It’s 3 AM, only a few more hours until your alarm rings and you have to get up for work. Haven’t we all been here before? Tossing and turning in bed, watching the hours pass by only to be left wide awake, tired, and frustrated.
You can’t talk about having a healthy, productive and fulfilling life without talking about good sleep. As many of us do in this face-paced environment today, we see sleep as optional. The pure acclaim of pulling all-nighters is a thing of pride for most of us, leaving quality sleep on the back burner.
Why is sleep important?
“Routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night demolishes your immune system, more than doubling your risk for cancer.” Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep
Sleep is a very (if not The most) essential part of life, as it is crucial to help your mind and body recover from the activities of the day. Many physical and mental conditions including irregular blood sugar levels, fatigue, anxiety, depression or even psychosis can be a direct cause of a lack of sleep.
So how can you improve your sleep? We have put together some of our favourite sleep tips inspired by the Japanese way of life, to help you snooze like a pro. Follow these simple steps, and you might just find yourself waking up with more energy, less stress, and fewer dark circles under your eyes. Ready to dive into a restful slumber? Let’s get started.
1. Turn off your phone 2 hours before sleep
Technology is great – it helps you stay tuned to the world, your loved ones, and it helps let go of boredom. It isn’t uncommon to find yourself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or TikTok in the wee hours of the night, completely oblivious of the time. But like all good things, your phone does have its downsides.
Everyone is familiar with the term Circadian Rhythm, but how does it work exactly? Everybody has a circadian rhythm – a natural bodily process that regulates the sleep-waking cycle. This rhythm is driven by a biological clock located in a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is found in the hypothalamus. However, many of us might not be aware that this cycle relies significantly on the amount of light that you consume regularly. Including the light emitting from our phones.
The light from our phones often trick our minds into believing that it is daytime even during the middle of the night. Keeping your phones away a couple hours before sleep lets your body adjust to the sleeping hours and regulate the natural rhythm of sleep.
However, if you are someone who needs to keep their minds occupied before falling asleep, try reaching for a book instead, or even journaling.
2. Take a warm bath
Have you ever noticed that we sleep best when there is a little chill in the air? This is a very common practice seen in Japanese households where you jump into an ofuro (warm bath) at the end of the day to unwind.
This is because, right before you fall asleep your body temperature naturally drops. A warm bath has the same effect – but better. Right after getting out of a warm bath, your body temperature naturally drops just as when you fall asleep, signalling your brain that it is time to rest.
A bath also helps relax your muscles and any physical tensions you might have accumulated throughout the day. For anyone suffering with anxiety and/or depression, a bath helps you feel more at ease creating a physical and mental calmness to your night. This is possible by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which essentially encourages relaxation.
This process is not only good for you physically, but it also helps you slow down after a long day of work. Adding this ritual to your schedule every day is a great way to create a sleep routine that results in quality sleep.
For best results, take a bath 1-2 hours before sleep allowing your body and mind to cool down, and re-regulate your circadian rhythm.
3. Create a sleep sanctuary
This is your excuse to Zen out your room.
Your bedroom should be a sanctuary for sleep, and sleep alone – a place of peace, calm, and tranquillity. Many of us have the habit of taking our laptops to bed and finishing up last-minute work before sleep.
Japanese wisdom of mindfulness and essentialism teaches us to surround ourselves with objects of substance. Start by decluttering your space. A messy, chaotic room can lead to a messy, chaotic mind (something that Marie Kondo’s Kon-Mari method has taught us well). Look around your room and try to eliminate all kind of distractions that could potentially lead to a decrease in your quality of sleep.
Instead, try some of the things on our checklist to revamp your bedroom.
- A good mattress or a comforter
- Warm moody lighting such as lamps, lanterns or candles (make sure to blow out the candles before sleep)
- Aromatherapy with incense or aroma diffusers – ylang-ylang or chamomile oils are great for sleep
- Books by your bedside that you can easily reach to
- Sleep masks
- Earplugs (if needed)
By including these things in your bedroom, and simultaneously keeping all kinds of work, noise and bright lights out, will have a tremendous effect on your sleep.
4. Zazen Meditation before sleep
‘Za’ means ‘seated’ and ‘Zen’ means meditation.
“Zazen” is a popular Japanese mindfulness technique that plays a significant role in quality sleep. You don’t have to sit cross-legged on a cushion for hours, but simply lie down incorporating mindfulness practices into your bedtime routine to clear your head.
The goal with Zazen is not to control your thoughts like with traditional meditations, but to simply observe them as they slip away. This form of mindfulness helps you still your mind after a long day of work, to foster a deep sense of calmness to an otherwise jumbled mind.
As you get in bed, lie down on your back and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing and all the sensations you feel on your body. As a thought appears, acknowledge it but do not dwell on it, and then let it go.
5. Adding quality supplements to your regimen may be beneficial
Many useful supplements can be found today that claim to help with sleep—melatonin, magnesium, and valerian root are just a few. While these can be helpful for some people, they shouldn’t be your first line of defence.
Melatonin, for example, is a hormone naturally produced by the body to regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Taking a melatonin supplement may be helpful if you’re struggling to fall asleep, especially if your schedule is out of sync with your natural circadian rhythm (such as when travelling). However, it’s important to note that melatonin supplements should be used sparingly and aren’t meant for long-term use without consulting a healthcare provider.
Magnesium, on the other hand, is a mineral that is know to play a role in muscle relaxation and nervous system regulation. Taking magnesium supplement or eating magnesium-rich foods may help promoting relaxation before going to bed.
You may be also interested in exploring Ayurvedic options like Ashwagandha that is is said to help with sleep.
* Please note: consult with your healthcare expert before adding any supplements to your routine.
6. Track your sleep
Sleep tracking apps are great to know how your sleep quality really is, so you are fully involved in the sleep improvement journey. You can use these on your phone or for even better results, use a fitness wristwatch to track it for you.
These handy devices or apps can help you monitor your sleep patterns, giving you insights into how long you’re sleeping, how much time you’re spending in each sleep stage, and whether you’re waking up during the night.
Many sleep trackers can also use this data to wake you up during your lightest phase of sleep, making it easier to get out of bed in the morning without feeling groggy.
AT THE END
Getting a good night’s sleep can seem complicated, but trust us the effort is worth it. Simple everyday habits can help you create the best night time routine for you, whether it is a simple task of switching off your devices or something that requires a bit more effort like Zen meditations.
However, it is these little steps that will gradually foster a healthy sleep routine and before you know it, falling asleep will come as quickly as … falling asleep.
Given how important a good night’s rest is for your body to heal, grow and continue developing, sleep might be something worth putting that extra effort in. You never know, decades down the line, you might just thank yourself.
