The Effects of Sleep Deprivation - Teenagers

Teenagers are an interesting group of people to study in terms of sleep and sleep needs, as along with the usual concerns around getting enough sleep there is a big biological shift in their sleep patterns as well. This along with an increase in social activities, homework and studying, social media and computer access, as well as peer pressure and 'fitting in', means that sleep can be pushed down the list of priorities when in fact it should be at the top.

Teenagers need an average of nine to nine and half hours of sleep each night. Some need a little less, some a little more. As I mentioned above there is a biological shift that happens at this stage of development that lasts till the early 20's, which makes it difficult for teenagers and young adults to fall asleep before 11 pm, forcing them to go to bed earlier may not actually help them sleep any better or longer.

This of course has a big impact on how much sleep they get as they need to get up in time for school and most schools start between 8 and 9 am. This leads the classic picture of the lazy teenager not waking up in the morning and being ready for school!

The effects of sleep deprivation are similar to those of younger children in terms of both physical and mental performance. A sleep deprived teenager will do less well in their schoolwork and have difficulty remembering information. Staying up late to do last minute revision before an exam is actually less effective than getting a good night's sleep.

Poor sleep patterns will also affect sports performances, and can lead to teenagers being overweight and having problematic skin conditions. Although completely different examples these are areas that are important to teenagers and can have an effect on their confidence and self perception which in turn has a knock on effect with their social skills and interaction.

There is also alarming research showing that the effects of sleep deprivation on driving is similar to the effects of alcohol on driving. This needs to be discussed with any teenager who is learning to drive and pushed as much as the 'Don't drink and drive' message.

Alcohol and cigarettes are also stimulants and can affect sleep and teenage years are when most people start experimenting with these. Large amounts of caffeine will stimulate the brain and affect sleeping patterns; drinking large amounts of energy drinks may initially help a sleep deprived person get through important tests or exams but can have a knock on effect on the following sleep and set up a sleep deprived/caffeine intake cycle that needs to be broken.

Also poor sleep, a lack of interest in social activities and poor school performance can can be a sign of depression and so this is harder to spot amongst the usual teenage 'blues'. If you are concerned about a teenager, then sit down and ask them about their goals and inspirations and if you remain concerned seek medical advice.

The best way to ensure a teenager gets enough sleep is to encourage and develop good sleep habits when they are younger. However it is never to late to try and create good habits and work with the awareness of the shift in the body clock and help them adapt to it instead of trying to fight it

- Encourage a routine where homework is done earlier in the evening and finished well before bedtime

- Also encourage a no-screen time after 10pm. The lights (and the closeness of them) on a computer screen stimulates the receptors at the back of the eyes and blocks the message to the brain that it is night time and to get ready for sleep. TV screens are not as bad as they are watched from a greater distance.

- Record programmes that are on later at night to be watched at other times.

- Make the bedroom a place for sleep and not activity. Remove computers and tv's and have sidelights and dimmer switches to keep the light level low

- Have as much natural light as possible in the morning o help the body wake up. Walking or cycling to school can help with this

- Have different areas in the home for homework, computers and tv's. It is important that the brain associates the bedroom with sleep and not other activities

- Encourage phones to switched off at night and perhaps have an overnight docking/recharge station somewhere else in the home, where ALL the families phones go. This is best started from a younger age

- Set up consistent bedtime and waking times through the week as the brain responds well to this and recognizes the trigger signs for sleep

- Have a good wind down routine for the end of the day - after the screens have been turned off, have a bath, a bedtime snack and reading (for fun) are all good things to help the brain wind-down and prepare for sleep

- Allow time for strategic naps and lie-ins for catching up on sleep on weekends and holidays. Do not nap too close to bedtime and also only allow a couple of hours lie-in, sleeping in till midday will just throw the bodyclock out of kilter

- Look at any out of school activities and monitor how many hours they take each week and is this having an impact on their homework and sleep time. Are strenuous physical activities - sports training etc being done too late in the evening to give the body to relax before sleep

- Keep an open dialogue going about the importance sleep and listen to what the teenager says. It is important that this is more of a discussion of pro's and con's rather than an dictation or rule. Help them feel they have a choice in what is decided

- Ask about a delayed start to school. Schools that have put their start time back an hour have found that teenagers do better in achieving good grades and also that truancy levels are reduced

- Talk to teenagers regularly about their day, how things are going and any concerns they may have so that they are not taking worries and stress to bed with them

These are all great habits and will enable teenagers and young adults to live life to the full.

Sweet dreams

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation - Babies and Toddlers

This is the first in a series about the effects of sleep deprivation on different groups and ages of people. Today we will be looking at young children.

Babies - though most people's perceptions of young babies is that they sleep all the time, it is in-fact possible (though rare) for babies to be sleep deprived. This can have a negative impact on their health and their growth, also with the suggestion that sleep deprivation can lead to babies being overweight. Research has also shown that babies who get enough sleep are more easy going and approachable.

In my years of working in day care I have noticed that babies who struggle with their sleep and do not get enough are more grumpy and irritable. They find separation from their parents difficult and are more easily distressed during the day. Once we had set up a good napping schedule for them, they found the day more easy going, were able to engage in activities and were happier and more content.

