Lack of sleep can have serious impacts on your health.
From an increased risk for driving and workplace accidents to a higher rate of heart attacks and strokes, and a correlation with Type 2 diabetes, sleepless nights are detrimental to our overall well-being.
“Traditionally, we haven’t put much value on our sleep,” CanSleep Registered Respiratory Therapist Michelle Conville says.
“But when people know more about the value of sleep, they’re more inclined to take it seriously.”
Getting a good night’s sleep means prioritising good sleep hygiene, Conville explains. The sleep therapists at CanSleep can help walk patients through their sleep habits to ensure they’re getting a good night’s rest.
So, what does good sleep hygiene look like? Conville offers these tips.
Lay the groundwork during the day
Good sleep hygiene starts during the daytime.
“Make sure you’re exercising, eating wisely, and napping wisely,” Conville says.
Napping wisely means not napping after 3 p.m. and ensuring you only have short naps. Avoid caffeine and nicotine in the afternoon or anything else that might disrupt your ability to sleep later on.
Power down before bed
Make sure you are getting prepared to sleep an hour before you go to bed.
Avoid stimulating screen time, texting, gaming, stimulating television, or eating close to bedtime. Blue light can delay melatonin release, which helps you fall asleep.
If you find yourself carrying around worries or stress about the next day, keep a journal next to your bed so you can write down your to-do list instead of mentally going over it instead of sleeping.
Have a strategy for waking in the night
It’s normal to wake up in the middle of the night. The key to getting back to sleep is thinking of strategies for relaxation.
Conville recommends mindful breathing, meditation, or putting on soothing sounds.
Keep a consistent sleep schedule
Consistency in bedtimes and wake times helps train your body to know when it’s time to sleep.
“Your body likes to know when you plan to get to bed because it can work on building that sleep schedule,” Conville explains.
If you’re doing everything right and still waking up sluggish and tired, something more serious may be at play, such as sleep apnea. The professionals at CanSleep can guide you through diagnosis and treatment in a way that will help you get the rest you need to live your life to the fullest.
“If you’re feeling unrested every day with low energy, morning headaches, and elevated blood pressure that can’t be treated, sometimes sleep apnea is in the background causing havoc,” Conville says.
“One of the things I really like about CanSleep is that they have a vision. We are very passionate about helping people breathe and sleep better.”
Find out if you’re getting enough sleep today. Take CanSleep’s tiredness test online now at cansleep.ca/tiredness-test.
