Zzzz
If you’ve been completing these steps in order from A-Z then…
Congratulations!! You’ve reached the final step! 🥳
If you’ve not managed to complete them all yet then don’t worry. By getting this last one right you might find it a lot easier to go back and complete those that may have seemed a little more difficult.
The Sleep Foundation say that quality sleep leads to improved concentration and better problem-solving and decision-making skills. In other words, the better you sleep the better your decision making will be when it comes to creating a better world around you!
How to Sleep Better
Fortunately Michael Mosley has drawn on expert analysis and evidence-based studies to deliver five top tips:
1. Breathe
If you consciously slow your breath down and breathe deeper in to your belly you can begin to reduce your adrenaline levels and stop your mind from racing. This is one of the most effective ways to get yourself to sleep. The NHS recommend doing this by breathing in for four seconds, holding for two and breathing out for another four.
2. Get up and get outside
Try to get up at the same time each day and go outside to get a good dose of natural light. This will help keep your body clock in good working order and ensure the release of hormones at the correct times of day to allow for good sleeping patterns. Find out more.
3. Make your bed a place of solace
If you’re in bed and you can’t get to sleep then get out of bed and don’t go back until you feel tired. Make your bed a place that you associate with sleep, not with trying (and failing) to sleep. This episode includes five steps to make this happen.
4. Warm up and cool down
A drop in core body temperature is vital to getting a good night’s sleep. Here Michael explores different methods to achieve this.
5. Forget the numbers
Don’t count the hours. You may not even need as many as you think! Sleep patterns can vary wildly from person to person. If you can let go of any expectation, you’ll take away a layer of anxiety around sleep that need not even be there. This final episode includes a 15 minute nap test you can perform to see if you’re getting enough sleep.
That’s It!
If you’ve completed just some of the 26 steps I’m sure you’re going to be sleeping a lot better anyway!
How have you got on or how are you getting along in completing these 26 steps? Let me know here!