One of the problems in diagnosing sleep deprivation in babies is that all seem to have different sleep needs and habits. One baby may sleep happily anywhere at the drop of a hat, while another needs a more organized routine and environment to sleep. A baby who once slept through the night may suddenly start waking two or three times. As a rough guideline this chart shows the ideal times of recommended sleep through childhood. For babies and toddlers this is spread across daytime naps and nighttime sleeping.

Age                    Hours Of Sleep
0 - 2 months       10.5 - 18
2 - 12 months     14 - 15
1 - 3 years          12 - 14
3 - 5 years          11 - 13  
5 - 12 years        10 - 11

If you can recognize the signs of tiredness in your baby and act straight away by putting them to bed, then you will be setting them up for a good sleep pattern for life. These signs may include (and this list is not exclusive)-
pulling their ears, their eyelids looking red, rubbing their eyes, a glazed look in their eyes and a far away expression on their face, yawning, starting to cry for no reason and not being comforted or distracted by stimulation, lack of interest in toys or stimulation.

As babies grow their sleep needs change and things such as teething, growth spurts and starting daycare can affect their sleep patterns.

Toddlers still need plenty of sleep and like all age groups suffer from the affects of sleep deprivation. I am sure that most parents have a picture or two of a tired toddler who has fallen asleep in a strange place! However a lack of sleep can affect their learning and social skills, as well as their growth. Again sleep deprived toddlers can gain weight - but weight gain has many causes, not just sleep deprivation.

Toddlers are far more mobile than babies and conversely the signs of a tired toddler include running around and wild behaviour, this is a last stand against the tiredness that is growing in their bodies and not a sign that they have loads of energy left to burn. A toddler will naturally be energetic when they wake from a sleep but if they are running around in the late evening before bedtime it is that they are overtired, not full of energy that needs to burnt off.

Sleep deprived toddlers are also more likely to have moods and tantrums - but then this is also typical toddler behaviour!

In order to work out if your toddler is sleep deprived observe and record their behaviour, if they are having more tantrums and wild behaviour in the evenings or before nap time it points to them being tired. Also have a bedtime routine that allows for a wind-down, the last hour before bed should be calming and restful with quiet activities such as a bath and time for stories. Download a good bedtime routine here.
Though it may take a few days (or nights) of effort, establishing a good bedtime routine at this early age will help your child be bright, alert and ready to learn important life skills.

If you are having problems settling a baby or toddler into a sleep routine then please contact a professional for correct advice and sleep training.

It goes without saying that young babies and sleep deprivation of new parents goes hand in hand - and I will address meeting the sleep needs of parents in a later post. 

Caffeine - the acceptable addiction?

The other day I tripped when walking down the street and landed on my knees - very hard! After a weekend of constant pain and lack of sleep, I went to the doctor's (and as is typical in France) came away with a long prescription of various drugs to 'help' the pain and recovery.

To my interest one of the drugs proudly stated it was a mixture of paracetamol, opium and caffeine. (I'm presuming the caffeine is to counteract the opium.)
Normally when caffeine is present in medications, it is hidden away in small letters on the info sheet and you have to use a magnifying glass to find its listing! So to find it in large letters on the front of the bow was very unusual.

Now, I've not properly drunk caffeine for years (since I was about 18) as the doctor thought that my 6-cans-of-diet-cola a day habit might possibly be a cause of my insomnia, and there was I thinking I was being healthy because it was 'diet'.
Fortunately I did not really like coffee anyway, and the cola was surprisingly easy to give up. It was the tea that was difficult. I really love tea, still do in fact. If I'm up really early - maybe because I have a flight to catch, I may still sneak in a cup of tea but these are very rare occasions.

Nowadays I don't really think about caffeine. Sometimes the question will raise its head, such as when I moved to France, where it seems that everybody drinks coffee. Fortunately there are plenty of other options available. When I first gave it up there were only a few herbal teas available and decaff coffee, now there is a whole range of flavours and tastes to choose from Rooibus is one of my favourites, followed by fennel tea.

People ask me if I miss it, I do not really, and one lady spontaneously threw her arms round me and gave me a hug as she felt so sorry for me that I could not enjoy a morning cup of coffee.

So here's the rub - people need a morning fix of coffee because they are , heartburn addicted to it. Caffeine causes a little high immediately after consumption and then as its affect wears off it causes a slump, so reaching for another cup of caffeine restores the feeling of a high. If you were to completely come off caffeine your body would not need a morning 'fix' anymore.

Caffeine in moderate quantities has been shown to have positive health benefits such as protection from coronary disease, Parkinson's, diabetes and some cancers however an excess causes stress to the body such as osteoporosis, stress, heartburn and other stomach disorders. Caffeine's biggest downfall is that excessive consumption leads to insomnia which, in turn, leads to many other health problems such as diabetes, heart problems, weight gain etc. As well as triggering insomnia which in turn adds further stress.

The recommendation is that between 200 and 300mg a day is a safe level, over 500mgs can start causing health problems.
The problem with this statistic is that the amounts of caffeine in drinks and food varies widely, so you need to keep an eye on how much you drink. Remember that it is not just in tea and coffee but also in green teas, colas and some other soft drinks, chocolate and of course energy drinks.

