Good night, sleep tight! - Part 2/2
- ahaeurekamoment
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Consistency is the key
In order to regulate our body’s circadian rhythm, we need to keep a consistent sleep-wake schedule, meaning we adhere to similar wake and sleep time, daily. This is valid even on weekends, or holidays when there is no work to be done.
This can be especially challenging when one has a poor sleep the night before. However, we try to keep as close to sleep time as possible (at most, with deviation of 30 minutes), so that we do not wake up too early the next day, which may in turn, kickstart an unhelpful vicious cycle.
Go with the flow of our biology, not against
We strive to let our understanding of sleep-wake cycle, and how it works, inform activities that are supportive of our sleep.
Consistently, we aim for day light exposure within 30-60 minutes of waking as we know that this aligns our circadian rhythm (sleep-wake) and suppresses residual melatonin and facilitates alertness-promoting hormones. For instance, upon awakening, we can consider opening our window curtains to let in natural sun light or switch on room light (if the sun has not yet risen).
Given that melatonin is naturally released by the pineal gland in the brain, primarily in response to darkness, it is often known as hormone of darkness (Masters, et al, 2014). Melatonin starts to increase in evening and peaks in early hours of morning and works by telling brain it is time to sleep. Thus, in the evening, it is essential that we engage in activities that are supportive of the melatonin release (read: sleep - inducing) namely, meditation, journaling, listening to calm music. Likewise, we refrain from activities that do the opposite such as phone use within 1-2 hours of bed-time as its blue light emission suppresses melatonin production.
Set ourselves for healthier sleep
Next, we take into consideration of our environmental, and behavioural factors that support our sleep and hence, set ourselves up for healthier sleep.
Sleep environment
For one, we seek to ensure that the sleep environment is conducive for sleep. For instance, a bedroom conducive for sleep is kept cool, dark, and quiet. In addition, we are mindful about having bedding that is comfortable and supportive of sleep through the night.
Eating right
We can be mindful of our choice of food /diet, and consider those that regulate sleep-wake cycle and have anti-inflammatory properties which contribute to better sleep. Some examples are food rich in omega-3 and DHA such as fortified egg, fatty fish (salmon, sardines), tart cherries/juice, avocado, and walnuts. Regular consumption of these foods can help combat insomnia and reduce stress, leading to deep and adequate sleep.
Do check out this previous blog on mind-body connection in context of one's diet/food intake: https://www.brightpsychoflife.com.sg/post/sharing-how-food-and-diet-can-affect-one-s-emotional-and-mental-well-being-and-health
Managing stress
From the sleep literature, we understand the way in which we conduct our day and/or regulate our stress throughout the day, starting from morning, can influence how we sleep that night. For instance, we want to be intentional about what we do first thing in morning - do we choose to read emails, world news or social media versus engage in a relaxing task? The former can potentially hijack not just our attention, but also our cortisol (stress hormones) response - which dictates our mental state subsequently.
By planning for our next day, in terms of to-do list and/or attire(s), the night before, we are effectively setting ourselves up for better night's rest. This is because by doing so, we are taking cognitive load and stress off our minds, and this helps with sleep.
Should we be facing difficulty with initiating and/or resuming sleep upon disruption, we can consider getting off the bed, instead of remaining on bed and “struggling" past 30 minutes. This is so that we do not associate bed with frustration and stress. While we are off the bed, we can consider sleep-supportive activities as shown above, to help induce sleep.
You can start by setting consistent bedtime and wake up time, investing in comfortable bedding or cutting back on phone use prior to bed-time. Wherever your entry point may be, do remember that one small adjustment, when done consistently, can translate to gains (in sleep quality, quantity or both) over time. It is recommended that one starts with a small change at a time, rather than do a major overhaul of your life as latter can feel daunting and serve as a barrier for change.
These above considerations are a step in the right direction but it is not always the solution. For some, it is only part of the equation. In instances in which sleep does not significantly improve even after you did some or all of above, it may be essential to get support in identifying underlying root causes. For instance, we may end up finding out that our sleep difficulty has underlying root issues related to medical and/or psychological conditions, in which case, support from a medical and/or mental health professional may be needed.
May the sleepiness be upon you!
And as always, I am rooting for you!
Love,
Jeanice
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References
Masters, A., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Seixas, A., Girardin, J. L., McFarlane, S. I. (2014). Melatonin, the Hormone of Darkness: From Sleep Promotion to Ebola Treatment. Brain Disord Therapy, 4(1), 1000151.
Nevid, J. S. (2003). Psychology Concepts and Applications. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
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