Sleep, Your Ultimate Power Source

It’s national bed month, indeed the perfect time to remind us why a sound sleep is good for our health! Sleep plays an important role for a healthy lifestyle! Most of us, definitely feel sleep “starved”; how many times in a week do you literally wish you could stay in bed for a whole day? Perhaps on every morning that you have to wake up early. With today’s fast paced life, more and more people are finding it difficult to sleep up to the recommended 8 hours. In some cases, your sleep may be affected by changes in the environment. In the UK, daylight saving time begins at 1 am on Sunday 26 March which means that days will get longer and nights shorter. As we spring forward, it is necessary to know how this change might affect your sleep.

Why sleep is important?

In general, during spring we tend to lose one hour of sleep. Studies have shown that a good night’s sleep decreases the breakdown of collagen, prevents skin inflammation which in turns reduces acne breakouts. During deep sleep, there is a growth of hormones which allows damaged cells to become repaired. This helps to slows down the process of ageing. The best part about sleep is that it gives a glow to the skin through the production of hyaluronic acid. However, not enough of sleep can have drastic consequences on your health. A disrupted sleep cycle can lead to serious health problems such high blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, obesity, psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders. Besides there are many gadgets on the market that can help to solve the problem of disrupted sleep cycle for example the aXbo sleep phase alarm clock which analyses your sleep pattern and wakes you up at your optimum sleep level. Therefore you are more productive during the day as you get effective sleep.

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How to have a good sleep?

Indeed some days you might feel like your batteries are running low and you are in need of a long-lasting power boost to look, feel and perform your best. All you need is sleep! We have a few tips that will definitely help you. Follow these tips for a more healthy sleep habit!

1. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark and a relaxing environment.

Design your bedroom environment in such a way that it optimises conditions for sleep. Pay particular attention to the temperature of your bedroom. It will be very difficult for you to sleep in a sweltering heat- hence, consider investing in a fan or air conditioner. As the brain takes light to be a signal to stay awake, minimise light sources. Turn off all technological devices that emit off light! Use black-out curtains which will also be perfect for an afternoon nap! The choice of colours is also important when considering bedroom design. Blue has been proved to be associated to feelings of calmness- blue sky or water- making it the best colour for your bedroom walls!

2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule

Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. While it is very tempting to sleep in during weekends, try to wake up at the same time. This has the added advantage of making Mondays easier. Sleeping till late is one of the causes of a Monday morning sleep hangover. Avoid long afternoon naps. These can mess up with your sleep drive at night!

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3. Adopt a healthy lifestyle

Take light meals before going to sleep. Eating heavy foods such as pizza or fried chicken right before going to bed is a recipe for insomnia. Indeed you will find more difficulties to sleep however regular exercise will help you to sleep faster and more soundly. Avoid drinking alcohol before going to bed, instead drink a cup of warm milk which will help to get a better sleep. Light exercise such as yoga will also improve the quality of your sleep!

4. Don’t take sleeping pills

Advise your relatives and friends to avoid taking sleeping pills. Researchers have shown that sleeping pills do not actually provide a sound sleep but instead can have annoying side effects in the long-run. If you wake up during the night, no need to worry as it is perfectly normal for some people to sleep in two shifts.

5. Switch off your mobile phone

Before going to bed make it a priority to switch off your phone to avoid hearing the notification sound of Facebook, WhatsApp etc from popping up.

With just a few modifications to your daily routine, now it’s time to stop struggling to make it through the day and perform your best! This season make sleep one of your top priorities and be smarter at school and happier at home!

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by Kedarshini Ramen