How to get better sleep

Katie Tarling • February 21, 2023

Why have I decided to write an article on sleep this month? 

photo of a dog asleep

Sleep is one of the most important and potentially misunderstood processes in the human body. It appears that there isn’t a body or brain system that isn’t positively impacted by better sleep. 

As the sleep diplomat, Matthew Walker puts it, sleep is the single, most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day. If you’re keen to learn more from this sleep expert I highly recommend 'The Matt Walker Podcast' and his fantastic Ted talk 'Sleep is your superpower'.


Is sleep a priority for you? Over recent years we have, as a society, reduced the number of hours spent asleep. According to Dr Chatterjee's book 'The four Pillar Plan' an Oxford University study showed an average reduction in sleep of 1-2 hours over the past 60 years - which could represent a 25% reduction in sleep.  We’re enticed into binge watching box sets or into scrolling through social media when we could be winding down ready for sleep.


Our body responds to the dimming of light in the evening, with a slight surge in energy levels - which is thought to have evolved eons ago - to allow us to set up camp before night fall. In our modern, electric light, electronic screen filled world, it’s quite possible to be exposed to bright stimulating light right up until the moment we expect to fall asleep. Then we wonder why we can’t drift off immediately.


Perhaps you do drop off the moment your head hits the pillow - but this could be a sign of sleep debt. A recent study mentioned in a blog by 'the sleep charity' found that, it normally takes ten to twenty minutes to fall asleep. Check out their blog here

They also note that overly focussing on how long it's taking to fall asleep can be detrimental to our sleep and may indicate an issue with your sleep health. If you are struggling with sleep issues, please seek appropriate medical advice and remember these articles are neither advice nor instruction and are just for information and interest. Breathwork can be a useful tool to bring our attention away from 'trying' to fall asleep and onto our calming breath instead.


My Wind down top tips 


As adults we tend to assume we don’t need a bedtime routine, but allowing ourselves time to wind down might help us to get more good quality sleep. A couple of suggestions might be



  • To turn off screens (especially tablets and phones) an hour before bed - this not only helps to reduce the light stimulation which might make us feel alert instead of sleepy, but also helps reduce the likelihood that I'll read something upsetting just before bed.



  • To dim the lighting or use softer table lamps rather than bright overhead lighting - this can help reduce the stimulation from bright lighting. Have you ever noticed how sleepy you feel in a dimly lit restaurant?



  • Read a book - this can be a lovely distraction and escape from the events of the day and helps create a sense of calm.



  • Take a relaxing bath - not only is the warm water calming, but I find that the drop in body temperature after a bath can really help me to fall asleep more quickly. 



  • Listen to calming music - I have a few playlists of calming music and also meditative sounds that can easily be found on music streaming services - why not try some and see how they make you feel? I'm currently enjoying solfeggio sounds.



  • Write in a gratitude journal - I introduced this habit some years ago and find it to be a fantastic way to end the day. I write three things that I'm grateful for, which can sometimes be as simple as having a cosy bed to lie in, but I try to be specific and have always managed to find three things to write. I love the positive end to the day and the way that I'm training my brain to look for the positives.



  • Practice calming breathwork - I've had an interest in this for some time too, and recently became a qualified Breathwork coach. I use the techniques that I learned in my training (and that I teach during my workshops) to help me settle my nervous system just before bed, helping me fall asleep more quickly and get a better night's sleep.




As you might expect, sleep is interlinked with many other aspects of our diet and lifestyle, some of which are included in my free guide to better sleep, which you can access below. Dr Matthew Walker discusses the effects of exercise on sleep in his podcast and explains how some studies are showing a link between those who exercise regularly reporting better sleep than those who don’t. He suggests that even 15 minutes of walking may be enough to make a difference to our sleep. He also notes that the extra sleep time is usually gained without any extra time spent in bed i.e., the sleep efficiency improves. Have you noticed whether regular exercise has an impact on your sleep? I notice that I sleep better when I feel physically tired at the end of the day, especially if I've had a long walk or spent an afternoon gardening. If getting more movement is something you're keen to improve on, why not contact me to book into a regular weekly Pilates class at Hook Community Centre and check out the details here.

5 top tips that might improve sleep quality and quantity

photo of a cup of coffee

  • Sleep regularity - trying to keep to approximately the same bedtime and wake-time every day of the week. I try to remember the 80:20 rule here and aim to be consistent about 80% of the time.

  • Cut back on Caffeine - this is a stimulant which may impact our ability to fall asleep at bedtime. I usually try to enjoy my caffeine before noon and then switch to either herbal or decaf drinks after that. It can take approximately 5-6 hours for the body to remove half of the caffeine after a caffeinated drink, so if we drink a coffee at 5pm we're likely to still have half that caffeine in our system at 10pm.

 

  • Reduce Alcohol intake - we have many common sayings around alcohol and sleep, such as to 'have a night cap', but sadly alcohol creates a sedative effect, which makes us feel drowsy, but this is different from sleep. Alcohol can disturb the sleep stages and may also cause us to wake in the night feeling dehydrated and needing a glass of water, or with a headache. My aim is to enjoy an occasional glass of wine with dinner, but not to take the glass with me once I leave the table after eating!

  • Bedroom temperature - our body temperature needs to drop slightly in order for us to be able to fall asleep. Have you noticed that it's harder to fall asleep in a room that’s slightly too hot than in a room that’s slightly too cold? I try to open my window to let in some fresh air and reduce the temperature of my bedroom before going to bed. We've also lowered the thermostat slightly on the bedroom radiator.

  • Exposure to natural morning daylight - in order to try and set my body clock (sleep-wake cycle) to the same times each day, I utilise the advice to get some morning daylight as early as possible after getting up, which often just means taking my morning tea into the garden. The light stimulation of natural daylight helps to set the internal body clock and helps me to feel sleepy at bedtime. So, getting a good night's sleep actually starts first thing in the morning!

Find out more and get in touch!


If you're interested in joining a Pilates class, claim your first class for FREE when you sign-up to my Newsletters, or for more tips on how to improve sleep, sign-up to my Email Newsletters and receive your FREE guide 'Simple ways to get better sleep' or check out my upcoming Breathwork workshops. All the links can be found below. Please note that this article is for information and interest only and does not replace medical advice. No liability accepted and please do seek appropriate advice if sleep is a particular issue for you.

All resources can be found here