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WELCOME

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WELCOME

“Though sleep is called our best friend, it is a friend who often keeps us waiting”Jules Verne If you’re reading this, then you already know how exhausting and frustrating it can be when you can’t sleep. And you’re not alone: one in three people have some kind of sleep problem, and often those problems change at different life stages and for various reasons: anxious teenagers, partying twenty-somethings, sleep-deprived new parents, the overstretched ‘sandwich generation’… and then there’s your hormonally changing fities to contend with. It’s well documented that a lack of sleep can damage both your mental and physical health, but sleeping pills aren’t always the answer. So what is? We’ve gathered a wide range of sleep experts to explore dozens of options to find the best natural sleep solutions…

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SLEEP?

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SLEEP?

Until the early 20th century, when we became able to measure brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG), it was believed that during sleep the brain shut down and rested from the activity of the day. However, the reality is very different, and in fact the brain can be more active when we are asleep than when we are awake. Whether we’re awake or asleep depends on activity in specific areas of the brain. The part of the brain that promotes wakefulness also inhibits the part that promotes sleep activity, and vice versa. The shift between the different areas is caused by internal factors such as the circadian rhythm and the release of hormones, and is usually self-regulating. The drive to sleep increases the longer we’re awake, and as we sleep it…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

THE POWER OF DREAMS

Have you ever noticed that your dreams contain memories? Some scientists suggest that dreams may actually be indicative of the memory replay that takes place when we’re asleep and is important for memory consolidation. They hypothesise that only some elements of a replayed memory, the tip of the iceberg, make it into consciousness and that these manifest as dreams. Skill consolidation Evidence supporting the link between dreams and memory includes the observation that people tend to improve at new skills more if they dream about them. Dr Erin Wamsley, Associate Professor Bob Stickgold and colleagues at Harvard Medical School found that undergraduate students who had dreamed of a computer game maze they had earlier been challenged to learn improved more than those who had slept but didn’t dream of the…

THE POWER OF DREAMS

YOUR LIFE IN SLEEP

In The Moment|Sleep Well

YOUR LIFE IN SLEEP

From naps to big blocks of sleep, the way we snooze changes with age. But how do we know what’s normal? Should an infant be sleeping through the night? Is waking before sunrise a problem? Can you sleep for eight hours but still feel tired the next day? These are just a few concerns regarding our sleeping habits. With the help of sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley we look at the sleep patterns for each age to assess what counts as ‘normal’ when we hit the hay. YEARS 0-10 A vital stage of sleep for healthy development Sleep at this stage in life is crucial, as our brains and bodies are developing at a rapid pace. As any new parent knows, a newborn baby has no concept of day and…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

7 WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR CHANCES OF BETTER SLEEP

1 MINDSET AND ACCEPTANCE Cultivate a love of sleep but keep perspective. We can drive ourselves mad wishing for things to be different, and it’s helpful to acknowledge that parenting inevitably results in disturbed sleep. It’s normal for our children to need us at night – we can find it hard to soothe ourselves to sleep, so we need to be patient as our children develop this capacity too. Accepting this is better than going to bed expecting uninterrupted sleep and seething in resentment when that hope is dashed. Remember that it will change. It really won’t be like this forever. It is truly amazing what we can still accomplish on so little sleep. 2 CREATE A SOOTHING SLEEP ENVIRONMENT Create an environment conducive to sleep by keeping bedrooms dark,…

7 WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR CHANCES OF BETTER SLEEP

A USEFUL TOOLKIT FOR ANXIETY

In The Moment|Sleep Well

A USEFUL TOOLKIT FOR ANXIETY

Few things scupper sleep more than anxiety about being awake. Use this ‘What to do when I can’t sleep’ toolkit as inspiration, and work with your kids on creating your own. Rather than feeling tense and worried, you’ll feel empowered with lots of different things to try until sleep comes. 1 FEEL YOUR BREATHING Rather than allowing my mind to whirr on about being awake, I’ll distract myself by focusing on my breath. Repeat the words: ‘breathe IN, breathe OUT’ and allow it to be relaxed and smooth. Make your exhalation a little longer than the in breath. 2 SING A CALM SONG A traditional lullaby, a modern song or even your own composition! 3 DREAM YOUR BEST DAY If it’s hard to slow down my mind, I’ll give it…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

COUNTING BREATHS

The traditional suggestion for getting to sleep when you’re struggling was to try counting sheep. This practice of counting breaths works in a similar way – if the mind is particularly busy, we can count our breathing as a way of steadying our attention and moving it out of our head (thinking) and into our body. In this practice, we count up to ten and then start again. When you find yourself going beyond ten, simply start again at one. You can do this practice lying in bed or sitting. The practice 1 Whether sitting or lying down, check your posture. Begin to tune into your breathing. Notice how your breath comprises an in-breath and an out-breath. For counting purposes, both of these make up one whole breath. 2 Every…

COUNTING BREATHS

BREATHING THROUGH THE SOLES OF THE FEET

In The Moment|Sleep Well

BREATHING THROUGH THE SOLES OF THE FEET

We can use our breath as a vehicle for our attention,–directing it into and out of different parts of the body. In this practice, we drop our attention to the soles of our feet and imagine that we’re breathing in and out from there. When you’re sitting or standing and the soles of your feet are in contact with the floor, this practice can feel very grounding. This can be particularly helpful if you’re feeling anxious or panicky. Breathing through the soles of the feet is a good alternative to paying attention to the breath, if focusing on your breathing feels a bit tricky or uncomfortable. The practice 1 Check your posture. Then, narrowing your focus to your breath, tune into the in- and out-breaths. 2 Direct your attention to…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

