRIGHT LIGHTS
We know that screens and bright lights can disrupt sleep, so avoid screen time before bed, however tempting it may be.
ADJUST SLEEP PATTERNS DURING RAMADAN
Try to maintain a consistent bedtime during the Holy Month. Avoid huge meals at Iftar or Suhoor, as this will make falling asleep harder if you return to bed after eating. Consider having an earlier bedtime, sleeping six hours without waking, and then staying awake after Suhoor. Fragmented sleep is less beneficial. A mid-afternoon nap of 20 minutes to two hours can help those missing a full night’s sleep of a minimum of seven hours’ unbroken sleep.
