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.

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    1. Cristina Toro-Velasco, Manuel Arroyo-Morales, César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Joshua A. Cleland, Francisco J. Barrero-Hernández. Short-Term Effects of Manual Therapy on Heart Rate Variability, Mood State, and Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Patients With Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Pilot Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2009; 32 (7): 527 DOI: 1016/j.jmpt.2009.08.011
    2. Quinn C, Chandler C, Moraska A. Massage Therapy and Frequency of Chronic Tension Headaches. Am J Public Health. 2002 October; 92(10): 1657–1661.

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