So if you are having trouble sleeping, is caffeine dependency your problem? Like any drug, coming off caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms including headaches, sleepiness, lethargy, flu-like symptoms, muscle aches and depression. Try reducing caffeine bit by bit, cutting out a cup or two of caffeine at each stage or swapping high caffeine drinks for ones lower in caffeine and, best of all, stop drinking it at least 6 hours before bedtime. If you suffer from withdrawal symptoms remind yourself that they are only temporary and will diminish.

If you would like to know how much you are drinking then check out this list.

Good luck and sweet dreams.

If you would like more help with achieving overcoming insomnia and other sleep problems then please contact me at charlotte@charlottewelply.com and we can set up a free introductory coaching session.

Are you TATT? (Tired all the time)

So you don't have a sleep problem as such, you just feel tired all the time and lacking in energy, what could be the reason? With 1 in 5 people reporting to be feeling like this, it is a real problem and seems to be growing.

The three most common reasons fortunately are the easiest to fix.

1 Diet - constantly reaching for a the caffeine or sugar to get through the day has a detrimental effect on your health as these both cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate and your body has to work hard to keep these levels stable. A well balanced diet full of healthy whole foods will go a long way to helping you feel more energized.  Also eating healthily will help control your weight as being over-weight can contribute to feelings of tiredness.

2 Sleep - not a surprising factor, but in this fast paced world the time set aside for sleep is being eroded away. Work out how much sleep you really are getting and make time for more. You should be aiming for around 8 hours each night. Please look back on previous posts in this blog for ideas and suggestions to help you make sleep a priority.

3 Exercise - although this appears to be counter-intuitive, (why do you need to do more physical activity if you are feeling tired?) exercise has been shown to increase energy levels. Small amounts of regular exercise will not only improve your health, it will also help you feel more energized and will help you sleep better too. Try and finish your exercise 3 hours before you go to bed to make sure you have time to wind down, or do some gentle yoga before going to bed to help relax and calm you in preparation for sleep. Work your way up to 40 minutes 3 times a week.
However if you feel worse as you are exercising - beyond the usual huff and puff, then please see a doctor as soon as possible.

Take an honest look at your lifestyle and evaluate if you can make some changes as just a few tweaks and adjustments can make a big difference. You do not have to become a vegan, gym bunny overnight, instead aim for being a slightly healthy, gym hamster first! Start with achievable goals - meeting your 5 fruit and vegetable a day target, taking a 20 min walk each evening or going to bed half an hour early do not take much effort and can be the first steps to an energetic, new you. Gradually build on these baby steps and look at how you feel in a few months time to really see the changes.

If despite changes to your lifestyle you see no changes or you feel you already have a relatively balanced lifestyle or have other symptoms on top of a general lack of energy then you should see a doctor as possible. Reasons could include conditions such as anemia, thyroid disorders, diabetes and nutrient deficiencies and would need medical examinations to determine the cause and the solution.

Sweet dreams!

 If you would like more help with your sleep problems then please contact me at charlotte@charlottewelply.com and we can set up a free introductory coaching session.

Getting tough on insomnia

If, like me, when you are suffering from a lack of sleep you are searching continuously for the magic pill that will help you sleep normally'. I tried most things in my quest for a magical night's sleep - acupuncture, over the counter remedies, prescribed pills, aromatherapy, massages, exercise etc. I tried different sleep routines from waking earlier, to trying to reset my bodyclock by going to bed two hours later each day.

Some had a slight effect, improving my sleep a little (bedsocks), some worked during the course of treatment but stopped when I stopped (acupuncture), some had no affect whatsoever - Valerian supplements, some seemed heartily boring - going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, and others seemed a little extreme.

However, one of the extreme ones did actually work and so I will recommend it.

Initially it seems counter-intuitive, you actually sleep less and spend less time in bed. When you stop to think about it, it does make sense. As an insomniac I was spending longer and longer in bed in search of that elusive thing called sleep. At the weekends I could easily spend 10 or more hours in bed - trying to sleep, but actually only getting about 5 or 6 hours. Even on weekdays the amount of time I spent in bed v the amount of time sleeping was quite different.
This leads to a point where the brain stops associating bed with sleep, and instead associates it with lying awake.

In order to stop this and turn it back to the association of bed = sleep, you need to spend less time in bed! A favourite behavioural therapy solution to this is to work out how much time you are actually sleeping and then go to bed for that amount of time.

It works like this -

Keep a sleep diary for a couple of weeks and record each night how much you are sleeping in total. If you sleep in several smaller blocks add these together to get your nightly total.

After two weeks work out your average sleep time. In the this example let's say 5 and half hours.

Work out what time you need to wake up and then count back your sleep time. Again let's say 7am is your wake up time, so in order to get 5 and half hours sleep you need to be in bed at 1.30am.

Go to bed at this new time until you are sleeping through from 1.30 - 7am. This needs to be done 7 nights a week with no lie-ins or naps!  these times can adjusted to your body clock, if going to bed in the early hours of the morning feels alien to you then go to bed earlier but wake up (and get up) 5 and a half hours later!
If your average sleep time is less than 5 hours then set your sleep time for 5 hours - his is the absolute minimum amount of time to be aiming for.

After you have been sleeping through for a week, then go to bed 15 minutes earlier at 1.15am. Then when you are sleeping through again, slowly build up the amount of time you spend in bed in 15 minute increments.

