Wellbeing | Keep the Ability to Sleep Well

Whether it’s having 20:20 vision or being able to touch your toes, it can come as a shock when the things you’ve always found easy don’t feel quite so effortless any more.

Now we’re living longer, it’s more important than ever that we take steps to protect and maintain the health of our brains and bodies, and it’s more within our control than you might think.

DON’T LOSE SLEEP

You’ve slept through since you were a baby but then stop being able to fall asleep easily and 4am becomes your new wake-up time. Denise Iordache, sleep specialist and therapist at joyspacetherapy. com says, “A primary contributor to change in sleep patterns in middle age is hormone fluctuations. Oestrogen plays a crucial role in regulating sleep patterns and its reduction may lead to disturbances in the sleep/wake cycle.” Throw in hot flushes, night sweats and anxiety and bedtime can start to feel like a nightmare. Production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, also decreases with age and blue light has been shown to affect melatonin levels. Lifestyle circumstances that increase stress levels can also cause sleep disturbance, including career demands, financial worries, care-giving responsibilities and so on. “Mental health factors such as anxiety or depression may become more prevalent during this life stage, further impacting sleep quality,” says Denise.

KEEP GOOD SLEEP HABITS

Establishing a consistent sleep routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, will help. A calming bedtime, free of stimulants, will also signal to the body that it’s time to wind down. Swapping blue light exposure from the TV, iPad and other devices for a mellow yellow lighting from lamps, candles or a fire before bed also helps to increase melatonin and can make you feel sleepy. “Another tailored approach involves mindful stress management,” says Denise. “Deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness practices or gentle yoga before bed promotes a more tranquil transition into sleep.” Spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol can all disrupt sleep. Instead, opt for sleep supportive foods like a warm milky drink, magnesium-rich nuts or melatonin-producing cherries.

This extract was taken from our feature ‘Use It Or Lose It’ by Rebecca Frank from our January issue. You can read more, including how to keep your balance, memory, confidence, sight, strength and flexibility from page 84. The January issue is in shops now, or you can buy it from our online store and have it delivered to your door.

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More from our January issue…

More reads on sleep…

How to | Get to Sleep More Easily

You are feeling very sleepy… With the clocks going back at the end of each month, we have a chance for an extra hour in bed, and an extra hour’s sleep is never wasted as far as we’re concerned. Make the most of it with rituals that will help you fall asleep quicker and sleep more restfully.

Avoid bedtime procrastination

Do you keep finding things to do rather than going to bed? Whether it’s faffing around doing jobs or watching another episode on Netflix, bedtime procrastination is a common barrier to good sleep according to the Sleep Foundation. And because our self control is at its weakest at night-time, if you don’t make a concerted effort to combat it, it can cost you valuable sleep time. They advise keeping a regular bedtime, switching off devices for at least half an hour – ideally longer – before bed, and having a set routine that becomes automatic to reduce the impulse to stay up later.

Read a story

Reading in the evening can help you wind down but if it’s close to bedtime it’s best to choose fiction over non fiction as it doesn’t require as much brainpower and tends to be more relaxing. It’s also better to read from a paper book than a device because of the blue light exposure. If you prefer electronic however, go for a Kindle as they emit less blue light than a phone or tablet, or get a blue light filter.

Listen carefully

Play some music, download an app for a guided meditation (try Ten Percent Happier), listen to a bedtime story (Audible has night-time stories), or some soothing podcasts, sound baths or ASMR (ASMR – Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response – refers to the tingling feeling you might experience when listening to certain sounds like folding towels or nails tapping, pouring water and whispering. It’s very subjective – some people find it really relaxing while others find it irritating or feel nothing at all). The right music can also help you wind down – try to choose something with a slower tempo (experts say around 60-80 BPM is ideal for relaxation and sleep as it corresponds with your resting heart rate) and go for low volume on speakers rather than earbuds or headphones. Spotify and YouTube both have playlists with tracks of 60-80 BPM.

Have a cuddle

Human contact will trigger the release of oxytocin (the hormone that makes you feel connected) and reduce levels of cortisol so that you’ll feel instantly less stressed. Sex has also been shown to boost oestrogen levels in women, which improves sleep quality. If you’re not in the mood, it’s worth bearing in mind that the better you sleep, the higher your sex drive will be, so it’s a win-win situation!

Sign off the day

Before you close your eyes, imagine forgiving yourself completely. The goals you didn’t reach. The mistakes you made. Instead of locking those flaws inside to define and repeat yourself, imagine letting your past float through your present and away like air through a window, freshening a room.

Advice from Matt Haig, author of The Comfort Book (Cannongate Books). This advice is part of our feature The Remains of the Day, from our November issue, in which we look at bedtime rituals. You can read it from page 76.

More sweet dreams…

More from our November issue…

How to interpret your dreams

Looking for definite answers? You must be dreaming

Attempts at dream decoding date back centuries – think of Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dream in the Bible (or, indeed, in the Lloyd Webber musical), for example.

