Dreaming of getting a good night’s rest?
Here are some simple tips to help you achieve just that!
Good Sleep doesn’t always come easy
Ever wonder why can’t I fall asleep? Or why am I still so sleepy the next morning? An average healthy adult spends about one -third of his life sleeping, but good sleep doesn’t’ always happen easily for everyone. If you are one of those who struggled with getting a restful sleep, start your journey to good sleep by first, understanding what is causing your sleep disturbance.
Sleep can be affected by many factors and these can generally be classified into external and internal causes. There could be many external factors such as our sleep environment, for instance, loud noise, bright light, stimulating activity, food or even the medication that we take. Internal factors could refer to anxiety, stress, genetics often linking to some sleep disorders that have yet to diagnosed.
Practice the following tips to help you overcome some of these factors!
Tips to Good Sleep
1. Avoid stimulants before bedtime
Caffeine, Nicotine are stimulants which will keep you awake.
Alcohol might help you fall asleep faster but too much of it will disrupt your deeper stages of sleep in the night, leaving you feeling groggy and sluggish the next day.
2. Avoid heavy, rich food at least 2 hours before bedtime
Spicy, oily or heavy food may cause indigestion, leading to heartburn during sleep and disrupts the restful night.
If you really need to have some food before bedtime, try sleep inducing foods such as warm milk, banana, yogurt, almonds, walnuts, cottage cheese and oatmeal. While these foods have the potential to introduce more melatonin, a hormone to help you sleep better, the key is still to consume them in moderation.
3. Go to bed at about the same time every night and aim for 7 hours of sleep.
4. Set up and follow a bedtime routine
Repeat bedtime routine every day so that your body and mind is conditioned to expect to sleep.
Routine activities should be easy, non-stimulating and relaxing.
An example of a routine will include: brushing teeth, washing face, reading a book, knitting etc.
5. Enhance your bedroom environment for sleep
Clean sheets, comfortable pillows and bed with good support.
Big enough bed to lie down, stretch out, turn your body without banging into furniture or falling off the bed.
Optimal temperature and humidity.
Ear plugs if you have a snoring partner or unavoidable noise from environment.
6. Dim or switch off artificial lights on all electronic devices
This include the lights from laptops, TVs, hand phone, tablets etc.
7. Take power nap of no more than 20 minutes
Nap time of 10 to 20 minutes will give you quick jolt of alertness.
If your nap is between 20 to 90 minutes, you may wake up feeling groggy, experiencing a condition known as sleep inertia where you wake up in the middle of your deep sleep stage.
Could it be something more serious?
If you suspect that your sleep disturbances could be caused by internal factors such as anxiety, stress or sleep disorders, it may be prudent to visit a sleep specialist doctor or take an overnight sleep study.
There are many types of doctors who treat sleep disorders. Among these are:
Ear, nose and throat specialists
Neurologists
Respiratory physicians
Dental sleep specialists
Some cardiologists
Types of sleep studies available to Singapore are:
In-hospital sleep studies where you will sleep overnight in a hospital sleep lab with a technician monitoring your sleep patterns
Home sleep studies are conducted with you wearing a sleep recording device and sleeping one night at home with the device
Yvonne is responsible for the expansion of The Air Station and ensuring a strong succession plan is in place for the smooth continuation of the business. Her main focus is on increasing public awareness of disease and treatment, as well as enhancing customer experience in a changing healthcare landscape, which is achieved through employee and customer engagement.
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