QUIZ How can you SLEEP BETTER?
You’re 12 questions away from having your answers. Hello, best snooze ever!
It’s funny what you’ll mull over when you’re gazing at the ceiling in the middle of the night: How often do the car tyres need to be rotated? Did I forget to pay the credit card bill? And, of course, how come I just can’t doze off like, say, that other person in my bed? When you can’t sleep, your mind is “always turning on itself,” says
Dr Lisa Shives, who specialises in sleep problems and solutions. But you can replace random thoughts with the following questions. Answer them to diagnose – and solve – your snooze issues.
According to the Sleep Health Foundation, up to 45 per cent of Aussies have poor sleep
patterns.
No. 1 HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRYING TO CONK OUT?
If it’s been more than 20 or 30 minutes and you still haven’t dozed off, get up and leave the room. “At some point, your bedroom no longer becomes conducive to sleep – it turns into a torture chamber,” says neurologist Dr Erik St Louis. Find a dimly lit space in another part of the house and do something that lets your mind wander. Dr Shives suggests listening to an audiobook, as long as it’s not too enthralling. “Choose a classic like Pride and Prejudice, so you know what happens,” she says. If music is more your style, go for something soothing (not some rousing hits). Above all, avoid doing chores or catching up on work, which can further activate your brain and make it harder to fall back asleep.
No. 2 DO YOU HAVE OCWD (OBSESSIVE CLOCK-WATCHING DISORDER)?
“Oh, no, it’s 2.37am. Now it’s 2.57am. 4.13am? Really?” Every time you look at those glowing numbers on your alarm clock, that internal pressure builds, reinforcing all the sleep you’re not getting. “Stealing a glance at the clock every few minutes tends to stimulate your brain and keeps you focused on the time rather than on falling back asleep,”
Dr St Louis says. Try draping a towel over the clock so you can’t see it, or use an old-fashioned alarm clock that doesn’t have LED numbers.
No. 3 WERE YOU HOOKED UP TO A CAFFEINE DRIP ALL DAY?
Biology 101: There’s a natural sleep aid in your body. It’s a chemical called adenosine, and the more of it that’s flowing through your brain at night, the more drowsy you’ll feel when it’s time to go to bed. Caffeine fights off the effects of this substance by increasing brain activity, which is great when you need a jolt, but not so good when you’re in a war with your pillow. If your afternoon or evening snack involves, say, a latte or more than a few slices of chocolate, adenosine may have a hard time doing its job. “Don’t consume caffeine within three to four hours of bedtime, and if you have insomnia, cut yourself off at noon,” advises sleep researcher Dr Thomas Roth. And read labels, because there are some sneaky culprits that are loaded with caffeine.
You might not be surprised that energy drinks can have up to a whopping 80mg per 250ml can, or that a 50g bar of dark chocolate has 22mg (the darker the chocolate, the more caffeine). Even a cup of regular black tea has 50mg.
No. 4
DO YOU WORRY YOURSELF AWAKE?
If you’re anxious or if an endless to-do list is keeping your eyes open, ruminating over the details won’t help. So what will? Experts recommend setting aside designated “worry time” – 10 or 15 minutes during the day, at least two hours before bedtime, says psychologist Dr Jodi A Mindell. “Use this planned worry time to write down what’s bothering you and brainstorm ways to solve these issues, so the same concerns don’t creep up on you after midnight.” Yes, therapy is one ballpoint pen away. “Several studies have shown that journalling can also help decrease anxiety,” she adds. Tried that and still can’t sleep?
Give that audiobook a shot right now.