Sleep Hygiene

Sleep restores the body physically and mind mentally and emotionally. You need sleep to ensure that your mind and body operates optimally and your general mood is properly calibrated. An absence of memory recall, mental agility na ka temper temper is usually as a result of premature ejection from the blankets and hunger (in some cases).

Sleep benefits
Sleep is thought to help keep the immune system strong and the heart and blood vessels healthy. It allows for growth and healing, and helps control appetite and weight. Sleep also promotes creativity, attention, memory and learning.

Sleep stages
Sleep has 4 stages, 3 of which are non-REM (rapid eye movement) and the last being REM sleep.

During stage 1, you are transitioning between being awake and asleep, and wake easily. During stage 2 your body temperature and heart rate starts to drop and your muscles relax as you fall into a slightly deeper sleep. During stage 3 you're in deep sleep with your body fully subdued and relaxed. At stage 4 (REM) rapid eye movements begin, your brain's activity increases as well as heart rate and blood pressure and most of your dreaming occurs. Dreams are considered important for learning and creating new memories. 

A complete sleep cycle comprises of all 4 stages of sleep with each cycle lasting an average of 90 minutes.

How much sleep do you need?
Most adults need about 8 hours of sleep per night which is roughly 5 sleep cycles. Some people can cope with less but that doesn't make it ideal or optimal. Test different sleeping hours and pay attention to things such as your mood, appetite control, memory and general alertness. Settle for the number of hours where you feel your best without forcing things or playing mind games. Generally speaking and without encouraging laziness, the more sleep cycles you can get in the better.

How can you sleep better?

• Expose yourself to the sun early in the morning to properly align your circadian rhythm (body's internal clock). This will ensure that by the time it's bedtime your body has already started shutting down.
• Take a hot bath 🛁 right before bed. Don't find yourself in the kitchen or anywhere else after you wipe yourself down. Head straight for the covers and stay there.
• Turn your bedroom into a cave 🦇. This means boycotting technology so no electronic devices, TV, laptops or any other digital appliances in your bedroom and limiting the activities you engage in. The bedroom is strictly for sleep and marital duties. For a complete blackout experience contact Twambi on 0977-579280 for blackout curtains for the perfect sleep environment set up.
• Switch off your phone 📞 to avoid being roped into problems at night. Whatever issue arises at bedtime can be resolved in the morning. Additionally, I have an alarm 🚨 set for bedtime which helps me not lose track of time - you should too. Once it goes off so does my phone and I'm headed straight for bed.
• Wear earplugs to block out noise and eye masks to block out light. You can avoid anything stimulating your senses this way. Available at Link pharmacy.
• Eat supper 2 or more hours before bed to avoid activating digestion at a time when your body should be shutting down.
• Drink a small cup of chamomile tea 🫖 before bed. Chamomile has a particularly notable calming effect once ingested. Those that need help relaxing at night should consider it. Available at Woolworths and Shoprite. 
• Reduce your fluid (especially alcohol) intake after 6 pm to avoid waking up in the middle of the night to pee.
• Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time, even on weekends. With sleep, rhythm and consistency is everything.

Do everything you can to level up your sleep game and it'll pay dividends if you stick with it. Your mental sharpness will skyrocket, emotional balance will maintain equilibrium and physical wellbeing will improve.