Sleep Deprived? Sleep-friendly Tips and Tricks

Sleep, ah, that elixir we need every single day. Having trouble sleeping? Waked up tired every morning because quality of sleep leaves a lot to be desired? Always grumpy? You’re not alone. Millions of us suffer from inadequate sleep, sleep deprivation, months of accumulated sleep debt, and all the baggage that comes with it. This may well be the scourge of the digital generation. We are almost never offline, and sleep is becoming more of an unattainable goal with every new technological marvel we discover.

But is technology solely to blame? Not really. It may well be the tipping point for the sleepless generation, since our daily habits, routines, and lifestyles are so governed by connectivity that we sometimes forget to switch off. Yes, that’s right, switching offis of paramount importance if you want to get courted by sleep again. There are several factors that influence sleep patterns, but the ones most to blame are:

1. A sedentary life: If you’re forever tied to your phone or your computer, chances are you sit most of the time. This confuses the brain into thinking you don’t really need more rest, and you may find it difficult to just turn your thinking cells off at night when the lights go out.
2. Wrong eating habits: Married to the cup of java more than to your partner? Do you find yourself reaching for a cup every few hours to shake out of an after-meal slump? Or are you just someone who thinks better caffeinated to the gills? Caffeine needs at least 18-24 hours to exit your system, and while it may be the best pick-me-up there is, it could be affecting your sleep. Being hopped up on coffee all the time can also confuse your system because it keeps your brain alert. And if you’re already addicted, chances are your withdrawal symptoms will make you jittery if you quit cold turkey.
3. The urban life: We are constantly in a race to some end point or another. Targets to achieve, personal milestones, dates and dinner appointments to honor, errands to cross off our to-do lists, PTA meetings to keep… the list is endless. The amount of energy we expend in just planning our lives and schedules can sometimes make us restless. Pun intended.
4. The blue light of your phone/tablet/PC screen: This could well be your bete noire. Blue light at night time is probably the worst thing you can do to yourself, as it depletes your melatonin levels, the hormone that helps you switch off and go to sleep.
5. Stress: Need I say more?

There are several other reasons – maybe a legitimate medical reason that you might need to consider, or it might be psychological, in which case you will have to seek professional advice. But these are the boxes that most sleep-deprived people will check on their are-you-sleepless list. But you know what? Sleep is medicine we need everyday to just allow our bodies and minds to rest, heal, and recharge so as to go out into the world the next day. Want that good night’s sleep badly? Here are some simple ways you can fall asleep each night.

1. Get exercise: Exercise is probably the greatest add-on elixir there is to sleep, complementing it so they can exist in sync and absolute harmony. A regular workout regimen will set right your metabolism and regulate your hormones, so you don’t have to reach for a pill to help you sleep at night. Your body will recognize that it is time for rest and naturally move towards it.
2. Decaf. At least after lunch. And if not decaf, then slowly decrease your daily intake of caffeine, so your body can acclimate to its new environs. Pro tip: Avoid coffee after lunch. Develop a habit of drinking herbal or green tea (decaf, of course), if you are used to a hot beverage in the second half of the day.
3. Take time off from planning, from your busy routine. Incorporate at least one digital detoxweekend every month so you can go commune with nature. Leave the phone/tablet at home. Surround yourself with nature’s plenty, take in the verdant surroundings, feel the grass tickle your feet, and just breathe. Tell your colleagues and friends you will be offline. Embrace that word. See how it rolls off your tongue. Offline…
4. Make a firm commitment to yourself to switch off Wi-Fi at least an hour before you sleep. Even if you are tempted, don’t look at the phone screen. Let the muted yellow light of a reading lamp soothe you as you meditate, do relaxing yoga, or read a book with a cup of milk or green tea. Milk is your friend at night, cocoa is not. Chamomile tea is your friend.
5. Do the above four, and 95% of the time, reason 5 will take care of itself. For the other 5% of the time, try an orgasm.

Sleep truly is the most forgiving. Allow yourself to disconnect and switch off bodily, so your mind can follow. We all deserve a good night’s sleep.