Is Sleep Deprivation Affecting Your Overall Wellbeing?

With fitness trackers that include sleep monitors on the rise, more of us are discovering that 8 hours in bed doesn’t necessarily equate to 8 hours of restful sleep. If you still feel tired when you wake up, despite your incredible bed time discipline… sleep guru Anandi, may have some of the answers.

What is the best way to spend the hour before bed to ensure a restful night’s sleep?

The key is to absolutely switch off technology and create a peaceful winding down environment. That might sound hard, but it’s a huge cause of disruption to sleep. Light a candle, have a warm epsom salt bath and read something spiritual that connects you to your inner self.

What are the main things that disturb sleep?

The main things that disturb sleep are stress and eating heavy meals late in the evening when your body really wants to wind down, not digest lots of food. Drinking wine may send you nodding off quickly, but you will wake up in the middle of the night with your heart racing and even sweating. Too much activity in the evening, especially on the computer, phone or tablet will also disturb your sleep.

What are some foods that can contribute to better sleep? When would they best be eaten?

You need to eat tryptophan rich foods.  Your body converts tryptophan to serotonin which converts to melatonin, with can improve sleep. Examples of foods that contain tryptophan are: milk, yoghurt, turrkey,  salmon, cheese, bananas, avocados, spinach, kelp, broccoli, almonds and brown rice.  My favourite bedtime drink is a smoothie of almond milk, soaked almonds, a couple of dates, pumpkin seeds, avocado, cocoa powder, coconut oil… thrown into the Nutribullet and blended up into Bedtime Bliss!

Are there foods to avoid to improve sleep?

Yes. High sugar and high fat foods, obviously caffeine, and heavily spiced foods should be avoided.

How much sleep is the right amount? Do some people need more than others?

Most people need between 7-9 hours sleep per night.  It is absolutely true that some people need more sleep than others, and is often related to what their Ayurvedic constitution is (Anandi specialises in Ayurveda).

Is there a reason some people feel tired when they first wake up but fine soon after rising?

If people are still tired when they wake up it could be for several reasons. The first is that they simply have not had sufficient sleep. It might be that they went to bed too late and although they may have gotten up late, it is not the same as remaining in a natural rhythm of going to bed early and getting up early (there is allot of Ayurvedic science behind this principle).

Finally, it might be that they have not had sufficient REM or non REM sleep. REM sleep processes all the mental impressions from the day and non REM sleep nourishes and repairs the body. If people are not in a natural sleep rhythm, one of the other can be affected.

Anandi is a sleep specialist and is on the wellness board for Neom organics and Healing Holidays. Also known as the Sleep Guru, Anandi uses a variety of mindfulness and relaxation practices, Ayurveda and meditation techniques, and dietary principles to treat sleep issues like insomnia. 

Visit Anandi’s website to find a host of resources for improving sleep.

www.thesleepguru.co.uk