Although there are hundreds of ‘dream dictionaries’ available, they are generally lacking any factual back-up – very broad links is about as far as scientists have got. But while you might not figure out exactly what that particularly vivid dream was supposed to mean, there are other useful ways to consider our dreams that can help us in our everyday (real) lives:
       

• Because most believe dreams provide insight, they do affect our behaviour. For example, people asked to imagine they dreamt about a plane crash the night before a trip were more likely to cancel than if a real crash had happened. The dream also produced a similar level of anxiety as a real crash.
• If a dream has produced a strong reaction, it’s probably worth taking the time to reflect on it, and ask yourself if it bears any logical relation to your waking hours – even if that simply means less cheese before bed.

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More from the January issue:

More sleepy inspiration:

Nest | Sleep kit

With just a few adjustments, you can turn an ordinary bedroom into a decadent den of slumber

• Choose the right bedlinen and bedclothes If you get chilly, brushed cotton is snug and comforting. If you easily overheat (or have hot flushes) opt for silk or bamboo, both of which wick away heat. Silk pillowcases are heavenly – keeping your head cool and preventing wrinkles. Patra (patra.com) has a great selection of all these.
   
• Play a relaxation track
  Headphones are impractical when you’re trying to sleep, so play your favourite music or coloured noise through your pillow. Try the Sound Asleep Pillow (£19.99, soundasleeppillow.co.uk).
   
• Spritz your pillow with a sweet-scented mist Try Tisserand’s Sweet Dreams (£12.95; tisserand.com) or Calm Sleep Mist (£19.99; calm.com/uk/sleep-mist).
   
• Wake up gradually with increasing light courtesy of the Lumie Bodyclock (£59.95; lumie.com), which helps to reset your Circadian rhythm. The fading sunset light is also the ideal wind-down.
   
• Combine light, sound and aromatherapy with the dinky Alto Aroma Diffuser (£79.99; madebyzen.com). It mists your bedroom for an hour at a time, and you can play soothing sounds via its Bluetooth speaker.
   
• Add slumber-friendly potions to your bedtime bath or shower
  Try Bloom and Blossom’s Sleep Night-Time Bath Oil (£25; bloomandblossom.com) or Spa Magik Organiks’ Deep Sleep Lavender Bath Salts (£12.50; magikorganiks.com), which also contain sleep-friendly magnesium.
   
• Sip a soporific herbal Pukka NightTime (£2.49; pukkaherbs.com) and Free Soul Sleep Tea (£6; herfreesoul.com) sedate and soothe.

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View the sampler here.

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More sleepy inspiration:

Wellbeing: How to lucid dream

Lucid dreaming enables you to be the director and star of your own dreams. Think of it as a mindful and life-enriching way to sleep

How often have you woken up, groggy from sleep, unsettled by a dream that is rapidly drifting from your memory? During the night your consciousness has produced images and sensations that may have been pleasurable but could just as easily have been disturbing. Whichever it is, these dreams are mysterious and intriguing but out-of-reach.

What would it be like, then, to be able to control your dreams and instead of passively being caught up in them, to direct them according to your own whims? You could explore new countries, fly over your neighbourhood or into space, defeat enemies, return to a favourite haunt, or even engage in something intimate with a favoured person.

This ability to consciously observe and direct your dreams is called lucid dreaming and is, according to Charlie Morley, co-creator of Mindfulness of Dream and Sleep (a holistic approach to lucid dreaming), a state available to all of us. “It’s safe and natural, not spooky or paranormal, and you can wake yourself up any time you want,” he says.

“Lucid dreaming means that you are consciously aware that you are in the dream as you are dreaming. You may be snoring, fast asleep, but part of your mind has woken up and is thinking: ‘I’m dreaming’. Everything you see, hear, taste, smell is as authentic as real life. It’s super-cool.”

Turn to page 84 of November’s The Simple Things for more on lucid dreaming, or read on for five pointers on how to lucid dream.

Sort out your bedroom
Looking at electronic devices or the TV is not compatible with a good night’s sleep. Restrict all of that to the living room, and clear your head instead. Then your bed will become a platform to launch you into a calm, uncluttered dream state.

Keep a dream diary
This is easier said than done when the urge to drift back to sleep or propel yourself into the day kicks in, but it is vital to enable lucid dreams. As soon as you wake up, write down everything you remember in as much detail as you can. This alerts you to ‘dream signs’ – situations which only happen in dreams, patterns and repeated images.

Ask yourself, “Am I awake?”
Hold your nose and attempt to breathe. If you can’t, you are awake. If you can, you are dreaming. This ‘reality check’ alerts you to the fact that you are in a lucid dream, and allows you to control it.

Incubate a dream
Tell yourself what you’d like to dream and picture it in your imagination before you fall asleep. There’s a greater chance then that it will manifest.

