It’s national sleep month, and as always, people are searching for the latest tips and tricks for getting a peaceful and restful night’s sleep.
According to a recent sleep study by YouGov, one in eight Brits (12%) say that every night they have problems falling asleep and have fewer than six hours of sleep per night.
In the UK, there are over 17 thousand searches for the term “how to fall asleep fast” each month.
One place which is a fountain of knowledge on this topic is Tiktok. Videos with the hashtag #sleeptips have over 389 million views, and #sleephacks have over 153 million views as people look to the social media app to get a better night’s sleep. Top recommendations include:
- 4-7-8 breathing: Breath in through your nose for four counts. Hold for seven counts. Out through mouth (making a whooshing sound) for eight counts. Repeat.
- No blue light 90 minutes before bed.
- Waking up to natural light.
- Ensure the temperature of your bedroom is between 16 and 20°Celsius.
- Ensure that your bed is only for sleeping – don’t watch tv or go on your phone, and don’t go into the bedroom until you are ready to sleep.
While there are plenty of offer tips to try to normalise a person’s sleep schedule, many sleep experts recommend looking at the obvious habits contributing to poor sleep hygiene. Cannaray CBD has compiled a list of good night’s sleep recommendations.
Create a regular sleep routine
Dr Balu, consultant Psychiatrist (MBBS, MRCPsych, CCST, MBA) at Cannaray, says: “It takes an average of 66 days to create a habit – so there’s no better time to start a new habit than now! Building and maintaining a regular ‘bedtime’ is important as it creates a routine for the brain and body to latch onto and relax into over time.”
“The schedule can be as simple as a list of things to do at a certain time, like 10 pm, turn off the TV. 10:05, brush teeth. 10:10, take CBD oil. 10:15, use pillow spray, etc. That way, you’re ticking little tasks off a list, giving your brain the help to focus on winding down.”
“The biggest thing is following the schedule every night; that’s the only way it can become a habit; you must do it routinely.”
Avoid electronics before bed
Dr Balu says: “This seems obvious, but how often do we say we’re going to bed, then we end up scrolling TikTok for another hour before trying to sleep? You want to plug your phone in to charge, then leave it alone.”
“You need to remove all electrical stimuli from interacting with your brain, so pick up a book, write in a journal, or work on that 1000-piece puzzle. Anything but electronics!”
Cut out stimulants from midday
Dr Balu says: “You shouldn’t be consuming any kind of stimulants, whether that be sugar, caffeine, alcohol or tobacco, a good eight to ten hours before you want to go to sleep, as they will do the exact opposite of what you want.”
Waking up to bright light
“Bright lights like SAD lamps and sunrise alarms are great for mimicking the natural effects of the sun on your internal body clock, so sitting near a bright light box for 30 mins after you wake up will kick start your internal clock.”
“Many people who suffer from sleep problems struggle to regulate their body clocks, so they tend to stay awake longer and rise much later than normal. Using bright light therapy in the morning can also help to advance your internal clock, which will help them fall asleep sooner”, Dr Balu finishes.