BEDTIME STORIES

Most authors would probably be offended if you told them that something they’d written had sent you to sleep after five minutes. But this isn’t the case for Phoebe Smith. Branching out from her career as a journalist and broadcaster, Phoebe has been appointed ‘sleep storyteller in residence’ at the Calm sleep app, with her tales helping millions of people gently drift o" to sleep every night. The idea of ‘a book at bedtime’ as a precursor to a good night’s sleep is hardly a new concept. For generations, people have read for relaxation in the evening. And from being read nursery stories as children to enjoying a quiet five minutes in bed with a book as an adult, those moments of escapism can help us unwind at the end…

BEDTIME STORIES

In The Moment|Sleep Well

10 OF THE BEST SLEEP SOUNDS

Sleep Stories by Calm Now you can nod off to a bedtime story read by velvet-voiced Matthew McConaughey, Joanna Lumley or Stephen Fry, thanks to Sleep Stories from the meditation and sleep app Calm. New stories are added every week, and there are also guided meditations, music and soundscapes. iOS and Android £35.99 per year after free 7-day trial Lullabies by Jackie Oates Not just for babies, this gorgeous collection by the British singer brings together traditional lullabies and folk songs, including two Icelandic sleep songs and a beautifully arranged Beatles cover. Jackie’s gentle, lilting voice is wonderfully relaxing, and ideal for listening to while tucked up in bed with a warm mug of cocoa. www.jackieoates.co.uk £7 (digital) or £12 (signed CD) Sleep by Headspace The helpful team at Headspace…

10 OF THE BEST SLEEP SOUNDS

MICROSLEEPS & OFFICE SIESTAS (and why it’s normal to wake up at 2am)

In The Moment|Sleep Well

MICROSLEEPS & OFFICE SIESTAS (and why it’s normal to wake up at 2am)

More people than ever are suffering from insomnia. Why are we sleeping so badly? Insomnia has been around for a very long time but it’s particularly a problem at the moment because the world is going so fast. There are so many demands. What happens to our body when we don’t get a good night’s sleep? Humans are designed to spend roughly a third of their lives sleeping. When we sleep deeply it repairs the body on every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, and I believe spiritually as well. So we wake up in the morning and we feel inspired and passionate and creative, looking forward to the day ahead. When we don’t sleep well, we get the opposite of that. I’ve been working with sleep problems for over two and…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

STRETCH AWAY THE STRESS

Our evening routines have changed in recent years. It used to be that we left work, maybe watched an hour of TV, then went to bed with a good book. But now we’re replying to emails at any hour, scrolling on social media and letting just one more episode of that gripping crime drama automatically play. Technology and its advancements have made it easy for us to get our fill of entertainment, but it’s having the opposite effect on our ability to get a good night’s sleep. Redress the stress An unexpected email or a notification can trigger your stress response. It’s natural – the brain receives new information that requires immediate action, and so your stress hormones are released to help deal with the situation. The same is true…

STRETCH AWAY THE STRESS

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WAKE-UP ROUTINES

1 PREPARE FOR YOUR DAY THE NIGHT BEFORE! While some of us can jump out of bed in the morning full of zest for life, for others waking up can be the worst part of the day. Even if you’ve had a good night’s sleep, the idea of leaving the comfort of a warm duvet to face the weather, work or the walk to school can feel like the last thing you want to do. But by moving our bodies just a little when we wake up, we can help ourselves feel both physically and mentally ready for the morning ahead. The first step is to make sure you’ve set your alarm to wake you up so you’ve got enough time to ease into the day rather than rushing. 2…

WAKE-UP ROUTINES

In The Moment|Sleep Well

BREATHE YOUR WAY TO A BLISSFUL NIGHT’S SLEEP

“UNDERSTANDING AND USING THE BREATH PURPOSEFULLY IS A MAJOR SKILL” You’ve had a crazy day at work and you feel exhausted – it’s time to hit the hay. You get into bed but your mind is still racing. You toss and turn as the incessant chatter in your head reminds you about everything that happened today or all the things you need to do tomorrow. Even though your body feels tired, for some reason your mind just won’t shut off. Does this sound like a familiar story? If it does, you have your autonomic nervous system (ANS) to thank. The ANS regulates many of our unconscious bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, urination and hormone production. It’s also responsible for what’s commonly referred to as the ‘"fight…

BREATHE YOUR WAY TO A BLISSFUL NIGHT’S SLEEP

EAT WELL, SLEEP WELL

In The Moment|Sleep Well

EAT WELL, SLEEP WELL

The most common sleep disorder is insomnia, affecting one in three people. A bad night’s sleep can leave you struggling to focus and concentrate, not to mention irritable, tearful and lacking in motivation. And even if you don’t suffer with insomnia, just a few nights of broken sleep can significantly affect your health. Poor sleep has been linked to a number of health problems including cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety and weight gain. Insomnia also triggers the release of chemicals that encourage inflammation associated with arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease and joint pain. Poor sleep can also exacerbate chronic pain conditions due to an increased sensitivity to pain. But before you reach for the sleeping tablets, there’s a lot you can do to improve your sleep and tackle insomnia through…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SPICED RICE PUDDING WITH FRUIT COMPOTE

METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. 2 In a saucepan, heat the milk with the cardamom, ginger and xylitol. Remove from the heat and add the grated zest of the orange and lemon. 3 Pour the milk mixture into a baking dish and stir in the rice. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 1_hour 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the cooking time, remove the foil, stir in the rose water then return the dish to the oven for a further 30 minutes. 4 To make the compote, place the apricots, apple juice and cinnamon stick in a pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the nuts. 5 Spoon the rice pudding into bowls and top with a spoonful of the compote to serve.…

