How to Get the Best Sleep of Your Life
December 3 | 3 minute read
Words by Lisa Marie Corso
Then in the intervening years, the interest in your sleep drops off; until you find yourself as a bleary-eyed, overtired adult who can’t get a decent night of shuteye – which is probably how you’ve arrived here (or maybe you got lost looking for a lip balm).
Two people who are in the business of helping adults improve their sleep and sleep health are Dr Moira Junge, CEO of Sleep Health Foundation and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Monash University, and Dr Bei Bei, Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist at Monash University Healthy Sleep Clinic and leads the Monash University Sleep and Mental Health Laboratory.
Both Dr Junge and Dr Bei agree multiple factors play a crucial role when it comes to good sleep. While tallying 7 – 9 hours most nights is an excellent start, pairing this with good sleep hygiene and a consistent bedtime routine will help you wake up feeling properly rested.
“Duration of sleep is just one factor of many other dimensions that are important, such as depth, timing [and] regularity of sleep,” explains Dr Junge.
“Good, healthy sleep to me means that there is adequate duration, there is a consistency with getting off to sleep and waking up, and most importantly you can tell there is healthy sleep when a person feels that they have energy for their roles in life and aren’t needing to have sleep all day,” she adds.
So if you’re experiencing false starts getting to sleep, up in the middle of the night, or wake up in the morning feeling groggy – what can you do?
Dr Bei suggests focusing on having a consistent wake-up time: “Get up around the same time everyday,” she says. “This helps our body clock get tuned regularly so we get sleepy around similar times at night.”
Once you’re up, Dr Junge recommends you “get plenty of daytime light exposure, especially first thing in the morning after waking” and “at night, once it’s dark outside, please have dim lights in the house – lights off, lamps on!”
Following these tips can help align your circadian rhythm, so your body understands day is for play and night is for sleep.
In the PM, don’t ignore your ‘sleep cues’ – if you feel tired, go to sleep!
“Go to bed when sleepiness arrives and not when alert,” explains Dr Bei. “Choosing the right time to go to sleep really helps get to sleep fast.”
Adds Dr Junge, “A good tip is not to go near your bed, or certainly not under the covers, until you’re sleepy and tired and you’ve unwound your mind and [are] ready to fall off into sleep.”
Not getting enough sleep is one of the biggest challenges, according to the Monash University Healthy Sleep Clinic. We often feel we must prioritise things we need to do (study, work, life admin) and things we love doing (chasing the cliff-hanger of our favourite show) at the expense of going to sleep.
Dr Bei’s advice? “Don’t sacrifice sleep for doing other things – when you get enough sleep everything else will feel easier.” Resisting the temptation to do ‘just one more thing’ will improve your sleep hygiene and may send that flock of sheep you count every night on to new pastures.
Introducing an “unwinding period” before you go to sleep can also help, says Dr Junge, adding, “Give yourself at least an hour before bed – no more work, chores or study – where you allow yourself to let go of your day!”
She adds, “Bed is where you sleep, so if you’re still alert and stressed, wait a bit longer to unwind some more.”
Try relaxing with a book, meditation, washing your hair or even a cup of herbal tea, and avoid watching TV, scrolling on your phone or snacking in bed – which is a relief, because no-one wants toast crumbs on the sheets.
This article contains general information only. You should consider obtaining independent professional advice in relation to your particular circumstances.