Disrupt your night’s sleep
This is for the hard-core would-be lucid dreamers. Go to bed at 10.30pm, then set the alarm to wake you at 4.30am and 6.30am. Each time, record your dreams before returning to sleep. This will give you more opportunities to lucid dream.

More from the November issue:

More sleep posts:

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View the sampler here.

Home truths: Things to help you sleep

This month in our series on what really goes on in a home, we curl up under the duvet and have a good night’s sleep

Insomnia is a mean and unhelpful thing. Anyone who has woken up at 4am, eyes wide and mind racing, knows how hard it is to get back to sleep. It can also be hard to get to sleep in the first place. There are, however, things that can ease your passage into the Land of Nod.

• Essential oils: lavender, chamomile and marjoram are known to aid relaxation and help you sleep. Add a few drops to a warm bath before bed or sprinkle some on your pillow.
• Music: small children know the restful power of the lullaby. Adults can do similar by rocking themselves to sleep with soothing tunes or with the sounds of nature. (Try the British Library’s free recordings, including gentle lapping waves, at sounds.bl.uk.)
• A good book: reading (or listening to an audiobook) until you slump into slumber is one of the best ways to get to sleep. May also produce dreams.
• The right curtains: your bedroom needs minimum light for maximum sleep. Lining your curtains with black-out fabric (137cm wide, £7.50 per metre, John Lewis) helps.
• An electric blanket: wrap-around toastiness guaranteed when you slip between the covers on chilly nights.

Turn to page 118 of November’s The Simple Things for more sleep ideas and home truths.

More from the November issue:

More sleep posts:

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View the sampler here.

Sponsored post: Herbs to help you sleep

Many conventional sleeping tablets actually inhibit REM sleep and should only ever be used short term. Natural relaxants, such as herb-based teas and supplements, are safe and will help to calm a restless body and mind as well as encourage undisturbed and refreshing sleep.

Nature’s natural sedative

Valerian is a strong nervine and sedative to the central nervous system, relaxing tense muscles while also encouraging an undisturbed sleep, healthy sleeping pattern and ameliorating stress. It promotes relaxation by enhancing GABA neurotransmission; it relaxes the heart, treating palpitations, tightness and high blood pressure, reduces the time to sleep onset and improves sleep quality. Valerian can also help with withdrawal from conventional medications used to treat insomnia. Valerian is the key ingredient in Pukka’s Night Time capsules.

GLOSSARY

REM: A kind of sleep that occurs at intervals during the night and is characterised by rapid eye movements, more dreaming and bodily movement, and faster pulse and breathing. REM sleep is important because it is the restorative part of our sleep cycle. 
Nervine: A plant remedy that has a beneficial, calming effect on the nervous system.
GABA: A type of protein that helps suppress the circuits in the brain (neurotransmitters) that cause anxiety. 
Melatonin: A hormone found naturally in the body that influences you to feel sleepy.

Turn to page 87 of November's The Simple Things for this month's Pukkapedia and more on sleep. 

More from the November issue:

More sleep posts:

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Home remedy: Sleep peacefully pouch

If you toss and turn, are kept awake by tomorrow’s to-do list or are troubled by bad dreams, this aromatic herb pouch will help encourage a lovely, floaty, restful sleep. 

Things you’ll need
3 tsp chamomile flowers
3 tsp peppermint
3 tsp sage
3 tsp valerian
3 tsp thyme
small piece of cotton fabric piece of string
..not a single sheep!

1 Place the ingredients in the centre of your piece of fabric and fold the corners in, so the herbs sit like the stuffing inside a cushion. Secure with string and place inside your pillowcase or next to it.

2 This is the last in our series of traditional Alpine remedies. To discover more, get a copy of Vinegar Socks by Karin Berndl & Nici Hofer (Hardie Grant) 
 

Read more:

From the March issue

Alpine remedies

Mint chocolate face pack recipe

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Think: Wind-down stretches

Try these to help relax your muscles, expel some of the tension of the day and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. This idea and the illustrations come from Calm by Michael Acton Smith (Penguin)

Shoulder rolls

Stand with a straight back, your legs hip-width apart. Let your arms hang loosely. Shrug both shoulders forward and up, then slowly roll them back and down. Repeat this several times. This helps to loosen the shoulders, neck and back.

Standing forward bend

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly bend at the hips and fold your torso towards the ground. Keep a small bend in your legs to avoid straining your back. Either let your hands rest on the ground, or fold them to hold your elbows. Straighten your legs gently to stretch out the back of your legs.

Back stretch

Lying on your back, bring your right knee towards your chest, then let it fall to your left. Rest your left hand on your right knee and stretch your right arm out straight. Bring your gaze to the right, or slowly let your head fall to the side. Repeat on the opposite side. This twist will gently stretch your spine.

Read more:

From the February issue

Think posts

Mindfulness posts

February's The Simple Things is out on Wednesday 27 January - buy, download or subscribe.