SPICED RICE PUDDING WITH FRUIT COMPOTE

CREATING THE PERFECT BEDROOM

In The Moment|Sleep Well

CREATING THE PERFECT BEDROOM

No matter how relaxed you are before bed, and how stress-free you might be feeling, you’re not going to get that restful sleep you’re longing for if your bedroom isn’t up to scratch. Whether it’s a lumpy mattress, paper-thin curtains or so much clutter you have to gingerly pick your way to the bed, there are various factors that can affect the quality and amount of sleep you get. Making some simple alterations to your room can be a quick and easy job. Obviously, there are some areas where you will have to spend money if you want to see an improvement, such as on a new mattress, but the investment is well worth it. Here, sleep experts reveal the secrets to setting your bedroom up for a luxurious, soothing…

LOOK ON THE LIGHT SIDE

In The Moment|Sleep Well

LOOK ON THE LIGHT SIDE

Whether or not you have something you’d consider a bedtime routine, it’s almost certain that the last thing you do before you fall asleep is turn out the light. We all understand that it’s easier to sleep when it’s dark, but the relationship between light and sleep is much more important than you might imagine. The invention of artificial light means society and the human body are no longer reliant on the natural prompts of dawn and dusk to wake up and fall asleep. And yet despite the lure of late-night videogame sessions, the necessity of working late at your laptop or the urge to get to the gym before the sun’s up, your body’s internal clock will still be working to a more fundamental timetable that’s closely tied to…

WIN! A LUMIE BODYCLOCK AND LIGHTBOX

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WIN! A LUMIE BODYCLOCK AND LIGHTBOX

Creating the right atmosphere in your home is important for sleep, and lighting is a huge part of this. Lumie has been at the forefront of sleep-related lighting since 1991, and its range of lightboxes and Bodyclock lamps has helped thousands of people to get to sleep more easily and wake up gently, as well as easing the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Bodyclock lamps mimic the effects of sunrise and sunset to gently encourage your body to wake up or rest, and the premium Shine 300 model boasts a full set of features, including a radio, a choice of 14 sounds, adjustable intensity, a nightlight and more. A Lumie lightbox is like having on-demand sunshine in your home or office, providing bright, warm lighting to boost your mood and…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WHAT TO DO WHEN NOISE ANNOYS YOU

There’s nothing like a car alarm at 2am to drive a person to distraction. Night is the time when we’re most disturbed by sirens, creaking floorboards or noisy neighbours. But what is it about noise that creates such a problem for sleep? “Before we drift o#, the nervous system needs to settle – we need to assure our brains that we are in a safe place,” explains sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan. “Jarring noise, particularly intermittent noise that varies in volume and pitch, puts the nervous system on red alert, which will wake you up and prevent you going back to sleep.” The noise tells your body that you’re not safe. Your heart rate increases, your nerves feel jangly, your stress level shoots through the roof. This makes sense to…

WHAT TO DO WHEN NOISE ANNOYS YOU

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SLEEP WELL

SLEEP FACTS Uncover the latest research into how we sleep Work out what’s normal at night for your age Teenagers aren’t lazy! Find out why inside…a BODY Meet the breathing expert who can help you unwind Try gentle evening exercises to relax and de-stress Understand how hormones can affect your sleep MIND Use mindfulness to rebuild your relationship with sleep Discover the power of a calming bedtime story Is cognitive behavioural therapy the solution for you? BEDROOM Learn to use lighting to improve your sleep Tackle unwanted night-time noise Turn your bedroom into a peaceful haven…

SLEEP WELL

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WEEK 2

DAY 1 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 2 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 3 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 4 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 5 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 6 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 7 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY?…

WEEK 2

In The Moment|Sleep Well

MEET OUR EXPERTS

MATT HAIG Matt is the bestselling author of Reasons To Stay Alive, and wants us to fall in love with sleep again. Find Matt on page 9 SUZY READING A psychologist, yoga teacher and author, Suzy’s books include The Self-Care Revolution. Find Suzy on page 36 DR NEIL STANLEY Sleep expert Neil has 37 years’ experience, and has written a book, How To Sleep Well. Find Neil on page 28 ANNA BLACK Anna Black teaches mindfulness workshops and is the author of five books on mindfulness. Find Anna on page 46 PROF. ALICE GREGORY Alice is a Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths, where she is co-head of the Goldsmiths Sleep Lab. Find Alice on page 19 DR NERINA RAMLAKHAN Nerina runs sleep programmes at Nightingale Hospital, and is the sleep…

MEET OUR EXPERTS

PHASES OF SLEEP

In The Moment|Sleep Well

PHASES OF SLEEP

NON-REM SLEEP (NREM) As you move through these three stages, activity in the brain gets slower and slower and your brain’s neurones fire in greater and greater synchrony. Stage 1 N-REM People woken from this stage often believe they have been awake. They don't remember falling asleep. It’s during this phase that we experience hypnic jerks – involuntary twitches. Stage 2 N-REM This makes up the majority of our sleep. Dreaming is less common than in deeper stages and the sleeper is easily awakened. Stage 3 N-REM or short wave sleep (SWS) This is the deepest stage of non-REM sleep. EEG readings show high-amplitude slow oscillations in electrical activity (there are big differences between the peaks and troughs of the graph), reflecting the fact that many neurones in the brain…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

EXPLODING HEAD SYNDROME (and other strange sleep sensations)

What makes sleep such an interesting subject to research? As a psychologist I’m interested in the science of mind and behaviour. How we spend a third of our lives is important for how we experience the other two thirds. Our ability to learn, remember, the way we look, our weight, attractiveness, our ability to regulate emotions or fight off illness are all linked to our sleep. I don’t want to go too far and suggest that sleep is a cure-all, but it can help with a lot of different things. There’s also still a huge amount to learn about this topic, so as a sleep researcher I never run out of ideas for new projects. Each piece of research results in many more questions. You’ve put a lot of your…

EXPLODING HEAD SYNDROME (and other strange sleep sensations)

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE?

