sleep

Happy New Year! In this week’s “welcome back” assemblies I have been talking to students about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep.

Sleep is an important part of our physical, mental and social wellbeing, just like eating well and being active. A recent study showed that on average, people in the UK had six and a half hours of sleep a night. Doctors and researchers recommend between 7-9 hours of sleep for adults and it’s even more for children and young people. This shows that lack of sleep is an issue for us as nation and a society, and building good habits early can help set us up for life.

Less sleep and poor sleep quality can have a real impact on people’s health, but there is lots of information out there to help us get better rest. This information is especially important for students and young people.

Sleep facts and myths

In the assembly, students reflected on a series of sleep facts and myths:

You can still get a good night’s sleep even if you wake up: this is a sleep fact. Waking up during the night is completely normal and expected. During sleep we cycle through different sleep stages, moving from lighter sleep stages to deep sleep.
We all need 8 hours of sleep: this is a sleep myth. Although some people might find that 8 hours of sleep at night suits them, we’re all individuals and have different sleep needs.
Waking in the morning and still feeling dozy is a sign of a poor night’s sleep: this is a sleep myth. Very few of us probably wake up in the morning and immediately spring out of bed ready for the day. It’s more likely that people wake and take a few minutes to shake off sleepiness.
You can catch up on the sleep you’ve missed: this is a sleep myth. Scientific studies show that you can’t make up lost sleep by having more on the weekends or in school holidays.

Good sleep habits

We then thought about ways that we could help to build good sleep habits, with techniques that are proven to help with getting a good night’s sleep:

Follow the same daily bedtime routine: having the same bedtime and the same routine before bed helps prepare the mind and body for sleep. For example, reading a chapter or two of your current reading book every night is a good way to help settle yourself before sleep.
Avoid screens for at least an hour before bed: a phone, laptop, tablet or TV screen tricks our brain into thinking it’s still daytime, making it more difficult to get to sleep. Avoiding screens for at least an hour before bed helps the brain to realise it’s night time and prepare for sleeping. Since 2019 I have charged my mobile phone downstairs, rather than on my bedside table, and it has transformed my sleep quality! You can read about this here.
Drink a glass of warm milk before bed: I actually thought that this was a myth, but it turns out that a cup or warm milk genuinely can help your body prepare for sleep – it’s something to do with an amino acid called tryptophan, apparently!
Keep your bedroom tidy: a tidy and orderly bedroom helps you to relax and feel calm and ready for bed. So tidy your room!
Get plenty of daylight: our bodies follow a pattern called the circadian rhythm that keeps us alert and awake during the day, and allows us to fall asleep at night. The circadian rhythm is regulated by daylight during the day, and darkness at night – so getting sunlight during the day helps us to fall asleep at night.
Wind down before going to sleep: ensuring that we are as calm and relaxed as possible before bed is another great tip. That’s why reading can be a great before-sleep activity – getting lost in a good story prevents the mind from wandering and ensures that we are ready for the land of nod.

Instant impacts?

It has been great talking to students about my assemblies this week. Several students have tried out some of the top sleep tips and reported that it really helped. So, for once, I’m taking: “Mr Hildrew, your assembly sent me to sleep” as a compliment!

It’s well known that a good night’s sleep is one of the most significant factors in making sure that we are at our best the next day. There are multiple research studies which show that sleep helps with concentration, memory, insight, creativity, and even our immune systems.

It’s also well known that most of us aren’t getting enough sleep, so we are not benefiting from the improved performance we could be seeing in school. So what can we do to make this better?

9 Common Sleep Mistakes, courtesy of Inner Drive

TV before bed: the temptation to watch “just one more episode” of that Netflix box-set can be hard to resist – that’s how Netflix is designed! “Just one more episode” will lose you an hour of sleep. The episode will still be there tomorrow – but the sleep will be lost for good. Shut the laptop and shut your eyes!
Bed times: if you go to bed at different times each night, your body’s internal clock gets confused and it can disrupt your sleep patterns. Having a regular routine really helps to get a consistent night’s sleep.
Go to bed before you fall asleep: if you find yourself dropping off on the sofa, you’ve stayed up too late. Get to bed earlier, with a good book, and read a chapter before you turn the light off.
Naps: research shows that short naps can be useful, but anything over half an hour can prevent you from sleeping well at night because you won’t be tired until later. If you need it, slot in a ten to fifteen minute “power nap” – but set an alarm!
If you’re wide awake, get up: if you find yourself tossing and turning, unable to sleep, get out of bed and do something that occupies your brain without stressing you out: a jigsaw, tidy your room, organise yourself, read another chapter of your book. Then go back to bed, so that you associate it with sleeping, not being awake.
Put your phone away: the bright light from your phone or tablet tricks your brain into thinking it’s day time. This stops melatonin (the sleep hormone) from being fully released, making it harder to drop off. Put your phone away at least an hour before you want to go to sleep.
Cut the caffeine: energy drinks, cola, tea, and coffee all have delayed effects on your energy levels. If you drink them before bed, the caffeine will be trying to keep you alert as you are trying to fall asleep.
Don’t kill time online: don’t waste time scrolling social media, letting YouTube autoplay the next epic fails video, or spectating Fortnite kills. This is time you could be spending asleep. If it’s not productive – don’t do it!
Try not to overthink tomorrow: try not to make lists of everything you need to do whilst you’re lying in bed – this can lead to a stress response. Make those lists and get everything organised before you go to bed – then get that book out, read another chapter, switch off the light and drift off to sleep.