How Sleep Can Revive You

Many people today lead hectic stressful lives. Too much to do and not enough hours in the day is an all too common problem in society. Staying up late to get work done is often regarded as the solution. Late nights out in town are a good chance to have fun and socialise, however this often leads to lack of sleep, especially if you are expected back in work early the next morning. It is important that your body has chance to rest and recover ready to start another day. There are all kinds of health issues which have been linked to lack of sleep. For example, you could be more prone to picking up colds if you do not get enough sleep.

In the past, I have regularly gone without enough sleep in favour of having a few more hours to spare.  As it has recently become a new year, I have made a resolution to prioritise sleep and see it as essential in looking and feeling well. How much sleep an individual needs varies from person to person. Sleep needs can alter with the changing seasons as people tend to sleep more in the winter. An adult from age 18 - the end of life needs an average of 7.5 hours - 8.5 hours in a 24 hour period. I would say that I am on the lowest end of the scale. All you have to do is assess the amount of sleep you have had in a 24 hour period and compare it to how you feel during the day. Obviously as people age, they tend to have more 'cat naps' during the day. If you are still relatively young and feel like going to sleep during the day, you are not getting enough sleep. Taking note of your under eye area is often a tell tale sign of your sleep pattern. If you have more colour under your eyes, for example, grey or purple then the chances are you need more sleep.

So there you have it, having enough sleep can make you feel ready to face another day, generally in a better mood because you are more prone to being irritable if your tired, have a reduced risk of certain health conditions and can also make you look younger ......(and save a pretty penny on under eye concealer)!

My top sleep tips are:

• Try and switch your mind off as soon as you have gone to bed, an overactive mind leads you to stay awake and you are less likely to go to sleep the longer you are still awake.
• Taking a bath before bed may help to relax you.
• Read a book or listen to classical music to 'wind down' before bed.
• A drink of chamomile tea (naturally caffeine free) may be useful.
• Cut down on caffeine a couple of hours before going to bed.
• Do not over think about going to sleep, just relax.
• Wear an eye mask in summer as it will block out early morning light which could wake you.
• If you get up during the night and go to the bathroom, avoid putting on bright lights, using a lamp or torch could be a good idea, this avoids telling your body to wake up.
• Keep your body temperature from being too high or too low as this will affect your sleep, this may mean taking off or putting on some clothing, increasing or decreasing your heating or slightly adjusting the position of your duvet cover.

Thanks for reading and keep a look out for more blogs coming soon!

Delila DeMonte x