If this process is done correctly then within a couple of months you wall be sleeping through, night after night and with in a few months you will have a normal sleeping pattern of 7 to 8 solid hours of sleep a night.

I call this techniques sleep condensing, as it retrains the brain from a fragmented sleeping pattern into a solid sleeping pattern. It needs to be done slowly and built up over time, so that you remain in a state of solid sleeping.

The efforts are worth the rewards and after a few months it is possible to then re-instate a couple of sneaky lie-ins and the occasional afternoon nap. It does need to be closely monitored and if night time waking starts becoming a regular feature of your sleep again, then you may need to cut back a little of your time in bed to re-establish a solid night of sleep again - just as someone who watches their weight may cut back on their calories after an over indulgent holiday!

Sleep condensing may also have to be combined with other sleep essentials (such as reducing caffeine, switching off electronic equipment an hour before bed
etc) in order to work well.

If you want to try this, then good luck and let me know how you go!

Sweet dreams.

If you would like more help with achieving overcoming insomnia and other sleep problems then please contact me at charlotte@charlottewelply.com and we can set up a free introductory coaching session.

Pamper yourself to sleep

I don't know about you but I hate rules and guidelines, I find them very restrictive even if they are trying to help me. When it comes to getting a good night's sleep there seem to be loads of them and they can seem quite strict and very forbidding! Take these for example

- stop drinking caffeine in the afternoons
- set up a bedtime routine
-switch off technology an hour before bed time


One of the tricks that I learnt about sleeping well was to change these round in my head, so that they seemed as if I was pampering myself. And I was, because a good night's sleep is an affordable luxury in this fast paced world!

Mentally rephrasing the above statements I came to these conclusions

Why not try drinking herbal teas instead of tea or coffee? When my doctor told me to come off caffeine I found it really hard and felt deprived, and still allowed myself a morning cup of tea. I explored the world of 'decaffeinated' but just felt as if I was being let down as it didn't taste quite right. After a while I came to realize that as herbal teas tasted nothing like real tea it was just a different taste and not a substitute, this helped me a lot. I then discovered that herbal teas did actually have a lot of health benefits and help my body in more ways than just caffeine elimination. Check this page for more information.  Now when people start to make sympathetic faces when I say 'I don't do caffeine', I have to stop them as I genuinely do not feel deprived but feel as if I am making healthy choices for my body.

How about having a bath before you go to bed? This is a lovely bit of pampering, I add some bath salts or oils, dim the lights/use candles, play soothing music to really help me relax and unwind. Then using lovely creams and oils to moisturise my skin and body afterwards and slipping into clean, fresh smelling pj's all adds to the luxurious, pampering feeling. It also means that I have an easily enforced no screen time before bed too! I have a bath whenever I have to get up really early the next morning and see it as a treat not part of a strict routine.

If you are a couple or family why not start having 'Family Time' together each evening? Yes, this means turning off computers, ipads etc so that you interact together in the the last couple of hours before bedtime. Play games, read books aloud, watch a film together (the TV screen is less stimulating for your eyes and brain than a computer/phone screen.) Quality time with your family or partner is always a great feel good session and this way has so many added health benefits as well.

I hope these ideas have given you food for thought on how to pamper yourself a little each day to enable yourself to relax and unwind before bedtime!

Sweet dreams. 

3 things you can do today to improve your sleep tonight!

It's all well and good to 'think' about things to do that will improve your sleep, but when it comes to actually doing them... well that seems to be another story!
Here are a few simple, quick and easy things to do today to help you get a better nights sleep tonight.

Clear some clutter

Is your bedroom a sanctuary or a store cupboard? It is easy to leave things in your room as there is nowhere else to put them. It may start off with one or two objects but before you know it you have boxes of toys, tool kits, ironing boards etc in your room.
Even if your room seems tidy, what is lurking in the cupboards? Under the bed?
I have written before about clearing the clutter in your bedroom - a clear space makes it easier to sleep.
So today take 15 minutes and clear some clutter! You do not have to do the whole room, start with a cupboard or drawer, or tackle what you have stashed beneath the bed. Even just tidying and dusting will help you feel better and give you a nicer sleep environment.

Go for a walk in daylight

In this modern world it is very easy to spend very little time outside in the fresh air and more importantly in daylight. We can drive to work, to the shops, to our friends. Stay indoors at work or when shopping. Go to the gym to work out. have a sandwich at your desk instead of going out for lunch... they all add up to time spent indoors.
Today make the effort to go out for a 20 to 30 minute walk, the earlier in the day the better. Not only will the gentle exercise help you sleep better but exposing your body to daylight will help rest your body clock which re-enforces the daytime/nighttime message that it needs to have in order to sleep properly.
BTW - another benefit of regular walking is weight loss. My sister-in-law successfully dropped two dress sizes before her wedding by walking during her lunch break three times a week!


