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Many people struggle with sleep problems, with many citing work as one of the number one factors for keeping them tossing and turning at night. They may be working at a computer a lot of the time which can affect sleep because of the electronic light, so it may be wise to look at some blue light glasses for shielding, however, that is not the only issue that may arise at work. Although you may feel you just have to ‘get on with it,’ a lack of sleep is very harmful to your long-term health, and you should really consider adapting your habits or bedtime routine so that you pack in some much-needed extra zzz’s.
Shift work is one major reason for sleeping difficulties, with changing patterns in work making it difficult for your body to adapt to the way it needs to switch off or wake up. According to the Standard, ‘Sunday Night Insomnia’ is also a thing – and is far more pronounced in cities because of our 24/7 stressful environments. Dr Guy Meadows, who is the clinical director of The Sleep School in Maida Vale which treats up to 100 patients a month, said “On a Sunday evening we start anticipating the week ahead and thinking about how we need to perform at work the next day….The society we now live in doesn’t lend itself to sleep, as we are constantly ‘switched on.'” With this in mind, we look at some changes you could make to your day and night time routine so that you begin to get the sleep in that you need:
Turn your phone off
You should definitely turn your phone off, or switch notifications on silent, about an hour before you go to sleep. According to research, the light from our phone screens keeps the ‘awake’ mode active in our minds, which is why we might be finding it harder to switch off at night. The glow of our phone screens isn’t the only thing you should consider – think about turning the TV off and reading a book instead, and make sure your laptop is turned off and you switch off from work at a reasonable time.
Eat more fruit and vegetables
A healthy diet is key to getting the right sleep at night. So, make sure you cut out the fast foods, which can make you feel bloated at night, and get some fresh vitamins into you instead. This doesn’t apply to just before you go to bed, but all through the working day. Having fruit at your desk at work is also beneficial. Office Fruit delivery company Fruitful Office say that in their survey, that there is an 11% increase in perceived productivity in the workplace after consuming office fruit for at least a full working week:
So, the kinds of fruits you want to aim for include things like kiwi. Kiwi contains melatonin, which is a hormone that helps you feel relaxed fall fast asleep. In fact, eating two kiwi fruit as a night snack can be used to make you sleep better at night. The same is also true of cherries – an ideal light snack, rich in vitamins.
Try a relaxing rememedy
Chamomile tea, St. John’s Wort, melatonin, and medical marijuana are just a few sleep remedies that you can take before bed. Unlike sleeping pills which can be addictive if taken over long periods of time, these remedies are said to be a more natural way to help relax the body in preparation for sleep. Most of these can be easily taken as a tea or pill supplement, as for medical marijuana, there are many different ways it can be taken (see https://fatbuddhaglass.com/blogs/fat-buddha-blog/7-different-types-of-smoking-devices for some examples). It is recommended you speak to a doctor first as some of these remedies can conflict with certain medical conditions and medication that you may have. You may find that sleep comes more easily as a result.
Address the problem head on
If you find that you aren’t sleeping because you’re thinking of a specific problem, then it is wise to address it head on. Is something at work bothering you? Do you feel you need to speak to someone about it at work? Is a project becoming too much stress to handle? Whatever it is, you should consider approaching the problem sooner rather than later. Worrying about something in the long term only makes the problem fester more, impacting your mental well-being and your general health.