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE?

While most sleep problems can be sorted out by making changes to your lifestyle, such as adopting a relaxing routine in the evening or avoiding alcohol before bedtime, it’s worth speaking to your GP about certain issues. • If your sleeplessness is long-term, causing you to feel constantly tired or putting you in a low mood. • If anxious thoughts prevent you getting to sleep, or stop you getting back to sleep if you wake in the early hours. • If your partner often reports that you’re snoring or even momentarily stopping breathing, and you wake up feeling tired. (These are signs of sleep apnoea, which is more common if you have a high body mass index.) • Menopausal women can see their GP about managing the symptoms of the…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

CREATE YOUR OWN PRE-BEDTIME ROUTINE

1 Bathtime – a splash in the tub helps us wash away the busyness of our day. Add some Epsom salts or chamomile-scented bath foam for extra relaxation. 2 Pop on pyjamas that you love to build that happy association with bedtime. 3 Stretch out your body with some yoga poses. Seated, all fours and lying down shapes are best for quietening the mind. Avoid standing poses for little ones; these are too invigorating. Child’s pose, downward dog or lying down twist can work a treat. 4 Read a book, listen to an audio book or try some guided meditation. 5 For older kids, mindful colouring, drawing or journalling can help settle the mind. 6 Use scent to prime your body for sleep. Make a ‘happy dream spray’ with lavender.…

CREATE YOUR OWN PRE-BEDTIME ROUTINE

In The Moment|Sleep Well

ARE TEENS ACTUALLY LAZY?

Why do adolescents find an early start such a big deal? Well, in short, it’s because it is a big deal for them. If you ask an adolescent to get up at 6am, whether it’s to deliver papers or get to school on time, you’re putting the same pressure on their bodies as if you asked a younger child, or adult, to rise much earlier – at, say, 4am. Their bodies are better suited to being fast asleep. We know this from studies of melatonin levels. Melatonin is the darkness hormone that the body makes most profusely during the middle of the night. When you compare melatonin levels in adolescents with those in people of other ages, the peak of this hormone occurs later in adolescents. This effectively suggests that…

ARE TEENS ACTUALLY LAZY?

LETTING GO INTO THE OUT-BREATH

In The Moment|Sleep Well

LETTING GO INTO THE OUT-BREATH

This is a good practice to do lying down, perhaps before you fall asleep or if you wake in the night. Remember that whenever we do these practices, we’re not doing them with a particular outcome in mind – you may fall asleep, but also you may not, and that’s okay. If you expect to fall asleep and then don’t, you’ll most likely feel frustrated, disappointed and more, and that’s counterproductive. It will only fuel anxiety, which will feed the wakefulness. The practice 1 If you’re doing this lying down, begin by becoming aware of the whole body. Notice where it’s in contact with the bed or mat and how that feels – soft? Hard? (You can do the practice sitting if you prefer.) 2 Take a deep breath in…

THE BODY SCAN EXERCISE

In The Moment|Sleep Well

THE BODY SCAN EXERCISE

For anyone who has a tendency to fall asleep while doing a body scan (see opposite), Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, recommends doing this practice at bedtime or during the night, but also during the day while making a clear intention to stay awake. However, if you’re doing it in bed, it’s always best to let go of any expectations of a particular outcome. Even if the practice helps you to fall asleep one night, it may have a very different effect the next, and that’s normal. Things to remember While doing the body scan, keep the following points in mind: As soon as you realise your attention has wandered (and it will, so don’t worry!), simply bring it back…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

THE SOUND OF SLUMBER

As well as Sleep Stories, the Calm app hosts a range of other relaxing soundtracks such as waves, rainfall and specially composed music, all designed to send you to sleep. While the wrong sort of noise can keep you awake (see page 126 for more on this, and how to combat it), relaxing sounds can create a more peaceful atmosphere in your bedroom, helping you drift off. The popularity of watery soundtracks could be due to the steady, uninterrupted rhythm of crashing waves or pattering raindrops – there are no sudden breaks or changes to disrupt a meditative state of mind. While a 2017 study at the University of Sussex showed that natural sounds triggered greater relaxation than artificial noises. Getting out into nature has been well documented as being…

THE SOUND OF SLUMBER

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SAY GOODNIGHT TO INSOMNIA

Falling asleep has always taken me a while. But during my late teens I started to stay awake longer and longer. I’d lie in bed worrying about something I said, or dreading something I had to do at school the next day. One week, as part of my psychology course, my class watched a video about a man with an incredibly rare medical condition. He became physically unable to fall asleep, went mad and died. That night, I became convinced this was happening to me. I am a rational person. I can see two sides to an argument and stay calm under pressure. But over the years, lying in the dark next to my snoring partner, I transformed into somebody else entirely as the night-time hours ticked past; someone going…

SAY GOODNIGHT TO INSOMNIA

In The Moment|Sleep Well

STAY CALM IN THE DAYTIME

Relax without leaving your desk 1 Sit upright and identify any areas of physical tension. Repeat the words ‘I release what I no longer need’ or ‘I let go of what no longer serves me’. 2 Now practise some gentle head turns, gazing right and then left. Gently drop your right ear towards you right shoulder, then your left ear towards your left shoulder. Repeat a few times on each side. 3 Drop your chin towards your chest, then take your chin over towards your right shoulder, back down to your chest and over to the left. Repeat a few times on each side. 4 Roll your shoulders. As you breathe in, lift your shoulders up; as you breathe out, roll them back and down. Now circle your wrists and…

