Getting good sleep is integral to good health. If you can’t rest and recover, it can affect healing after injuries.
There are many reasons sleep can be disrupted. Sometimes it is pain. Sometimes it’s breathing. Very often it is bad bedtime habits!
Physio can help by giving you strategies to sleep better so you can let your body rest and restore.
1) maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time. Sleeping in on the weekend won’t make up for late nights all week! Your body works better when it is in a predictable wake:sleep rhythm.
2) establish a healthy and predictable routine around going to bed. This can help you wind down and it signals to your body it is coming into rest time. It might be that you have a shower, wash your face, read a book, meditate, or stretch. Make sure it is gentle and calming.
3) have a regular exercise routine. If you have exercised during the day, you’re likely to sleep better that night. Just make sure you have enough time to wind down before bed.
4) no screens in the bedroom! The bedroom is meant to be a place of rest. So no phones, no iPads, no TVs! The light from screens can overstimulate the brain, and we are tempted to check our phone far more than we ever need to. Buy yourself an alarm clock – old school!
5) avoid caffeine in the afternoon, and consider reducing the amount of alcohol you drink. The first half of the tip is pretty obvious! A lot of people think that alcohol helps them to get to sleep, but we know that most people sleep better when they cut out the booze (even if you feel dozy after a few drinks…)
Getting the rest you need will help you to stay on top of life in general, but also help you recover faster whenever something goes wrong.