When we have babies, we expect our sleep to take a hit. Babies arrive nocturnal and wake for night feeds and the sleep deprivation is absolutely relentless.
However, coming away from baby sleep, think about before you had children, how great really were your sleep habits then?
It sometimes seems bizarre that something as natural as sleep can be difficult for so many of us. However, with the world we live in where a busy life is just a part of how we muddle through, it's no surprise we find it so tricky to switch off and catch some zzz's.
Today, I have released an Adult Sleep Programme. As a sleep consultant, I felt like I was doing people a huge disservice by not acknowledging that our sleep is just as important as our little ones'.
This blog will share with you, a small snippet of the research that went into that programme so that you can see whether it's for you.
If you are looking to make permanent, positive changes to your sleep, the best place to start is by regulating your circadian cycle (natural body clock). This is simply done by going to sleep and waking up at the same time every single day. Of course the odd 30 minutes difference here and there won't matter, but doing this most of the time will count for a lot.
If it's falling asleep you are struggling with, give this exercise a try 4-7-8 breathing. Start by breathing out with your lips parted, making a whooshing sound. Then inhale through your nose to the count of 4, hold for the count of 7, exhale in the same way 'whooshing' for the count of 8. Repeat. This exercise actually calms the nervous system and can rid feelings of anxiety before bed.
If you are suffering with waking during the night, a great way to get yourself back to sleep is to do 're-runs'. This entails running a daily activity in your mind with EVERY detail, I personally choose my morning commute and think of every speed bump, every point I usually hit traffic etc. By doing this, your mind is away from trying to fall back to sleep...I've never made it to the end of my commute, not even half way through.
If these tips help you, I'd love to hear about it. If you want more, check out my comprehensive adult sleep programme for just £25 today.