STAY CALM IN THE DAYTIME

In The Moment|Sleep Well

YOGA TO HELP YOU SLEEP

1 SEATED NECK RELEASE Release built-up tension in the neck and jaw. Sit in a comfortable position and tilt your ear towards your shoulder. Don’t go to your maximum stretch – you’re just aiming for a gentle release. Relax your jaw and both shoulders and take three to five breaths before moving to the other side. 2 RECLINED BUTTERFLY This pose lets you connect with your breath and feel grounded. Lie down on your back, bend your knees and, with the soles of your feet together, let your knees drop out to the side (you can support them with cushions). Place your hands on your belly and feel the breath move in and out for one to three minutes. 3 RECLINED EASY TWIST Unwind your spine with a gentle twist.…

YOGA TO HELP YOU SLEEP

In The Moment|Sleep Well

10 OF THE BEST YOGA PRODUCTS

Dailygreatness Yoga Journal Struggling to keep to a daily practice? Created especially for the female yogi, the pages of this journal will help you create empowering and life-enriching routines, guiding you through meditation, yoga, intentions, gratitude, self-inquiry and inspiration. If you’re planning to start regular yoga to help you sleep, this journal will keep you on track. £39.95, www.dailygreatness.co.uk Find What Feels Good You may already be familiar with YouTube yoga expert Adriene Mishler – her chilled-out approach and free videos have won her more than 4 million subscribers. And now you can take her with you wherever you go, thanks to the Find What Feels Good app, which also features morning yoga practices to get you off the mat and out the door with a bounce in your step.…

10 OF THE BEST YOGA PRODUCTS

BREATHE YOUR BABY BACK TO SLEEP

In The Moment|Sleep Well

BREATHE YOUR BABY BACK TO SLEEP

Babies are highly intuitive and can feel your state, so if you want to help your baby relax and fall back to sleep, you’ll have to show them how to do it! Use your breath to relax yourself – your baby will sense this and may even follow along. Next time you’re nursing your baby back to sleep, use any of the techniques in this article or just breathe deeply and slowly into your belly through your nose and watch the magic happen.…

WHY LACK OF SLEEP CAN MAKE YOU FAT

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WHY LACK OF SLEEP CAN MAKE YOU FAT

Poor sleep can lead to elevated levels of cortisol, epinephrine and other ‘stress’ hormones. This can disrupt blood sugar levels as well as make changes to hormones that regulate hunger and appetite. The hormone leptin suppresses appetite and sleep deprivation reduces its levels. The hormone ghrelin, on the other hand, triggers feelings of hunger and increases when you’re not sleeping well. This explains why the more tired you feel the more likely you are to crave fatty, sugar-laden foods for a pick-me-up. One study found that just one week of poor sleep led to an average weight gain of 2lbs.…

A MATTER OF BALANCE

In The Moment|Sleep Well

A MATTER OF BALANCE

We’re living in a sleep-deficit epidemic and it’s having a major impact on our health. This lack of sleep isn’t just due to modern life’s need to keep us awake replying to emails, interacting on social media or watching TV. In fact, many of us have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep once we do. And while there are many things that can cause this, one place we often forget to look for an answer is our hormones. Many of us go about our everyday lives without giving our hormones much thought, unless you’re a woman experiencing hormonal imbalances, or a man speaking to a doctor about why you suddenly have belly fat or a sudden lack of motivation or sex drive, for example. But no matter your age or…

WIN! A MAMMOTH MATTRESS WORTH £799

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WIN! A MAMMOTH MATTRESS WORTH £799

For a good night’s sleep you’ll need a great mattress, and we’re delighted to offer you the chance to win a fantastic new mattress from sleep and comfort brand Mammoth. One lucky Sleep Well reader will win one of Mammoth’s Rise mattresses, worth up to £799. The new Rise collection is ideal for people who value fitness and exercise as a key aspect of their day-to-day life, as the mattresses are hypoallergenic and have three support zones, ensuring your body is cared for as you sleep. Rise mattresses blend Mammoth’s naturally cooling Medical Grade Foam technology with traditional base layers, making the collection affordable but indulgent. Developed on foundations of scientific research and rigorous product development, the Rise collection is available in three levels of comfort – firmer, medium pocket…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

MAKING LIGHT WORK OF YOUR SLEEP ROUTINE

1 DEAL WITH UNWANTED LIGHT Invest in thick curtains or blinds to keep the light out so you’re not woken by streetlights or an early dawn. 2 NOT TOO BRIGHT Keep the lighting in your home at a low level during the evening. Use lamps or uplighters rather than bright ceiling lights. 3 CUT OUT THE TECH Cut down on using screens before bedtime. If you can’t, use the built-in settings on your phone and tablet to reduce the amount of blue light in the display in the evening. For Apple users, the ‘Night Shift’ function takes care of this, and there are a variety of similar options for Android devices. Computer users can also try the f.lux software (justgetflux.com) that automatically changes the light balance of the screen depending…

MAKING LIGHT WORK OF YOUR SLEEP ROUTINE

SCREEN CONTROL

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SCREEN CONTROL

Making sure everyone gets a good night’s sleep is one of the foundations of a happy home life. Unfortunately, good sleep is increasingly becoming a casualty of our screen-based lives. The blue light that shines from our devices is a big guilty party when it comes to sleep deprivation. That light, designed to mimic daylight and make us more engaged with our screens, interferes with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and can leave us feeling wide awake and alert, just at the time we need to wind down. One study recently showed that teenagers who spend more than four hours per day on screens were three and a half times more likely to get poor sleep (sleeping fewer than "ve hours at night) than those who spent under…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SNORING S.O.S.

