How you can get a good night's sleep

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book – Borden's Blather. But getting a good night’s sleep may be a daily struggle for some people who are suffering from insomnia. A survey has shown that the average hours of sleep among Malaysians are only 6.4 hours. The top causes of bad night’s sleep in Malaysia include stress, anxiety and depression, unhealthy lifestyle and sleep habits, environmental issues,and spending too much time on gadgets. 

So, you might ask, why do we need adequate sleep? A healthy sleep routine is essential for optimal mental and physical health. Insufficient sleep can cause health consequences such as Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, obesity etc. Moreover, changes in psychological health due to lack of sleep may result in strain in relationships or difficulties performing daily duties in the workplace. Sleeping deprivation is also one of the reasons for road crashes.

Here are some useful methods to ensure that you have sufficient good sleep:

1. Stick to your sleeping schedule

   • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that healthy adults require 7 to 9 hours of sleep at night. Set a regular bedtime or wake-up time. While preparing to hit the sack, schedule a bedtime routine for showering, putting on your pajamas, washing your face and brushing your teeth. 

   • Try to limit daytime naps to about 20 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes as it can make it harder to fall asleep at night.  

2. Ensure a comfortable bedroom 

   • A quiet, dark, and relaxed sleeping environment ensures a good night’s sleep. Our body maintains a circadian rhythm, an internal clock that operates on a 24-hour cycle primarily influenced by light and darkness. This clock signals your body to generate the hormone called melatonin that makes you fall asleep when it is dark. Switching off the lights in your bedroom and other areas of the house during nighttime hours make it easier for you to go to bed.
   • Setting an ideal temperature around 15.6 to 19.4 degrees celsius can help signal your body that it’s sleep time.​​​​​​​

3. Essential oil with diffuser

   • Lavender essential oil is widely acknowledged as a natural sleep aid. In a research study, lavender was discovered to boost the quality of slow and deep-wave sleep in study subjects. All subjects who took part in the study claimed to have more "vigor" the following morning. Additionally, Lavender oil helps promote relaxation that can help feelings of anxiety and depression. 

   • Other essential oils for a better sleep include chamomile oil, peppermint oil, bergamot oil, sandalwood oil, cedarwood oil, eucalyptus oil etc.  

4. Food for thought

   • Avoid eating a large meal 2 to 3 hours before bed as it may cause reflux symptoms and difficulty sleeping as your muscles that digest and metabolize food have to keep working when they should be resting. Choose a healthy protein and complex carbohydrate snack like fresh fruit, oats or a slice of whole-wheat bread if you are hungry. 

   • Avoid drinking alcohol, energy drinks and caffeine before sleeping. Black, white, and green tea, hot cocoa, lattes, espresso, chai, iced tea, soda, energy drinks, and chocolate all contain the stimulating caffeine content. Drinking alcohol can also degrade the quality of sleep and interfere with your sleeping patterns, leaving you groggy and exhausted. Alcohol may help with sleep at first, but this benefit is overshadowed by the detrimental impact on the quality of their sleep throughout the night. 

   • You can drink a cup of warm milk before bed.

   • Over-the-counter sleeping pills may help you fall asleep initially, but these drugs can soon cause your body to get tolerant to them, hence losing their effectiveness. 

5. Kiss your electronic devices goodnight!

   • Try not to use your gadgets during bedtime. Establish a nighttime electronic curfew during which all phones, and computers must be switched off at least a couple of hours before sleeping. 

   • Keep your bed as a sleeping-only space. It’s tempting to bring your projects or assignments with you to bed, especially if you are rushing to meet a deadline. Keep your job to specific hours and designated workspace. By doing this, you'll be able to not bring work stress before sleep and ensure your brain is in a relaxed state, and not overly stimulated. You will also be able to mentally put your work on hold when you leave the room, which will encourage you to work quickly and effectively rather than procrastinate. 

   • Choose printed editions of books, newspapers, and magazines over electronic versions if you enjoy reading before bed. 

6. Calming activities before bed

   • Practicing mindfulness or meditation can help ease tension before sleep. Doing deep breathing exercises and focusing on your breath and clearing your mind can help you feel more at ease and prepared for bed. Use the technique of progressive muscle relaxation, where you concentrate on one area of your body at a time, tensing and relaxing muscles until your entire body is relaxed.

   • Setting the mood with some mind-calming music like classical music or jazz while doing some gentle stretching may help you get ready for bed.  

7. Get moving at daytime

   • ​​​​​​​Regular exercising at least 30 minutes daily can improve quality of life and improve sleep for many people by promoting longer, deeper and more restful sleep cycles. 

8. Off-load your mind

   • ​​​​​​​Putting down on paper what awaits you the next day can be a tool for limiting sleepless nights, according to a study published in The Journal of Experimental Psychology. We live in a 24/7 culture in which our to-do lists seem to be constantly growing and causing us to worry about unfinished tasks at bedtime. Creating a written reminder for tomorrow will help free your mind.

   • Stress, anxiety, sadness, and other emotional or mental health issues are also linked to sleep issues. Hence, these make it difficult to establish a regular, healthy sleep schedule. Do consult your healthcare professionals and do not be afraid to seek help from loved ones or people around you if you are experiencing these symptoms.

This article is written by Rosamund, Bpharm(Hons) (DOC2US), 
reviewed by Dr. Ng Shuk Sing, MBBS​ (DOC2US)

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Reference

1. Chan, Caryn Mei Hsien, Siau, Ching Sin, Wong, Jyh Eiin, Wee, Lei Hum, Jamil, Nor Aini, & Hoe, Victor Chee Wai. (2021). Prevalence of Insufficient Sleep and Its Associated Factors Among Working Adults in Malaysia. Nature and Science of Sleep, 13, 1109-1116.
2. Koreaboo. (2023, March 1). What Exactly Is Propofol? The Reason Why Celebrities Are Hooked On The “Milk Shot”. Retrieved from  https://www.koreaboo.com/news/exactly-propofol-reason-many-korean-celebrities-addicted/ 
3. Healthline. (2020, August 25). Which Essential Oils Promote Better Sleep? Retrieved from  https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/essential-oils-for-sleep#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1 
4. Mayo Clinic. (2022, May 7). Sleep tips: 6 steps to better sleep. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379 
5. Sleep Advisor. (2023, February 14). 9 Simple Nighttime Rituals To Help You Relax and Unwind. Retrieved from  https://www.sleepadvisor.org/bedtime-rituals/#:~:text=These%20rituals%20don't%20need,tea%2C%20or%20an%20evening%20meditation. 
6. Washington University in St Louis. (2020, May 4). Creating a Sleep Routine – 6 Steps to Better Sleep. Retrieved from   https://hr.wustl.edu/creating-a-sleep-routine-6-steps-to-better-sleep/

Written by

Rosamund, Bpharm(Hons)DOC2US