Axe coffee and social media to boost sleep
Simple things like enjoying a cup of herbal tea in solitude, or having a relaxing bath with some essential oils before bed, can help us to achieve a more restful sleep, particularly if you focus on taking some long, slow calming breaths.
This activates our parasympathetic nervous system, which allows us to feel calm and restful. A meditation or mindfulness practice is wonderful for helping you transition to sleep, and you don’t have to meditate for an hour to get the benefits – start out with a timeframe that feels achievable for you, commit to this for at least a week, and then gradually increase from there.
Avoid caffeine after midday
Caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline (one of our stress hormones), which fires us up. This effect lasts for many hours (about eight), and can interfere with your sleep if there is too much still circulating too late in the evening. Do you over-consume caffeine or consume it later in the day? Begin to change these choices if sleep is a problem for you. If this feels totally unachievable for you, try swapping your coffee for black or green tea – these provide a lower dose of caffeine.
Commit to a technology detox
When you do use social media, I encourage you to notice how it makes you feel – do the posts you view leave you feeling inspired and motivated, or do they trigger negative self-talk? Follow the accounts that uplift you and put aside those that don’t.
Do your best to avoid using a smartphone, tablet, laptop and computer in the 90 minutes leading up to your bedtime.
If you absolutely must use one of these, there are apps available that filter the type of light from the device that can affect your sleep quality. You can find these by searching ‘‘blue light filter’’ or ‘‘blue light blocker’’.
However, please remember that you deserve (and need!) time to switch off from technology and relax before you drift off to sleep.
Dr Libby is a nutritional biochemist, best-selling author and speaker. The advice contained in this column is not intended to be a substitute for direct, personalised advice from a health professional.