Sorry Rihanna, But Getting Only 3 Hours Sleep Just Isn’t Cool Anymore | InStyle.co.uk
Published on InStyle.co.uk, 19th December 2017
From looming deadlines to Netflix binges, there have never been so many excuses to avoid going to bed. Speaking to Vogue Paris recently, Rihanna confessed that she also struggles to nod off. 'I have a lot of trouble switching off. Even when I get home early, which means before 1 a.m., I start binge-watching shows or documentaries, which I love. I can’t go straight to bed. As a matter of fact, I only sleep three or four hours a night.' But with links between sleep loss and diabetes, obesity and poor mental health, experts are warning that living like Rihanna isn't something to aspire to. In fact, getting anything less than seven hours a night is actually classified as sleep deprivation. And with most of the population scrolling mindlessly through Instagram until the early hours and on first name terms with our local barista for a daily caffeine shot, there's evidently a lot of sleep deprived people among us. But being wired until 2am or tossing and turning all night doesn't have to be the norm. Here three 'sleep experts' from SIMBA, the makers of the world's most advanced mattress explain seven steps to getting your sleep routine back on track...
Be strict with your bedroom... 'Your bed is for for sex and sleeping,' says Hope Bastine, SIMBA’s resident sleep psychologist. 'Make sure that you do work and watch TV in a different room.' If you're in a relationship, Bastine recommends making the first 20 minutes that you get into bed with each-other focus on 'mindful communication' - a conversation with your partner about how both your days went and how you're feeling. 'When your days are busy, you often don't make the time to evaluate how it went or how you're feeling. That's why often when you get into bed and try falling asleep your mind is suddenly flooded with thoughts and anxieties.' Intimacy with another person also releases oxytocin which is ‘the best thing you have against insomnia.’
Set the mood... the right bedroom lighting is essential to a good night's sleep. Blue light suppresses the production of melatonin so you should change your bedside lamp bulbs to red and orange instead. If you can't let go of having your phone/laptop/i-pad in your room, make sure that you turn down the brightness and switch it to night shift mood.
Get into a routine... You set an alarm in the morning so why not set an alarm to remind yourself it's time to start winding down for bed. Bastine says an hour before you'd like to go to sleep, you need to start prepping. 'Turn off all your devices, dim the lights and if you can take a bath with magnesium salts which relax your muscles.'
Don't skip carbs... According to nutritionist Lily Soutter we shouldn't be skipping carbs come night-time. But that doesn't mean loading up your plate with pasta or scoffing a toast before bedtime. Instead, Soutter is all about slow release carbs with a side of protein. 'Chicken is rich is tryptophan, which is part of a protein molecule, a precursor to melatonin, the sleep hormone which regulates the sleep cycle. Beans, lentils and pulses also contain it but not as much as chicken. However, the dopey inducing properties of chicken are only effective when combined with 30g of carbohydrates. 'It helps with its absorption rate. So chicken and sweet potato is a great late night dinner option. Or things like an apple with almond butter.' Soutter is also a massive fan of oily fish and other food sources that are high in omega 3 fats like nuts and flax seeds. ‘Research has shown that omega 3 may help to stimulate melatonin too. In one study, subjects were given omega 3 fish oil every day and their sleep increased by an hour. That’s only one study so it’s not conclusive evidence but it’s promising,’ she explains.
Swap cocktails for wine... If you do fancy a late night tipple avoid cocktails which Soutter says are loaded with sugar. Instead, opt for a vodka, lime and soda water. Or even go for a glass of red which is also lower in sugar meaning you won't get a blood sugar crash that slows down how easy it is to nod off.
Breathe, breathe and breathe... 'Shallow breathing has been linked to anxiety so before going to bed focus on taking deep and slow breaths,' says Clara Baker, a yoga teacher at London's ChromaYoga. She also suggests doing some forward bending exercises. 'When you forward fold the body relaxes. Just sit with your legs crossed or the soles of your feet together, and lean forwards,' she says.
Don't panic if you still can't sleep... Bastine says insomnia can often be a vicious cycle with people working themselves up into a frenzy because they can't sleep which only furthers awakens them. If you can't sleep or wake up in the middle of the night and can't drift off again, don't panic. Focus on your breathing and don't look at the time. Never look at your phone or anything with a blue light. If you still can't nod off, sit up and read or potter around. You will eventually wind down and be able to drift off again.'
