A recent study round that 71% of us don’t get the recommended 7-9 hours sleep per night. Getting enough sleep in the bank is crucial for your working memory, mood and energy to be tip-top the next day. So why do we struggle to get enough zzz’s in the bank? Likely a mix of work stresses, late night scrolling and social plans.
Why is sleep so important?
Sleep is like hitting the "refresh" button on your body and mind. It is so important for us to function at our best. If we could put the benefits of a good nights sleep in a bottle, it would be a superpower.
🧠 Sleep helps with memory consolidation and learning. During sleep, the brain replays and strengthens memories and connections. This helps to solidify new information and make it more easily accessible to recall. This process occurs during deep sleep, specifically during slow-wave and REM sleep.
🔧 It aids in physical and emotional repair. Your body recovers from physical activity and repairs muscles during your sleep. It also helps regulate emotional stress and wake up with a clear head in the morning.
🧬 Strengthens your immune system. During sleep, the body produces cytokines, which are proteins that help to fight off infection and inflammation. These cytokines are more active when the body is at rest, and suppressed if your body is deprived of sleep.
What is sleep syncing?
Sleep syncing is aligning your body's natural circadian rhythm with your daily routine. Your circadian rhythm (eg sleep-wake cycle) is your internal body clock that follows a 24 hour cycle. Influenced by light and dark, it controls hormone release such as melatonin and your digestive enzymes.
Sleep syncing is like giving your internal clock a gentle nudge in the right direction. Basically, creating a routine that makes sure your body is sleeping and waking when it should be. Improved sleep quality, increased energy levels, and maintaining a healthy body have all been linked to sleep syncing.
How can you practice sleep syncing?
It’s really simple to build your routine around sleep syncing, here’s our top tips on syncing your sleep to your daily routine.
1. Wake up at the same time every day
Yes, even on weekends. Your body loves consistency, so try to stick to a schedule as much as possible. And definitely don’t hit the snooze button - this will send you back into another sleep cycle. Try going to bed at the same time each evening too.
2. Get some sunlight in the morning
This lets your body know it’s time to wake up and is the strongest circadian cue. Open the curtains straight away and get your body out in the sunlight. In darker mornings, try using a light therapy alarm clock, such as a Lumie.
3. Cut back on screens before bed
The blue light emitted by smartphones and tablets can disrupt your body's production of melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep. Don’t use your phone for at least 1 hour before bed.
4. Avoid caffeine after midday
Caffeine is a stimulant and can interfere with your body's ability to relax and prepare for sleep. Cut back of the afternoon coffee’s and switch to calming teas like camomile.
5. Avoid eating heavy meals 3-4 hours before bed
Eating meals prompts the release of insulin which can can shift your body's sleep-wake cycle. Also cut out any high sugar snacks in the evening which might interfere with your sleep.
6. Create a bedtime routine
Read a book, take a bath or do some breathing exercises. The key is to do the same thing every night to signal to your body that it's time to sleep.
7. Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet
This will create the ideal sleeping environment for your body and will mean your body won’t need to work harder to cool itself down. The ideal temperature for sleeping is between 16-19 degrees celsius.
It's important to remember that everyone's body is different and what works for one person may not work for another. But by incorporating these tips into your daily routine, you'll be well on your way to achieving the ultimate goal of sleep syncing: a good night's rest. Sweet dreams!
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