Blog

With the leaves changing colour and the days growing shorter and colder, it seems like a great time to talk about sleep – I think the bears would agree!

Although we aren’t aware of it in the moment, sleep is an active and complex process.  Sleep cycles through predictable stages during the night, beginning with lighter non-REM sleep, followed by deeper non-REM sleep and REM sleep(when we dream), with each stage playing an essential role in our health.  Sleep has been shown to improve memory retention for both fact-based learning(e.g. studying for an exam) and for motor skill learning(e.g. sport-specific technique or playing an instrument); it also speeds the recovery process by stimulating the repair of muscle tissue and helps us regulate our emotions.

Adults generally function best with at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night and if we get less than seven hours, our mental functioning begins to decline.  With all of the demands put on us by work, school and relationships – not to mention the relentless pinging of our electronic devices – how do we ensure we get enough quality slumber?  Here are a few simple ideas to get you started

Restrict Your Screen Time: Exposure to bright light(including blue light from phones, tablets and laptops) in the evening delays the body’s hormonal cues to sleep.  If you do use your electronic device at night,  use a blue-light filter to minimize the negative effects of light exposure; this feature is built into most smartphones and apps are available for tablets and computers.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol: Both can affect your sleep if ingested 4-6 hours before bedtime.  Although alcohol may initially help you fall asleep quickly, it has been shown to disrupt the normal sleep cycles and cause more frequent waking during the night.

Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment: A room that is cool, dark and quiet is most beneficial for sleeping.  Keep electronic devices and work out of the bedroom and use blackout curtains and earplugs if the room is naturally very bright or noisy.

Manage Medication: Certain medications can affect the quality and duration of sleep, such as prescriptions for heart problems, blood pressure, asthma, depression and anxiety.  If you have feel that a prescription is negatively impacting your sleep, speak to your physician or pharmacist.

Leanne Wright, RMT