Going to bed at the same time will help you to sleep, perchance to dream

“WITHOUT enough sleep, we all become tall 2-year-olds.”

I love hearing the clever things people say about everyday activities, and it was while looking for quotes about sleep – because March 15 is World Sleep Day – that I found this gem.

Described as the “terrible twos”, it’s become practically accepted that parents will face a particularly challenging time when their child reaches this age. And when it comes to sleep deprivation, I’m one of those people who revert to my terrible twos when something is keeping me from catching some “zees”.

An important part of a healthy lifestyle includes not only eating well and exercising, but also getting enough rest and quality sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation in the US recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, with some able to manage with as little as five to six hours, and others requiring up to 10 or 11 hours of sleep a night.

You have to get to know your body well enough to know which end of the sleep requirement spectrum you’re on, bearing in mind that there will be times you need more sleep and times you can get by with less.

But it’s not only the quantity of sleep you get that’s important – you also need to get quality sleep. One way of ensuring this is to understand your “chronotype”, which describes your preference to mornings or evenings. This gives you insight into your body’s 24-hour clock, the best times for you to exercise, wake up and go to sleep, among others.

According to the results of a sleep questionnaire conducted by UCT’s Sleep Science Team, I’m a “definite morning type” person – or a lark. Evening types are referred to as owls.

The report notes: “In general, and where circumstances allow, we recommend that people sleep, work and exercise in sync with their chronotype. Choosing earlier wake-up and bed times, earlier working hours and early morning exercise sessions if you are a lark; or later rising and bedtimes, later working hours and evening exercise sessions if you are an owl, ought to maximise your enjoyment, productivity and performance in these areas.”

Getting enough sleep improves mental function, which manifests as improved concentration, decisionmaking, problem-solving, creativity, flexibility, motivation and general mood. Just take a moment to think about how you perform mentally and emotionally when you’ve had enough sleep. Then think about what it’s like when you haven’t had enough sleep.

From a health perspective, it’s also been found that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease or disorders like diabetes and obesity because sleep deprivation can alter the glucose metabolism and hormones involved in regulating metabolism.

So, why not mark World Sleep Day by making a commitment to improve the quality of your sleep. Here are some tips from Dr Dale Rae, the director of Sleep Science and a senior researcher at UCT.

◆ Establish a routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Going to bed at a set time helps your body anticipate sleep, which will help you fall asleep – and wake up – easier.

◆ Limit caffeine intake to the morning as this will improve your chances of feeling sleepy at a reasonable hour at night.

◆ Try not to exercise or eat too late in the evenings since both increase your metabolic rate, delaying your desire to sleep early.

◆ Limit alcohol intake. While it may make you sleepy initially and you fall asleep fast, too much alcohol can interfere with the quality of your sleep.

◆ Tune down before turning in. Try to avoid work, studying or anything else too stressful in the hour before you turn out the lights. Limit screen time in the evenings as the light from TVs, phones, tablets and computers suppresses melatonin, which helps to promote sleep.

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