Over the last few weeks I have looked at different aspects of health and wellness, but this weeks’ is one of the most important. It is the foundation of health, one that very few people really think about, but it is the one that makes everything else easier – sleep.

Sleep impacts every aspect of our day; our health, our decisions, our mental and physical wellbeing, how we work, how we interact, basically everything. By taking some simple steps to improve your sleep, watch what happens to everything else around you.

It all starts with getting a sense of how you are sleeping. Now, you can use a sleep tracker on your smartwatch but they tend not to be overly accurate. I tend to ask people how they feel when they wake up and more importantly, how long does it take you to get into your day when you wake up.

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By that I mean, does it take five coffees, three snooze buttons or are you groggy until around midday? We all wake up tired, but when you sleep well, you will be able to start your day quicker and with more focus.

Let’s take a look at some simple ways that you can improve your sleep this week:

  • Reduce your caffeine: It takes us eight to 10 hours to process caffeine through our system, so caffeine after 2pm in the day is not a good idea if you are trying to sleep at 10pm. A really simple switch is decaffeinated tea or coffee from early afternoon onwards.
  • Have your dinner earlier: Going to sleep on a full stomach is never a good idea, so eating your larger meal in the day at lunchtime and a lighter meal later will mean you sleep faster and deeper at night time.
  • Move more: It sounds like a simple fix, but are you actually tired? Moving more during the day and actually tiring the body out will help you sleep better. As life becomes more sedentary, especially as you get older, this can really impact your sleep.
  • Change your mattress: We spend over 50 hours a week lying on it, so think about when was the last time you changed your mattress? Ideally, you should be changing every six to eight years and take your time choosing one, stretching the budget as much as you can.
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  • Avoid the big lie in: Having a lie in is great, but a long one can throw your sleep rhythm and really impact your ability to sleep the next few nights. Aim to add no more than an hour to your normal wake time. I know you might think I am a killjoy, but trust me, it will make a huge difference to your sleep over the week.
  • Dim the lights: This is something we have done in our house and it has made a huge difference. Later in the evening, we have table lamps and bedside lamps that turn on and we turn off the bright house lights. Naturally creating a calm nocturnal environment, telling the body that it is evening time and preparing for sleep can make a real difference.

  • Spring clean:
    • I like clean and organised spaces, so does your mind. Your bedroom should be an inviting, relaxing space that you feel calm in. Chaos is the disruptor of sleep, so give your bedroom a good spring clean and watch how much better you sleep.

    There you have it, sleep better to feel better.

    Next week: Why you need to breathe better and how you can achieve that.

    Scan the QR code: Get more rest and a better night’s sleep with these tips from Karl Henry.