Snoring isn’t normally caused by anything serious, though it’s worth raising with your GP if it’s persistent. And while your snoring might not be a problem for your sleep, it can be for your relationship: a study of 3,000 people by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that one in ten people split up with their partner over sleep issues. After all, snores typically hit about 70 decibels, which is the noise of a vacuum cleaner in the bedroom, or a plane going overhead. Hard to sleep through! If it’s not you who’s snoring but you’re partner, what can you do? While you can encourage healthier habits, you can’t force them to act. “It’s okay to put physical space between you and a snorer when you really need to sleep,” says…

SNORING S.O.S.

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WHY USE A SLEEP DIARY?

Everyone’s sleep needs are different. While there are general tips for a good night’s sleep that it’s worth anyone trying, it can be hard to find what’s right for you without first really understanding how you sleep. If you’ve been struggling with sleeplessness for a while you might have reached the point of just accepting the problem rather than taking the time to work out why there’s an issue. But by keeping a sleep diary for just a few weeks you can more easily spot patterns not only in where your problems lie, but in what could be causing them. And once a potential cause has been identified, a solution can usually be found. This sleep diary gives you a range of questions to answer every morning, covering subjects such…

WHY USE A SLEEP DIARY?

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WEEK 3

DAY 1 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 2 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 3 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 4 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 5 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 6 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 7 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY?…

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WEEK 4

DAY 1 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 2 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 3 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 4 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 5 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 6 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 7 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY?…

FALL IN LOVE WITH SLEEP AGAIN

In The Moment|Sleep Well

FALL IN LOVE WITH SLEEP AGAIN

Before 1879, when Thomas Edison came up with the "rst practical incandescent light bulb, all lighting had been fuelled by gas and oil. The light bulb, heavily promoted via the Edison & Swan United Electric Light Company, literally set the world alight. The bulbs were practical – small and cheap and safe – and emitted just the right amount of light, and began to take o# in homes and businesses throughout the world. Human beings had, "nally, conquered the night. The dark – the source of so many of our primal fears – could now be negated at the $ick of a switch. And now, as our evenings could stay lighter for longer, people increasingly started going to bed later. This didn’t worry Edison at all. Indeed, he saw it…

5 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT SLEEP

In The Moment|Sleep Well

5 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT SLEEP

1 REM SLEEP BOOSTS CREATIVITY During REM sleep the concentration of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is twice what it would be when awake. This promotes the altering of connections between neurones, facilitating new links between disparate pieces of information. The Beatles’ classic song Yesterday and the book Frankenstein are said to be products of sleep. 2 DREAMS PERVADE OUR SLEEP The idea that dreams only occur in REM sleep simply isn’t true. We actually have dreams throughout all stages of sleep and even when we’re awake, as daydreams. However, it’s fair to say that dreams are more common in REM than non-REM sleep as well as being more vivid, emotional and bizarre. 3 SLEEP DEPRIVATION IS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT Sleep deprivation leads to a sort of semi-euphoric state and has been used…

THE SURPRISING NEW SCIENCE OF SLEEP

In The Moment|Sleep Well

THE SURPRISING NEW SCIENCE OF SLEEP

Chances are if you’re reading this then you probably feel like you don’t get enough sleep. But did you know that too much sleep can make you ill? Or that a cup of coffee before bed isn’t necessarily a bad thing? Cutting-edge sleep research is throwing up all kinds of surprises when it comes to our slumber… 1 MORE SLEEP ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER FOR YOU It’s becoming clear that we need enough sleep to make the most of our time awake. There are recommendations for the amount of sleep we should get at different stages of life, with experts suggesting eight to ten hours for teenagers, and seven to nine hours for adults. But is it a problem if you get more sleep than the recommended amount? Well, a number…

FAMILY MATTERS

In The Moment|Sleep Well

FAMILY MATTERS

Talk about the importance of sleep and we all nod in agreement – but in reality it’s one of the toughest aspects of parenting. Good sleep is a cornerstone of health and wellbeing but despite our best efforts we can’t make sleep happen for anyone in the family, not even ourselves. Take one look at the stats on parenting and sleep and if you’re feeling bleary eyed you’ll know you’re not alone… A parent loses about 350 hours of sleep at night over their baby’s first year. According to Dr.William C. Dement, the professor who founded the Sleep Research Centre at Stanford University, parents of newborns lose about two hours of sleep per night until their baby is five months old. From then until the child reaches two years old,…

SELF-CARE FOR THE SLEEP DEPRIVED

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SELF-CARE FOR THE SLEEP DEPRIVED

1 Self-compassion is key. How would you respond to a friend who’d just lived your last 24 hours? Go gently on yourself, tempering expectations and using kinder inner dialogue. 2 Lie with your legs up the wall. This is the position we put someone in when they’re in shock. It’s a deeply restorative pose and you can be in it for as little as a few minutes and get the full benefit. There’s no pressure to drop o" and you might find it less frustrating being interrupted than if you were attempting to nap. 3 Form a gentle fist and press the soft part of the base of your thumbs into your forehead as if you were massaging two horns. Feel how this instantly relaxes your eyes and your jaw…

LOOK AT SLEEP IN A NEW LIGHT

In The Moment|Sleep Well

LOOK AT SLEEP IN A NEW LIGHT

Research into mindfulness, and sleep specifically, is still in its infancy, but since difficulties with sleeping are so often tied to physical and psychological problems, sleep has often been measured as part of studies into mindfulness and conditions such as stress, depression, anxiety and cancer. This research suggests that people’s subjective sleep quality improves through practising mindfulness meditation. Subjective sleep quality is acknowledged as an important factor in our perceived quality of life and overall health. Subjective sleep quality is people’s perception of how quickly they have fallen asleep, its duration, and how rested they feel on waking, rather than objective measurements taken in laboratory conditions while the subject cycles through the proper stages of n-REM and REM sleep. Two people can have sleep of similar duration with a similar…

