Top tips to improve your sleep
Not getting a full night’s sleep can affect how you function the next day. Our carers ensure that our service users have a sleeping routine put in place, but it’s also super important that they are well-rested before tackling a day of care work too so we always give them some top tips to follow and we thought we would share these with you too.
Get yourself into a routine
Getting yourself into a consistent routine will work wonders for you. It’s important to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time too.
When deciding on the time to go to sleep, make sure it’s a time around when you’re naturally tired. If you’re getting enough sleep your body should start to act as a natural alarm clock and wake you up at a similar time each morning.
It might be tempting to have a lie-in on a weekend but this can throw your body off course for the rest of the week so stick to your routine on the weekends too.
Reduce your caffeine intake
Reducing the amount of caffeine you drink from the early afternoon onwards will help alleviate any sleeping problems. Place a strict no caffeine rule from 6pm and instead try green tea or camomile tea.
Get rid of distractions
In this day and age bedrooms have become somewhere for us to watch TV, use laptops, iPads and mobile phones, which are all huge distractions when it comes to wanting to go to sleep. When you enter the bedroom your brain needs to know that this means it’s time to sleep.
Using gadgets and technology before going to sleep can wake the brain up instead of letting it relax, so clear the room of any distractions.
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise can reduce stress and anxiety levels, which are often causes of lack of sleep. Why not take up yoga or do some gentle stretches in the evening to allow your body to really relax.
Comfort is key
The most important way to get a good night’s sleep is to be comfortable. Invest in a comfortable mattress and keep the room cool. It should also be well ventilated to enable you to get some proper rest.
