The link between good sleep, good health, and resilience is undeniable. And as we learn more about sleep and what happens to us when we sleep, its importance continues to become more and more apparent. Yet, many endure poor sleep for years. Indeed, I’ve met people who have lived for decades with poor sleep. Importantly, there are some significant distinctions. Having a bad night’s sleep from time to time is not unusual. Some medical conditions and some medications can affect how you sleep. Stress is an absolute factor. And some just sleep badly. For a long time. This, then, raises the critical question. If you’re routinely sleeping badly, what’s the first step to reap the rewards of a good night’s sleep?
If you sleep badly for an odd night here and there, the best solution is to do nothing differently. Maintain your usual routines. Go to bed and get up at your usual times. Accept that it’s a bad night, and let your body and mind take care of the rest. It really is that simple.
If your poor sleep is the result of medication or a medical condition, it’s worth speaking to your healthcare specialists. They will have seen what you’re experiencing many times and may well have some useful advice. Additionally, it’s worth checking for local and national support groups to see what they say. My only caveat to this is to check carefully that any suggestions won’t make matters worse for you. Tread with care, trust your instincts, and give yourself time to find out more. I know it can be tempting to jump in and try anything.
I always think of stress as being from one of two sources. Not everyone agrees. For me, there is short-term stress, almost always linked to a specific event or set of circumstances. Some may call this anxiety. However you choose to call it, it goes back to having the occasional night where you don’t sleep well. If the issue is short-term, carry on regardless.
If it becomes longer-term, then it’s time to take action. If you can, resolve the issue or issues which are causing the stress. A lot easier said than done, I know. And only you can decide what’s more important to you. Crucially, if you’ve reached the point when you’re ready to take action, the way forward is much the same as when poor sleep is what you do, with no obvious cause.
The key is to make a plan. Obviously, there are a number of factors to consider in formulating such a plan. A lot is written about sleep hygiene, yet there appears to be little research on good sleep hygiene and whether it makes a difference for those with long-term sleep issues. Check out the detail and see what works for you.
Within all that is written about sleep, there are three recurring factors which do appear to make a real difference. The first is to establish a bedtime, and then stick to it. Even more importantly, set a getting up time, and stick to it no matter what. No matter how little sleep you get, no matter now tired, get up at the same time. Finally, if you’re lying awake for more than 20 to 30 minutes get out of bed and do something else. You want to break the connection between being in bed and being wide awake. This also means avoiding the comfy chair you retire to once you’re out of bed. It’s all too easy to cosy up somewhere else and then fall asleep. What you want is to reconnect bed with sleep and sleep with being in bed.
Of course, everyone is different. The key is creating a plan which works for you. You want to be realistic about your options and how to do the very best with what you have. This is very much the coaching approach.
If you know what to do, do it now. If you’re not sure, book an initial consultation here and then take the next step. You know that it makes sense, and you know that you can do it, don’t you?