BREATH AND MOVEMENT

In The Moment|Sleep Well

BREATH AND MOVEMENT

We can tune into our breath and body simultaneously by connecting the two – moving in time with our breathing. This employs small movements of the hands. This practice can be done sitting or lying down, and the type of movement is less important than synchronising it as best you can with your in- and out-breaths. The practice 1 Whether sitting or lying down, check your posture. Your eyes can be open or closed. 2 Take a moment to connect with any areas of your body in contact with the surface that’s supporting you – the bed, chair or floor. Notice and be curious about how that feels – its texture and maybe temperature. 3 Place your hands on your belly and become aware of any physical sensations. Notice how…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

PRACTISE THE BODY SCAN IN 10 STEPS

1 Lie on your back with your legs outstretched and arms by your side. Your eyes can be open or closed. Take a moment to notice the different parts of your body in contact with the bed or floor. Perhaps take a deep breath and then exhale loudly, letting your body soften into the surface. 2 Take your attention to the breath in your belly. You can place one hand on your belly to help connect with the sensations of breathing: the rise and fall of your belly. This is your home base. At any point in the practice, if you lose your place or things feel a bit tricky, just bring your attention back to the breath in your belly and stay there for as long as you wish.…

PRACTISE THE BODY SCAN IN 10 STEPS

In The Moment|Sleep Well

BLUE GOLD A Calm Sleep Story

You’ll smell it before you even see it. That unmistakable aroma that fills your nose and seeps into your senses, instantly mellowing into a smooth and soothing scent. You breathe deeply. Inhaling and exhaling this floral cloud and, as you do, something unexplained washes over you. Slowly at first you feel your body begin to release its pent-up tension. Your breath becomes deeper, deliberate, calm. Inexplicably those deep lines in your furrowed brow one by one unfurl as you slowly, and gently, begin to relax. The scent is lavender. Here, in the south-eastern corner of France, between the foothills of Mont Ventoux and the village of Sault, you are in deepest Provence – home to perhaps the most famous lavender fields in the entire world. And, every year, between mid-June…

BLUE GOLD A Calm Sleep Story

THREE TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOU SLEEP

In The Moment|Sleep Well

THREE TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOU SLEEP

1 USE A VISUALISATION TO HELP YOU RELAX When you imagine something, your body produces the same physiological response as if you were actually experiencing it. So when you focus on an anxiety-inducing thought, you go into fight or flight mode: you clench your fists, feel adrenaline race through your veins and notice your pulse quicken. Happily, this works the other way around, too. If you vividly imagine a peaceful scenario, your body begins to relax. Try mentally re-living in great detail a relaxing holiday you’ve had, or even touring your childhood home, recalling every detail. 2 LABEL YOUR THOUGHTS If the same, worrisome thought keeps coming up, give it a name. For example, if you think, “I’m never going to fall asleep”, you could label that thought as “never”.…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

ENJOY EVENING RELAXATION

The ideal sleeping environment Eliminate as much light as possible. Lower the wattage of your bedroom light bulb, switch o! your electronic devices, and try blackout blinds or eye masks. Also, it helps to have bed linen that you can’t wait to slide into and decor that you find soothing, and make sure you have a clean and clutter-free environment. Your bedroom temperature should be around 18°C. Creating your pre-bedtime ritual 1 Keep it consistent Aim for the same bedtime and rise time each day. While many sleep experts advocate getting to bed by around 10pm, we need to take into consideration our own body clock and daily commitments. See what works best with the demands of your current circumstances and experiment with the windows of time that help you…

ENJOY EVENING RELAXATION

In The Moment|Sleep Well

EASY HAND STRETCHES

Stretch 1 Sit on your bed and dim the lights. To warm up your wrist joints, circle both hands outwards five times, and then inwards five times. Stretch 2 Interlock your fingers and stretch your arms out in front of you, palms away from you. Take three or four really deep breaths. Unlock your fingers. Stretch 3 With your right arm straight and palm facing up, stretch your fingers back with your left hand to stretch the inside of your wrist and forearm. Massage 1 Place a few drops of massage oil in your left palm and work it into your hand using stroking movements. Apply a light pressure in a circular motion. Massage 2 With your left palm facing down, hold your left wrist with your right hand. Use…

EASY HAND STRETCHES

In The Moment|Sleep Well

TAKE NOTE FOR BETTER SLEEP

When it comes to fixing old habits or starting healthy new routines, it can be hard to know where to begin. But keeping a physical record of your activity is a great way to see what you need to change. Your Sleep Well diary is designed to help you recognise your sleeping habits over four weeks, and by doing so identify what might be causing any problems. And once you know the cause of your sleeplessness, it will be much easier to find a solution. Take a look inside the diary to find out how to get the most out of it, and start your journey to better sleep in just four weeks.…

TAKE NOTE FOR BETTER SLEEP

BREATHWORK THERAPY

In The Moment|Sleep Well

BREATHWORK THERAPY

If you know that mental or emotional distress is something that you experience in your life, there are certain styles of therapeutic breathwork that are beneficial in helping you to work through these experiences and can deliver very rapid results. You can try a breathwork deep dive which uses specific breathing techniques to go into an altered state of consciousness, helping you to reveal and work through the underlying emotional structures that are causing your distress. This type of therapy is available with me as well as various breathwork organisations such as Biodynamic Breathwork, Transformational Breath and Alchemy of Breath.…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

