Sleep

This week the press seem to be full of articles on sleep, ranging from recent research to the reasons why we lose sleep – the top reason being a heavy workload.

I am sure that most people reading this blog post know that if they have a good night’s sleep they wake up feeling refreshed.  So the recent discovery by scientists from University of Wisconsin which shows sleep restores your brain will be of no surprise.  (For any geeks out there the research showed that sleep boosts myelin which is essential in the growth and repair of our brains.  The research also revealed that deep sleep doubles the rate of reproduction of some cells.)  While over in Stockholm researchers have discovered that people think sleep deprived individuals “look sad, unhealthy and unattractive”.   For anyone that is struggling to get a good night’s sleep knowing science has proved that they look as awful as they feel isn’t exactly helpful either!  So I wanted to share a few tips with you on getting a good night’s sleep.

  • Try to go to bed and get up at the same time as bodies like routine and it will help you sleep better.
  • Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark, restful and the right temperature i.e. not to hot and not to cold. Remember it isn’t ideal to watch TV or work in your bedroom that includes trying to sleep while keeping one eye on your blackberry.
  • Try to mentally and physically relax before going to bed by turning of the TV or computer and having a warm bath, listen to some relaxing music, read a book or simply sip a cup of Chamomile tea.
  • Valerian is a dietary supplement that has been used since ancient times to help with a good nights sleep as it is known for combat insomnia and nervousness.
  • While exercise is great to combat stress, exercising too close to bedtime can actually make it harder to sleep.
  • It is best to avoid alcohol before your go to bed as for some people it will interrupt their sleep pattern later in the night.
  • It is best to avoid coffee from later afternoon onwards as for some people it will keeps them awake.

Finally some of my clients have reports that Reflexology has helped them by because they find they sleep deeper and hence wake up more refreshed.

Related Posts

  • Does abstinence improve sporting performance?

    I know lots of my readers take part in sporting competitions and they always want to perform at their peak and win.  So is it best to abstain the night before a competition?  Certainly here is a myth that abstinence before sporting activities improves performance? But does it? Researchers at the University of Florence reviewed hundreds of studies to determine if there was any truth in the myth that abstinence helps performance.  They found no evidence to support the myth that abstinence before a sporting competition improves performance.  In addition they found no evidence that having sex the night before impairs performance the next day.  They came across one study that found marathon runners did better the next day after having sex the night before. All sporting competitions are as much about the mind as the physical activity.  So the impact of sex the night before on marathon runners may be psychological.  Maybe that is why the organisers of the Rio Olympics distributed more than 450,000 condoms in the athletes' village during the 2016 Olympics. Reference Stefani Laura, Galanti Giorgio, Padulo Johnny, Bragazzi Nicola L., Maffulli Nicola, 2016, Sexual Activity before Sports Competition: A Systematic Review,  Frontiers in Physiology, Vol 7, pg 246 http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2016.00246

  • How to test if you have good posture

    We all know that we need good posture.  So today I wanted to share with you how to test if you have good posture.

    The Wall Test - Stand with the back of your head touching the wall and your heels six inches from the baseboard. With your buttocks touching the wall, check the distance with your hand between your lower back and the wall, and your neck and the wall. If you can get within an inch or two at the low back and two inches at the neck, you are close to having excellent posture. If not, your posture may need professional attention to restore the normal curves of your spine.

    The 'Jump' Test - Feel the muscles of your neck and shoulders. Do you find areas that are tender and sensitive? Are the buttock muscles sore when you apply pressure? What about the chest muscles?

    If any of your muscles feel tight, sore or achy then why not book in for a massage.

  • How to stay healthy at your desk

    This week the daily mail reported that three in four office workers blame desk for sickness: badly set up desks and chairs cost companies 7bn each year. Rather than sitting in silence or popping pain killers to ease headaches or back pain,  here are my top 7 tips for staying healthy while working at your desk.

    1. Sit up straight.  As you read this post, if you’re not running to an appointment or standing, how are you sitting? Really take notice of how you are sitting and poised. Are you legs crossed? Is your back hunched over as you read this? Or are you sitting up straight?  If you are sitting ensure that you are sitting up straight, not slouched, with your head directly over your torso and your feet on the ground, using a foot rest if necessary.
    2. User a wrist support.  Repeatedly bending your wrists up and down (extension and flexion) compresses structures inside the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This can cause pain and lead to injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.  Place the heel of your palm on a wrists pad to minimise wrist pain.
    3. Use a headset.  If you spend a lot of time on the phone user a head set rather to avoid holding the phone to your ear by raising your shoulder which may cause neck & shoulder pain.
    4. Don't bang the keyboard instead use a light touch.  Try to use the minimum amount of force necessary to depress the keys. The tendons from your fingers connect near your elbow, so striking the keys too hard can lead to problems you might not associate with your keyboard-for example, pain and inflammation in your elbows (Epicondylitis).
    5. Look straight ahead.  Maintaining proper eye level with your computer monitor is essential. This helps you avoid straining your back, neck, shoulders, and arms. In addition, proper eye level reduces unnecessary eye strain. To accomplish this sit in your office chair and stare straight ahead. You should be looking directly at the center of your monitor. If you are not looking at the center of the screen adjust the monitor until you have the correct measurement and use a monitor riser where necessary.
    6. Save your work, save your shoulders.  Working as a massage therapist who specialise in Acupressure Neck & Shoulder massage withing an office environment, I know muscular tension in shoulders causing neck and shoulder pain is a common problem.  To minimise the build up of muscular tension in your shoulders, every time your save your work or send an email simply circle your shoulder three times clockwise and then three times anti-clockwise.
    7. Book a massage.  If you are feeling the stain and pain for working long hours at your desk then book a massage which are highly effective at relieving neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and tension headaches.
    Joanne Mullins of Vitality Therapy offers Vitality Breaks - Acupressure Neck & Shoulder massage within a corporate environment allowing individuals to get well and stay well.