Write down tomorrow's to do list

I am not a big fan of to do lists - in fact I hate them but when it comes to distrubed sleep trying to remember everything in your head does not help! It can keep your mind racing in the night so that you do not forget them. So the simple act of writing them on a piece of paper before you go to bed can help calm your mind and enable you to sleep more easily. Even if you feel that night time waking has nothing to do with your to do list, try this for a couple of nights and see what happens. You may not be thinking about tomorrows work but subconscious may be keeping you awake anyway in an effort not to forget.
As an example - if I forget to set my alarm (and it's not a weekend) I can not sleep, I will not be thinking about waking up, or work in fact I could be thinking about anything. Eventually, as it has happened a few times now, I'll think through why I'm not sleep and check my alarm to see if I have set it. After I have set it I then find it easy to drift off to sleep. My subconscious refuses to let me sleep until it knows I will be woken in the morning!  Writing things down has worked for many of my clients, some of whom thought it would not, so do try!

There you have three simple things that you can do today to improve your sleep tonight!

Sweet dreams.

3 surprising sleep saboteurs!

You have read all the information about 'Sleep Hygiene', you've stopped drinking caffeine after 2 pm, you've turned the computer off an hour before bedtime, but you still can not sleep properly. What is going on?

Here are three things that you may be doing that you think may help you sleep better but in fact can actually affect your sleep.

Nicotine
This is a surprising one as many people associate cigarettes with being a sedative and having a calming and relaxing affect on the body. When you are feeling uptight, then having a cigarette can help calm you. In actual fact although a cigarette can have a calming effect, nicotine is a stimulant and having a last cigarette before bed is actually putting a stimulant into your body. The more you smoke the stronger this affect is and may cause you to either have difficulties falling asleep or contribute towards a disturbed night's sleep.
Is this another reason to help you kick the habit?

Alcohol
Yes, it does seem that I am giving all the guilty pleasures a bad rap, but alcohol is another offender too! A quick 'nightcap' before going to bed, may help you drop off to sleep, however the following processes that your body goes through to metabolize and clear the alcohol from your body is a withdrawal process. It is this process that causes you to wake in the night with the sweats and possible nightmares. If you want a drink, then make sure you allow time for the alcohol to metabolize before going to bed.

Pets
A strange one - any people find that the idea of having their pets sleep with them comforting and therefor a good thing to have around when going to sleep at night - a reassuring presence. First of all their movements on the bed can wake you, or contribute towards a light sleep. I remember my childhood pet cat being able to take up the entire space of a single bed by spreading out in his sleep. Remember cats and dogs do not think about sleeping considerately and allowing you space, unlike a human partner (then again....).
There is also the issues of allergies. You can be mildly allergic to animal hairs, which may not show up in the day time, when there is more 'space' between you, but when sharing the same sleeping space these can show up as coughs, running noses etc which will disturb your sleep.
Try banning your pet from the bedroom for a week and see if this improves your sleep.

I hope these tips help improve your sleep, if you have any questions then do please get in tough via the comments box or via email.

Sweet dreams!

Ticking bomb

Sorry to be dramatic, but I want to get serious about sleep.

There is yet another story in the press today about how sleep deprivation can affect health. It has been known that lack of sleep can cause heart disease, diabetes, obesity and poor brain function but the mechanics of how this happened had not been clear. The study found that less sleep alterers the genes thus causing the damage (don't worry, I'm not going into a science lesson here.)

However what I found shocking was the amount of sleep deprivation it took to cause these changes. Not because it was a big number, quite the opposite, but because it was such a small number and the changes happened very quickly.

The study examined the results of less than 6 hours sleep for a week. Let's look at that again - less than 6 hours for a week.

How many hours sleep do you get a night? There are many, many people out there who are getting less than 6 hours sleep, night after night. Even if you are in bed for 6 hours, you'll be getting less when you factor in the time it takes to get to sleep.
Had a hard week? Either staying up late to finish a project or partying hard and not catching up on your sleep, then you could be starting the chain of events.

Fortunately it is possible to easily and quickly improve the quality and length of your sleep. Here are some ideas.

1 - set your alarm clock to remind you to go to bed! Use the alarm function on your phone to set a time to stop working and start going to bed.

2 - switch of computers and work phones early in the evenings. Not only do the display screens stimulate your retinas and keep you awake longer, you also need to take a rest from work. Studies have shown that quality not quantity counts when working hard and that your work is more productive if are refreshed and well rested rather than sleep deprived.

3 - make your bedroom a calm and relaxing place to be, rather than a junk room. Ban computers and any other work associations. You will sleep better and more effectively if your bedroom is associated with sleep and sex only.

4 - stop drinking caffeine after 2pm, so that it has time to leave your body before bedtime and therefore will not affect your sleep.

5 - if you are an insomniac or have another sleep problem then ask about behavior therapy programmes as these have proven to be the most effective, long term way to improve your sleep. The medical world is waking up to the importance of sleep and there is a lot more support and help available than ever before.

Wishing you a great nights sleep!

Too hot or too cold to sleep?

A sudden dip in the temperatures across Europe and a snowfall last night and it seems like the right time to write this post.

I woke up in the middle of the night the other night and couldn't get back to sleep for a while. I then realised that I was slightly cold. I didn't feel cold in that I was shivering, or my hands and feet were like ice blocks, but just slightly cold. I pulled a blanket on top of my duvet and was asleep within 10 minutes, just that little bit of extra warmth making the difference.

