Getting enough shut-eye every night is vital for both our physical and mental health. When we sleep, our bodies perform a variety of functions, from repairing damaged cells to strengthening our immune systems.
Sleep is also crucial for our brain as it’s when it processes all the information we’ve soaked up during the day and consolidates it into long term memories.
If you don’t get enough sleep every night, you’ll likely feel lethargic the following day, much more irritable and probably have poorer concentration levels. These can all have a big impact on your everyday life and may make any anxiety you’re experiencing seem much worse.
How much sleep do we need?
Experts say that between seven and nine hours of sleep a night is a good figure to aim for.
Nevertheless, this needs to be good quality sleep to properly nourish our minds and bodies. That means uninterrupted periods of dozing when our bodies are able to complete three to four REM sleep cycles.
Develop a relaxing bedtime routine
It’s important that you wind down properly and avoid stressful situations in those few hours before you go to sleep.
Developing a bedtime routine is a great way to do this, whether that’s choosing to read every night before you sleep, doing some gentle yoga or having a warm bath to soothe your muscles.
Try to go to bed at the same time every night, too, to help maintain a good sleep routine.
Make sure your room is cool and comfortable
Studies show that sleeping in a room that’s cooler is actually better for promoting sleep. That’s because our bodies naturally get cooler when we’re asleep as our heart rates drop and our blood circulation slows down.
Before you go to bed, turn the heating off or down, close all the curtains properly and make sure your bed is as comfortable as possible.
Sleep is also crucial for our brain as it’s when it processes all the information we’ve soaked up during the day and consolidates it into long term memories.
If you don’t get enough sleep every night, you’ll likely feel lethargic the following day, much more irritable and probably have poorer concentration levels. These can all have a big impact on your everyday life and may make any anxiety you’re experiencing seem much worse.
How much sleep do we need?
Experts say that between seven and nine hours of sleep a night is a good figure to aim for.
Nevertheless, this needs to be good quality sleep to properly nourish our minds and bodies. That means uninterrupted periods of dozing when our bodies are able to complete three to four REM sleep cycles.
Develop a relaxing bedtime routine
It’s important that you wind down properly and avoid stressful situations in those few hours before you go to sleep.
Developing a bedtime routine is a great way to do this, whether that’s choosing to read every night before you sleep, doing some gentle yoga or having a warm bath to soothe your muscles.
Try to go to bed at the same time every night, too, to help maintain a good sleep routine.
Make sure your room is cool and comfortable
Studies show that sleeping in a room that’s cooler is actually better for promoting sleep. That’s because our bodies naturally get cooler when we’re asleep as our heart rates drop and our blood circulation slows down.
Before you go to bed, turn the heating off or down, close all the curtains properly and make sure your bed is as comfortable as possible.