Help Britain Get A Good Night’s Sleep
According to a YouGov survey released in May of this year, more than 76% of Britons would ideally like at least eight hours sleep, but only 26% actually get it. This appears to be a widespread problem as the majority of all age groups wanted eight hours or more, rather than just 18-24s who many would stereotype as sleep deprived. Oddly enough, most people (48%) said they were happy with the amount of sleep they get, despite wanting slightly more.
In terms of what may be preventing us from getting to sleep, it may have something to do with a separate survey released earlier this month by Ofcom. This found that, on average, Britons spend more time using technology devices than they do sleeping. It seems even people getting the ‘ideal’ amount of sleep are still spending more time on their smartphones and watching TV. In Ofcom’s survey, the average time spent sleeping was 8 hours 21 minutes, while time spent using technology measured 8 hours 41 minutes.
It seems that as a whole, we’re a nation struggling to switch off. With streaming services giving way to marathon TV sessions and smartphones delivering waves of varying social media channels to constantly talk and share in different ways, it’s hardly a surprise that we can’t put down our devices. We want more time in bed but don’t want to compromise on how much time we spend elsewhere. An impossible challenge, we know! Which is why we want to give you some tips to make sure you get a better night’s sleep, making you feel refreshed every day and maybe turning a few of you into more of a morning person!
- Learn about sleep cycles
While you’re asleep, your body drifts between light and deep sleep, occasionally entering Rapid Eye Movement sleep, when dreaming occurs. Waking up during deep sleep will leave you tired, disorientated and lethargic so you want to time when you go to bed so that you will wake up when you are sleeping at your lightest.
Sleep cycles typically last 90 minutes so you’ll want to be asleep by a time that is a multiple of 90 minutes from when you need to wake up. An easy way to work this out is by using our own sleep calculator, where you simply input the time you need to be awake and we’ll suggest time you should be falling sleep!
- Learn to wind down
Remember, however, that everyone is different in terms of how long it takes to get to sleep. Some fall asleep instantly, while some take longer than average, which has been found to be 15 minutes. Struggling to get to sleep can be a compounding problem as you lay in bed thinking “I should be asleep by now!” which only keeps you switched on for longer.
Try to keep your activities relaxing before you head off to bed. You may want to listen to some relaxing music, whether it is an instrumental or a nature sound CD. If you frequently find yourself worrying about specific things while trying to get to sleep, consider writing down your worries when you wake up. This’ll not only focus you throughout the day by kicking it off on the right foot, but will also calm you when you go to bed. You can mentally check off items from the list, knowing that you’ve dealt with or are dealing with them and this’ll put your mind at ease.
- Prioritise your bedroom for sleep
It can be tempting to decorate your room with items that can keep you entertained (watching TV in bed is certainly a favourite) but you’ll find yourself getting off to sleep more if you minimise the amount of potential distractions available to you. If you can turn your bedroom into a room solely for the act of sleep as much as possible, it can become a dependable place of relaxation at the end of the day.
Likewise, you should avoid things like texting, browsing the web and doing work on and in bed, even during the day. We all love our devices, but if you can draw the line and make your bed an app free zone, this’ll have a similar effect to keeping your room as whole free of clutter. Also make sure your room is properly furnished so that it is dark and quiet enough for you to relax. You might not be able to do anything about the neighbours, but you can certainly make sure your windows and blacked out.
- Power nap during the day
You may not always get the chance (especially all of us ‘nine to five’ers) but a quick lunchtime power nap could help keep you refreshed and focussed through the day. Especially if you’re really struggling to get enough sleep, try to have a quick nap (around 20 – 30 minutes) so that you’re re-energised, but not disrupting your natural sleep pattern too much.
While it may not always be possible, some work places are coming around to the idea of allowing their workers to take naps. It can lead to increased work ethic and focus and can also be very effective if you know you have a high pressure situation coming up, such as an important presentation or meeting. It’ll help you feel better throughout the day, so that you aren’t overly tired when you head to bed at the end of it.
- Try to keep a routine
Perhaps most importantly of all, you need to stick to a routine in order to make sure you consistently get a good night’s sleep. Once you know what works and have your ritual nailed down, take the time to go through it every night and you’ll find getting to sleep easier. Whether it is making a mug of herbal tea, reading a chapter of a book, or having a bath to relax your whole body, find what works and make sure you keep doing it!
If you’re looking to change your regular bedtime, we recommend doing this incrementally, changing it by 15 minutes a day until you reached your desired time. If you stick to these tips, you’ll be getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis in no time. Simply know when the best time for you to get to bed and wake up, make sure your bedroom aids you as much as possible and you take some time for yourself, keeping your mind clear and your body relaxed.
Sweet dreams!
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