There is a very narrow range for an optimum temperature in the sleep environment for humans, which is between 18 and 22°c (65 - 72°F). The body temperature dips at night to allow sleep and so being in a cooler environment helps the body achieve this. However if it is too cold, then your body is working to warm you up and therefore makes it difficult to sleep.
I was brought up in a home were central heating was sparsely used, so prefer a cooler sleep environment. I find it difficult sleeping in houses were there is 24 hour heating (which happens a lot in Europe with communal heating for a block of flats).
Of course if you were brought up or live in a warmer environment/climate you become used to higher temperatures, but when temperatures fluctuate over the year, you need to try and keep the bedroom temperature as steady as possible.

Here are some good sleep hygiene practices for the different seasons -

In Winter
- keep the thermostat cooler in the bedrooms (radiator thermostats help with this) or turn the temperature down half an hour before going to bed.
- try experimenting with layering - using different tog duvets and blankets as well as warmer bedclothes, pyjamas and bedsocks!
- when your partner has different needs, try using separate duvets or perhaps sharing a duvet and one partner having a light blanket over them as well.

In Summer
- keep the room as cool as possible during the day, closing the curtains to keep out the sun, blackout blinds etc.
- use a fan to keep the air circulating and put a container of frozen water in front of a fan
- avoid memory foam pillows as these can heat up the body.
- turn off or remove all unnecessary equipment, as these can heat up a room, even incandescent lightbulbs can heat up a room!
- if you use it, check the air-con is not too low, as too much of a drop can make it too cold to sleep.

Here in France the temperature can fluctuate between overnight lows of -12°C to overnight highs of 35°C, so over the year I employ many different techniques to try and maintain the best sleeping environment, in winter I have a fleecy undersheet, high tog duvet, blanket and sometimes a hot water bottle. This all gradually reduces to a sheet and fan in the high Summer.

If you're not sleeping too well then take a look at the temperature in your sleep environment and see if there anything you can change to get a better night's sleep.

Sweet dreams!

Night time activities

What do you do when you wake in the night?

Seems like a strange question and I am guessing that most people would say that they lie in bed, tossing and turning and trying to get back to sleep - all the while stressing about not sleeping.

I had a new client recently and she wanted to find the final piece of the puzzle to help her sleep through the night. She had had insomnia for years and done a lot of work in improving it, but would still wake in the night. During this time she would play on-line games and work with clients on the other side of the world. that combined with exercising late at night meant that she was doing 3 activities that were stimulating her brain and not helping herself to get into a relaxed state in which to fall asleep.

My initial reaction was to encourage her to stop these activities and go through new ideas to help her relax and start sleeping through the night. However the more I listened to her, the more I realised that actually she had worked out a lifestyle that suited her.

I have mentioned in a previous post that in the past we had segmented sleep and this idea is still a big talking point in the sleep community and are we going against nature to try and sleep through the night? While we know it is possible to sleep in 8 hours blocks, most people actually do wake in the night and then fall straight back to sleep again and have no recollection of waking, therefore believe they have slept through. For some people, waking in the night means waking in the night and staying awake a while (for some a long while!)

What this girl had done was to build a lifestyle round segmented sleep. She would sleep for a while, then wake - do some work, play games etc then go back to sleep again - her second sleep. Luckily for her, she is self employed and has international clients, so actually this lifestyle works well for her.

I have also found that a some barworkers and 'graveyard' shift workers have insomnia and difficulty going to sleep - now this could be a reflection on their lifestyle, but could it also be that they have found a lifestyle that suits their sleeping patterns. When I have talked with them, they often say that they had poor sleeping habits before they started their work and again, when you talk to them of ways to change it, they don't really want to as it doesn't really bother them that much; they know that if they go to sleep late that they can sleep in during the morning.

In the end I only had a couple of sessions with this client and she left feeling more confident that actually her seep pattern, though strange, did actually work. When totaling up her sleep hours she was getting enough sleep and was not feeling tired or exhausted (common complaints of insomnia). By allowing her to have this pattern also meant that she stopped worrying about sleep and therefore slept better, she also allowed herself to sleep later in the mornings and restructured her day slightly to allow herself enough time to sleep in these two blocks.

So what do you get up to in the night? Are you like my client and can use your insomnia constructively? Or do you prefer to be able to sleep through the night? Rest assured that whatever your sleep style preferences there are ways available to help you achieve them!

Sweet dreams.

Troublesome Thoughts

Let's do a little hand raise here - How many of you have lain awake at night worrying about a situation? It either stops you going to sleep or getting back to sleep if you wake in the night? Though you know there is nothing you can do about it there and then, you still can't switch off your brain and go to sleep.

I still get occasional nights like this and I think that's natural, most people would admit to this, it is a rare and lucky few that can sleep untroubled every single night.

There may be a work presentation, an ill relative, financial worries - in fact a myriad of different things can play on your mind and stop that elusive sleep from happening! If you already have difficulties sleeping this can really add to the problem.

I remember back in my insomnia days when I had been appointed manager at a Children's Centre that I slept badly for months worrying about whether I was good enough for the job. This was crazy - I had gone through an interview process and had already worked for the service, so they knew who I was and what I could do, so they were obviously confident with my abilities. Even the fact that my line manager rarely came to my Centre didn't reassure me, I just thought of a whole heap of reasons why she was avoiding coming to the Centre - none of which included the thought that it was because I was doing a good job of managing it and that she didn't need to spend much time supervising me.

