How to sleep like a baby

Getting the 'right' amount of sleep is so important for our bodies.

Sleep is beneficial for:

😴 reducing hunger - when you are sleep deprived your brain sends signals that increase your appetite, which can lead to weight gain.

😴 improving immune system function - when you sleep your body releases special cytokines which help fight infection and reduce inflammation. So if you don't get enough sleep you may be more prone to getting sick or having higher inflammation.

😴 improving brain function, when your brain is sleep deprived you are more likely to have impaired decision making, poor memory retention, and poor focus. Adequate sleep improves memory, memory retention and processing.

😴 reduces your risk of some diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

😴 reduces your risk of depression and other mood disorders

So how can you sleep like a baby??

Adults need between 7 to 8 hours sleep each night and the quality of sleep is also important. But there are some things you can do to improve your "sleep hygiene" (that term makes me lol)

😴 Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine too close to bed time.

😴 Avoid devices 2 hours before bed time as the blue lights interfere with the release of melatonin - the hormone which makes you feel sleepy

😴 Get adequate exercise during the day

😴 Make sure you are relaxed before bed. Cortisol is one of our stress hormones, which increases during the night and is at its peak in the morning, which is what wakes us up. If cortisol is too high before bed then it will be higher earlier and wake us up at some too-early horrible time of the morning!

😴 Too much alcohol can disrupt our sleep cycle

😴 Have a good routine. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This helps our body create a good sleep- wake cycle/rhythm.