15th March is recognised as World Sleep Day. It is an annual event focusing on the importance of sleep. Sleep improves cognition, concentration, productivity, and overall mental health. (World Sleep Day 2024 - Awareness Days Events Calendar 2024)
Did you know that we spend approximately a third of our lives asleep? Sleep is an essential and involuntary process, without which we cannot function effectively. Sleeping helps to repair and restore our brains, not just our bodies. (Sleep Matters: The Impact Of Sleep On Health And Wellbeing | Mental Health Foundation)
Here are 10 tips on how you can get better sleep!
There are lots of different opinions about sleep and how much sleep you need but a good night's sleep is different for every individual.
Here are some common sleep myths!
Cheese before bed gives you nightmares - Eating a meal, especially a large one, just before bed will likely impact your ability to sleep properly. However, there's no evidence to suggest that cheese on its own will give you nightmares. So, don't worry this is definitely a myth!
A shower before bed helps you sleep - A shower is a great way to feel relaxed and clean in the evening before bedtime. A warm shower or bath, taken an hour or so before bed, may help you to sleep better. It helps our core body temperature to drop, a signal that tells our body it is time for bed. (11 common sleep myths | AXA Health)
Don't drink Caffeine after lunch - Caffeine is a difficult chemical for our bodies to deal with. It can hang around anywhere from 2 to 12 hours and works to keep us awake and stimulated. So, keeping away from high levels of caffeine later in the day can be beneficial if you're looking to improve your sleep quality.
Everyone need's the same amount of sleep - Everyone need's different amount's of sleep to function properly. Experts believe that most adults require somewhere between six and nine hours in order to feel refreshed and to function well both mentally and physically. (Sleep Deprivation - The Sleep Charity)