It was easier to slip into my pattern of troublesome thoughts and turn into a worry wort. At this stage in my life I would worry about the strangest of things. I was a worse case scenario type of person and would think about the worse thing that could possibly happen and focus on that instead of taking reassurance about how unlikely that would be.

Things changed when a new friend talked to me about how he was always worrying and if he realised that he was not worrying about something would then think of something to worry about! Though his behaviour seemed extreme I realised that I was guilty of a little bit of this behaviour and that this was not a good place to be living my life and began to change my thought patterns.

So what to do if you have troublesome thoughts that are keeping you awake at night?

Try having a notebook by your bed and before you go to sleep each night write down the things that are bothering you and what you will do about them tomorrow. There is something about writing things down that helps take it out of the mind and breaks the thought cycle. If you do start thinking about it again you can gently tell yourself that you have made a note of it and do not need to think further about it.

Colin Epsie (Director University of Glasgow Sleep Centre) suggests that you repeat a word to block the thought patterns in your head. He recommends the word 'the' as it is a very neutral word. So when you are in bed with a busy mind, just keep repeating the word 'the'.

You can also try some EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) I have put up a video on what to do on my Youtube channel here (sorry that the sound is slightly out f sync).

Good luck on breaking the thought cycle!

Sweet dreams

What are you telling yourself?

So, you've had a bad night's sleep, the alarm was unwelcome and you're about to face the day.
What are the thoughts going through your mind right now?

When I work with my clients, we look at their 'mental chatter'. Those thoughts that race through your head at any given moment.
'Need to buy some tomatoes, oh, and some broccoli, mustn't forget to book the dentists appointment, don't glare at me - how am I supposed to know you were going to step out of the door without looking, wonder where she got that coat from...'
You know the stuff.

Though it may seem pretty mindless stuff, it can actually be very powerful stuff, as this mental chatter and internal thoughts go a long way to programming your brain and how you feel.
If you are dwelling on an unpleasant situation and going over and over it again, you rapidly bring your emotions and feelings down into a negative spiral.

For example - spend a few moments thinking about the last time someone was rude to you. What did they say? What was their body language like? How did you react? How did you feel at the time? What would you do differently?
Now take a big breath and note how you feel right now. Are you angry, do you feel tension in your body, how positive or negative do you feel? Isn't it amazing that the person is not here with you, the situation is in the past, but you still feel all those emotions.

Now, think about the last time you laughed. Was it something someone did or said? A joke you heard, or a picture you saw? Was it a comedy show on tv? Did you laugh out loud, was it a real belly laugh?
Take a big breath and note how you feel this time. Do you feel happy? How positive or negaive do you feel? How different do you feel to a moment ago when you were thinking about the other situation?

I hope you can understand what I'm getting at.

So how does this relate to sleep?
Well, picture yourself having had only 5 hours sleep. It's the following morning, how do you feel? What emotions are going through you? The alarm goes off and what are you telling yourself? What is your 'chatter' saying?
Is it saying - Only 5 hours, how am I going to cope? I felt I was awake all night. How am I going to be at work? I feel so tired, I just don't know how I'm going to get through the day?

Or is it saying - 5 hours sleep, well that's 5 hours more than no sleep. At least I got some sleep. As I have slept, I know that I'll get through the day because I've done it before. Several times in fact.

Can you see the difference between the two sets of thought patterns. If you can start to shift from the first to the second then you are on your way to changing your mindset from one of an insomniac to one of a sleeper. And that's a step towards more sleep! You see a good sleeper doesn't worry about how much sleep they get. If they have a poor night's sleep (which they do) they don't worry about it, or start obsessing about it, they know they will sleep ok the next night. When they are talking to their friends they don't go on about a lack of sleep, in fact they probably don't mention sleep at all, unless asked.

From my experience it was difficult to start the shift of changing my internal chatter but I persisted and soon got the idea. I monitored my thoughts and would catch myself and then started to look for the positive things about how much sleep I got. Little by little it got easier to do. I began to feel more positive about my sleep and how much I was getting. I started to notice that I didn't feel so gloomy in the mornings, that I felt lighter. That in general my morning thoughts were more positive and I didn't get stuck in negative thought patterns, and if started to think negatively (about anything) that I would catch myself and start thinking about more enjoyable things. Now when I wake in the morning I scan my body to see how I'm feeling and take that as my starting point rather than trying to remember if I woke in the night or not.

Now don't get me wrong - I'm not leaping out of bed saying 'Yee hah, I got 5 hours sleep last night, I'm on fire!!' but the changes that I have made are notable. If my mental chatter does start drifting into the 'Only 4 hours sleep mode' I am able to quickly start reassuring myself that I will be able to cope. I also remind myself that I have been sleeping well, that this is a rare night etc.

What has been amazing is that by focusing on what sleep I am getting, rather than on what sleep I'm not, is that I am getting more sleep. It is simple 'What you focus on expands' and if you focus on a lack of sleep, that's what you see and if you focus on sleep, that's what you see.

Please try this for yourselves and note the differences in your feelings about sleep and how this impacts on how you cope with the day. Remember that this is the first step in changing your mindset, so congratulate yourself each time for doing it.
I would love to know how you are getting on either so please comment below or send me a message on facebook.

Till next time
Sweet dreams

Pillow Talk!

