Sleep Your Way To Better Health

Sleep is often seen as a slight mystery. We spend around one third of our lives asleep without really understanding much about what happens to our bodies during this time. But with reports that 30 percent of people are sleep-deprived, and also scientifically proven associations between sleep patterns and health, it is clear that how we sleep can influence our overall well-being.

Learning more about an individual’s sleep pattern can provide many insights into their health. On an personal level, we often ask several revealing questions such as:

• Do you typically sleep 7-9 hours each night?
• Are you comfortable through the night?
• Do you usually wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day?
• Do you fall asleep easily within 30 minutes?
• Do you typically remain asleep throughout the night?
• Are you able to clear your mind of any worries before going to bed?
• Are you free from any night time perspiration?
• Do you have an evening routine to help wind down before going to bed?

If the answer to many of these questions is ‘no’ it is certainly worth looking at an individual’s sleep pattern to help determine where their health may be out of balance.

Whilst sleep patterns can vary from one person to another, persistent sleep deficiency is linked to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. 

So how can we tackle this growing problem?

The first step is to remind ourselves that sleep is not just about physical rest, it’s also about mental rest. Allowing our thoughts to settle, and gradually winding ourselves down in the late evening prior to bed is an essential approach to consider. There are many ways to achieve this, and the best ways will always be individual preferences. Mindfulness and meditative practices can help, as can light reading, detaching from technology, taking a warm bath - any approach that gradually eases the mind and allows us to detach from common daily stressors will support healthy, natural sleep.

Daily activity and regular exercise can also assist the sleep process. As exercise can be a stimulant, it’s best to avoid this late in the evening, but studies collated by the National Sleep Foundation have shown that adults with insomnia fall asleep more quickly, sleep longer, and have better sleep quality by exercising regularly.

Dietary factors can also play a role in the quality of our sleep. Obviously it’s important to avoid evening stimulants such as caffeine, but studies seem to suggest that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fibre, and low in saturated fats, appear to support high quality sleep when consumed on a regular basis.

Undoubtedly my favourite approach to falling asleep easily is Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 technique. The origins of this technique are thought to be yogic, and can help some people fall sleep in sixty seconds or a few minutes at most. It works well for many of my patients, and it works well for me too. The approach is quite simple: once you’re comfortably in bed and have allowed your thoughts to settle, exhale completely through your mouth. Then close your mouth and inhale through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight, and repeat the cycle again as needed.

Getting to know your sleep pattern and having a routine that you can rely on to switch off and wake up at the optimum time is a hugely positive step towards improving one’s ability and performance during the day. At The Health Studio, we focus on helping individuals and organisations look after their health in a natural and sustainable way. If you would like more information about how holistic health methods can quickly improve physical and mental wellbeing.

Credit to 

Dr. Shan Hussain