Silent
Slumber
By Amy Benn
We need quality sleep not only to achieve everything we strive for each day… But also for daily life and survival.
My biggest motivation to sleep? Body composition. Sleep is where you not only “reset” your brain to consolidate all the mental, physical and emotional information absorbed throughout the day, but to produce many hormones beneficial for muscle growth and fat utilisation.
POTENTIAL REASONS WHY YOU CAN'T SLEEP
~ Mind: constant mind chatter, racing thoughts, to-do-lists, replaying situations over in your head and generally unable to settle.
~ Body: aches and pains, indigestion, drugs, alcohol or sugar can all impede your ability to relax into your body.
~ Environment: Things like partners snoring, music and sounds, lights or extreme temperatures.
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR MIND
Create a night time routine.
Your body, just like your mind will adapt to routine. It doesn’t matter where you are or what time it is, there is potential to create a routine to prepare yourself for a long deep sleep. I like to call it a “golden hour”. The 60 minutes before bed is where you should be preparing for sleep. I suggest you turn off all technology and screens as the lights stimulate your brain to be awake. Don’t do strenuous exercise or cognitive tasks. Instead take the time to foam roll, stretch, read a book or your kindle, take a bath or shower, drink herbal tea and engage with your loved ones.