Did you know that you should replace your pillows every two to three years? Nope, me neither! I was looking into this the other day and there seems to be quite an online debate about this, but the general rule of thumb seems to be that if it's not giving you support then it should go. It also seems that synthetic pillows wear out more quickly than feather ones.

In order to stop those pesky little dust mites taking over, then they should be washed and tumbled dried every few months and special pillow protectors will also help cut down on allergens and mites as well as extend the life of your pillows.

If you are looking at replacing your pillows then what sort should you go for? It seems that there is a type for every kind of sleeper. Even hotels are getting in on the act these days and have pillow menus for you to choose from. It is important to get a pillow that meets your needs as something as simple as giving your head and neck the correct support will help improve your sleep.

This week I'll look at different pillow shapes and next week we can look at different fillings, to help you choose the correct pillow for you.

Traditional rectangular pillows
These pillows suit a lot of people. You should check how firm and how high it is, if it is too high and has no give it will distort your neck and be uncomfortable to sleep on. If you sleep on your front, you should choose a thin pillow (you may even not need a pillow at all). Natural fillings can be pushed and molded to provide support where you need it.

Contoured rectangular pillows
I changed to one of these a few years ago and really miss it if I am traveling! These tend to cradle the head by having a dip in the middle and a high edge to support the neck. These suit people who sleep on their sides or back and ensure the spine is in alignment all the way through the neck and down the back. They do come with different fillings providing firm to medium support.

V shaped pillows
These offer great support if you need to sleep in a more upright position and can help aid sleep if you have a chest complaint or acid reflux. They are also popular amongst pregnant and breast feeding women.

Bolster pillows

These are long thin tubes that come in various lengths and fillings. They can be molded around your body and support you in a variety of ways. They are a classic means of supporting the neck but can also be used by a side sleeper, being tucked between the knees (to stop them rubbing), and by pregnant women (supporting the abdomen). If you sleep on your back, then a smaller one can be used tucked under your knees to relieve pressure on the back.
My friend used one when on holiday in Morocco and found it helped his sleep so much he brought one when he got home.

Boyfriend pillow
Ok - this one is a bit of a novelty factor, but does provide support for a side sleeper!

And before I get accused of sexism - here's the male version, a lap pillow!

As I mentioned, I use a contoured pillow for my head but also have a down pillow that I hug!
What is your favourite pillow type, what works best for you?
Please use the comment box below and pass on any pillow tips!

Until next week.

Sweet dreams

Unusal ideas to help you sleep

If, like me you are tired of tips and recommendations that include the usual 'Avoid caffeine after lunch' and 'Don't exercise late in the evening' then here are a few ideas that are a little bit more unusual and have worked for me!

1 Bedsocks - I came across this solution by chance and am so glad I found it. About 10 years ago I saw some bedsocks on sale (which I had never seen before) and thought they looked cute, so brought some. To my surprise they helped me fall asleep more quickly and I slept better. Apparently this is because as you sleep your circulatory system slows down and keeps your blood supply in the core of your body, but you need to drop your body temperature to sleep, so having warm feet (and hands) encourages the blood supply to the extremities and cools your core temperature. I am now a big fan and recommend them to any poor sleeper. It is now possible to buy them quite easily, however I would suggest loose fitting cotton ones as the synthetic ones make my feet hot and sweaty and so do not work as well.


2 Cherries - I am lucky enough to live an area where Spring means it's cherry time and the fruit stalls at the market are overflowing with yummy cherries but did you know that tart cherries contain significant amounts of melatonin (the hormone that helps you sleep). A study at the School of Life Sciences at Northumbria University, has shown that a glass of unsweetened cherry juice morning and night helped increase sleep by 25% and improved sleep quality. Why not see if this works for you?

3 Repeat the word 'the' - If you can't sleep because you have repetative thoughts going round in your head and can not seem to shut them off, try repeating the word 'the' to yourself. It is a neutral word and has no associations so helps turn the repetitive thoughts off. I've tried to think of other words to use, but this is the best one!

4 Sitting on a stool - So, you're all tucked up in bed and can't fall asleep. How about getting up and sitting on a stool for 15 minutes? The theory is that your body would rather be anywhere than sitting on a stool in the middle of the night and so is more willing to go back to sleep when you go back to bed. Use a stool - so you don't get comfortable, do not turn on the lights,read, wrap yourself in a blanket, or do anything to make it a more pleasurable experience as your body would prefer to do that. It has to be a slightly unpleasant experience to work. I tried it and it does work, but, strangely enough, I don't like doing it!

5 Scripting - If you can not sleep because you have a big occasion the next day and are worried about it, then try writing out the 'script' of how you would like it to go. Pretend that you are a Hollywood filmwriter and write out your perfect day/scenario. Really get into the feeling of it, write down who is going to be there with you, what is going to be said, what the outcome will be. Only write positive things ie - if you have a meeting to discuss a pay rise, then imagine it going well, your boss is willing to listen, you present your case well and s/he agrees and suggests a figure that you are happy with. Play with it and try different positive outcomes that could happen. Ideally do this before you go to bed, but it can be done if you wake in the night. Your brain and body will feel more relaxed and in control and so help enable sleep.

I hope some of these suggestions are new to you and do comment below if you try them out!

Sweet dreams.