"Sleepless in the City"

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Signals of Sleep Trouble...


Do you often find yourself lying in bed for up to an hour or more, tossing and turning, waiting to fall asleep?

Often wake up several times during the night and then find that its hard going back to sleep?

Find yourself waking up many hours before the alarm goes off?

 Frequently wake up feeling exhausted, like you haven’t had enough sleep?

Feel cranky, sleepy, or stressed and have difficultly getting things done during the daytime?



Why so sleepless?

Stress– this is why you need to make sure you leave the office stress behind when you leave. All the tension and stress built up from the days work, if left unchecked, can manifest itself through insomnia when even though your body is lying down, your mind is running at 100km an hour!

Bad night time habits – this includes activities like watching tv before you go to sleep – something which many of us do, but also leads to overstimulation of brain activity making it difficult to sleep. Other night time no-nos? Coffee, tea, alcohol, nicotine and other stimulants before bed time.

Physical pain – discomfort of the body can also affect its ability to rest.

Changes in environment – jet lag, sleeping in a new bed, moving to a new home, can all impact the ability of the body and brain to go into deep relaxation and sleep.

Little or no exercise – if the body is completely sedentary (ie a couch potato), it tends to have an adverse effect on its natural ability to fall asleep.


Secrets to a good nights sleep:
Routine - try to wake up and go to bed at around the same time every day. This allows your body to develop a natural system where it begins to naturally feel tired and ready to rest at the right time for you.

Exercise – make sure to do some form of exercise at least 3 times a week. You could try early morning walks or a yoga class (which is also sure to bring down your stress levels). Be sure to finish your work out at least 4 hours before bedtime so your endorphins are released and the body is ready to rest.

Change in lifestyle – cut out the late night binges. Be it fast food, caffeine, nicotine or alcohol, the less of the stuff in your system, the better you will sleep.
So good night, and sleep tight! :)