PAN FRIED HALIBUT WITH CREAMY HARICOT BEANS

METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Remove the halibut fillets from the fridge to allow them to come to room temperature before cooking. 2 Heat the oil in a sauté pan and fry the celery, garlic, onion and bacon for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until the bacon is golden brown and lightly crisp. Remove from the heat and tip in the haricot/cannellini beans, tarragon and lemon zest. 3 Meanwhile blanch the green beans in salted boiling water for 1 minute, then drain well. 4 Season the fish well with salt and heat some coconut oil in an oven-proof pan on the hob. Add the fillets and cook for 2 minutes until lightly golden. 5 Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 5 minutes. After this…

PAN FRIED HALIBUT WITH CREAMY HARICOT BEANS

CAN NATURAL THERAPIES HELP YOU SLEEP?

In The Moment|Sleep Well

CAN NATURAL THERAPIES HELP YOU SLEEP?

For many people, massage and other therapies are still seen as a form of pampering – an occasional treat to be enjoyed as part of a spa day. Yet an increasing number of people are turning to complementary therapies to help improve their health and wellbeing. A recent survey of professional therapists showed that nearly two thirds of them are treating clients who have a long-term health condition. Further still, 82% reported they regularly support clients with stress and anxiety, 65% with lower back pain, 55% with joint and mobility issues, and!35% with a diagnosed mental health condition. These sorts of things can have a huge impact on our sleep but the question is, can complementary therapies help? In terms of hard evidence, there’s obviously more research available for conventional…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

10 OF THE BEST SLEEP SCENTS

Plant Apothecary Wake Up Organic Body Wash If you find it hard to get going when your alarm goes off, a squeeze of this body wash should give you the boost you need. Made from only eight natural ingredients, the gentle formula is lightly scented with reviving rosemary and lemongrass. Lather up from a refreshing, revitalising body wash or soap bar. £20, www.plantapothecary.com Moa Dreamy Mineral Soak Scatter this Himalayan and sea-salt soak into your bath and you’ll soon feel the soothing effects. Magnesium eases muscle aches, while lavender oil promotes relaxation, and spicy cardamom oil offers relief from emotional stress – the perfect recipe for deep, uninterrupted sleep. £25, moa.co.uk Scentered Sleep Well Travel Candle Deep, restorative sleep isn’t always a given when you’re on the move, so slip…

10 OF THE BEST SLEEP SCENTS

In The Moment|Sleep Well

MAKING SENSE OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS – AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO LARKS AND OWLS

When talking about your natural sleep/wake cycle – your body clock – it’s important to understand the concept of circadian rhythms. Named from the Latin term ‘circa diem’, meaning ‘approximately a day’, a circadian rhythm is a biological process that takes roughly 24 hours to complete. Various aspects of your body and behaviour have their own rhythms, and these are controlled from deep within your brain. Within the hypothalamus (an almond-sized part of your brain that controls responses such as hunger and thirst) there’s something called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which acts as a sort of master clock and drives all the rhythms in your body. “It’s like a conductor and all the cells in your body are part of an orchestra,” says chronobiologist Dr Vikki Revell. “They’re able to drive…

MAKING SENSE OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS – AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO LARKS AND OWLS

In The Moment|Sleep Well

TIME ZONE TROUBLE

Whether you travel for business or pleasure, chances are you’ve experienced jetlag. Its effects can range from being a little sleepy at the wrong time of day to feeling disorientated and almost #u-like. But what causes us to experience jetlag in the first place? Dr Vikki Revell of the University of Surrey has been researching jetlag for the past 14 years, and how it affects travellers and shift workers. She says one of the main causes of jetlag is ‘circadian misalignment’, where your body click is 41:571 out of sync with the sleep/wake cycle you want to be on. “The reason it happens is your body clock can’t instantly reset,” she says. “It takes about an hour to adjust for each time zone you travel and your body can basically…

TIME ZONE TROUBLE

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SLEEP MYTHS BUSTED

1 SLEEPING ON YOUR FRONT IS BAD FOR YOU Blamed for enhancing facial wrinkles and contributing to neck aches, stomach-sleeping gets a bad rep. According to research, there’s no significant difference between sleeping on your back, front or side. Sleeping on your side is, however, recommended for snorers. 2 SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE SLEEP LESS While some people can manage quite well on as little as five hours’ sleep a night, the fact is chronic sleep deprivation is linked to many kinds of diseases, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes. So if you want have the best chance of succeeding in anything, a good night’s sleep will set you up better than burning the midnight oil. 3 THE OLDER YOU GET, THE LESS SLEEP YOU NEED While sleep patterns change as we…

SLEEP MYTHS BUSTED

WEEK 1

In The Moment|Sleep Well

WEEK 1

DAY 1 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 2 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 3 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 4 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 5 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 6 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY? DAY 7 WHAT TIME DID YOU GO TO BED LAST NIGHT AND GET UP TODAY?…

In The Moment|Sleep Well

SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER SLEEP

Throughout Sleep Well magazine there are plenty of ideas for solving your sleep problems, whether they relate to your mind, body or bedroom. Hopefully by using our sleep diary you’ve been able to identify what might be keeping you awake, so how can you "x it? If you’re finding it hard to switch o# your brain – either when you’re first getting to sleep or if you’ve woken in the small hours and can’t get back to sleep – you could benefit from listening to restful sounds, a guided meditation or a calming story. Cutting out social media, frenetic videogames or high-tension movies and shows before bedtime can also help. Keep lights low in the evening and try to get into a pre-bedtime routine so that your brain gets the…

SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER SLEEP