Sleep is important for good health, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, people who don’t sleep enough have a greater risk of many health complications, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, strokes, and obesity.
Not only does sleep allow our bodies and brains to recover, it also plays an important role in our habits and motivation. If we feel well rested, we are more likely to take part in healthy habits and feel motivated than if we are deprived of sleep. For example, if you are looking to start a new exercise routine feeling tired isn’t going to help you stick to this. Similarly, if you are trying to reduce the amount of snacks you have, feeling low on energy is probably going to have you reaching for extra snacks to get a boost.
What can you do to improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep and establish a healthy sleeping routine? Try some of the tips below:
Having the odd night of poor sleep is unlikely to have a major impact on our health, however if you feel that your sleep routine can be improved, have a think about small changes you can make. You don’t need to implement all of the above in one go but perhaps try one or two that feel manageable to you and see if they help.
Something that is important to remember is that if you feel stressed or worried about not sleeping this is likely to cause you to feel more awake. Try simply saying to yourself that you will lay and rest and if you fall asleep then great, but if not you will enjoy the relaxation time. Just taking the pressure off can be enough to send you off to sleep.
There may be certain things that are outside of your control when it comes to your sleep routine, for example shift patterns or young children. Try to focus on the things that you can control and whether there are any changes you could make or work towards.
Assistant Psychologist
Michael Williams is an Assistant Psychologist at Xyla, specializing in psychology and behavioral change within health and wellbeing. He is responsible for creating and developing psychology and behavioral change content for various health programs and delivering behavioral change workshops for coaches. Additionally, he has designed and delivered ADHD awareness training for both coaching and training teams.
His professional interests include promoting behavioural change among stroke survivors and the psychology of aging. These interests are reflected in his BSc Psychology dissertation on the effects of exercise on cognitive function and his MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology dissertation on the association between affective states and postural control, both among older adults.
As a coach and motivational speaker, Michael uses his expertise to inspire and empower individuals to make positive changes and lead healthier lives.
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