'Five senses' sleep trick hailed by doctors can help you drift off faster
Lying wide awake at night when you desperately want to nod off is infuriating, especially when you've tried every lotion, spray and eye mask on the market.
When sticking to a strict bedtime routine and relaxing and unwinding before sleep just doesn't cut it, fear not, as one expert has hailed an unusual technique that may just send you straight to sleepy town.
Sleep helps us to "rest and repair" our mind and body, and the NHS stresses it's "vital for good physical and mental health and wellbeing. So attempting to get more - especially if you're lacking - is never a bad thing.
Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Pharmacy, explained that the "ability to fall asleep is called sleep latency", and the average person takes between 20 and 30 minutes to drift off.. She said: "Sleep latency is important because if it takes longer to get to sleep, you will not achieve the right amount of sleep cycles, and have less sleep, resulting in sleep deprivation."
On average, adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night according to the NHS. Dr Lee shared that a 2020 study found that 14.5% of adults had trouble falling asleep every day or most days in the last 30 days. Often, this is down to stress, and she shared that it's important to turn off what's known as the 'amygdala hijack".
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
She explained: "The amygdala is a part of the brain that controls your thoughts and emotions. When you feel stressed or threatened, the amygdala switches on the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), the 'fight, fright and flight' system which means the body can run away from danger.
There is a good technique to use if you're struggling to fall asleep (Stock Image) (Getty Images)"Ramping up the SNS means your heart beats fast, your breathing is rapid, your blood pressure is elevated and you feel sweaty, tense and on edge. Your cortisol and adrenaline levels are sky-high. About as far from sleep as you can get! If you get into bed swamped with thoughts and emotions, this causes a veritable 'amygdala hijack'.
"In order to sleep, we need to switch on the parasympathetic nervous system, which does the opposite of the SNS. The PSNS helps us feel calm, relaxed and slows the heart and breathing and lowers blood pressure. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the PSNS, which is why deep breathing exercises such as 4,7,8 breathing aids sleep.
"Getting into bed is often the first time in the day you have time to think about anything meaningful, and your thoughts and emotions hijack the amygdala which plays games and keeps you awake. So, to get to sleep, the very most important thing is that you need to be in control of your emotions and override the bossy amygdala. To do this you need to practice so that you can gather your thoughts and tell your brain what to think about - rather than be a slave to its demands."
A good way to do this, Dr Lee shared, is by using the 'Five Senses Exercise", which is often used to ground the mind in particularly stressful situations - but is very useful when it comes to bedtime. She said: "This means, sitting or lying quietly somewhere, then trying to relax, and taking some deep breaths in and out. Then, think of each of your senses in no particular order and spend a minute or two on each."
The method is as follows:
- Sight - Think of 5 colours you can see and what they make you think of.
- Sound - Think of 4 things you can hear and think about what they represent.
- Touch - Think of 3 things that are touching you and how they feel in your body.
- Smell - Think of 2 things you can smell and what this reminds you of.
- Taste - Think of one thing you can taste. What does it remind you of?
These thoughts will bring you into the here and now, and she said you will "gradually become more competent at controlling your thoughts and emotions and switching off the destructive thoughts and emotions."
Dr Lee also recommends journalling before bed as a way to "let the anger and frustration be vented on the paper", while also considering what you're "grateful" for.
Th expert warned against naps during the day if you struggle to get to sleep at night, and urged people to avoid caffeine within six hours of bedtime, as well as practicing good sleep hygiene including a regular bedtime and a dark bedroom.
Going for an early morning walk is also recommended by Dr Lee, as is taking regular exercise. The simple act of humming can also help as it "lowers stress and can hasten the onset of sleep".
Controversially, wearing socks in bed could also be a game-changer, as Dr Lee explains: "When the feet are warm, blood is diverted to the peripheries, and this lowers core body temperature which is needed for sleep."
Greggs, Costa & Pret coffees have 'huge differences in caffeine', says report
Other sleep hacks to try:
Drink milk - Have a milky drink. Milk contains tryptophan, which is converted to serotonin and melatonin, both needed for sleep.
Foods for sleep – The Sleep Foundation recommend kiwi fruit, cherries, fatty fish, nuts and rice to aid sleep. In one study those who ate 2 kiwi fruit before bed got to sleep faster and had better sleep quality. In another study, eating fatty fish was associated with improved sleep latency, which was thought to be due to its high content of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are needed to make serotonin.
Valerian root – A 2006 systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that Valerian had an 80% chance of reporting better sleep. Some studies reported improved sleep latency but some did not. Doses ranged from 75 -3000 mg per day. Valerian can also be drunk as tea.
Lavender oil - Lavender oil is known to have sleep-inducing properties. In one 2012 systematic review, out of 8 studies of which four randomised controlled trials, lavender oil had a small to moderate benefit in improving sleep. One or two drops of lavender oil can be added to bath water or added to a bowl of very hot water and inhaled as inhalation, or it can be sprayed onto the pillow when diluted as a pillow spray.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
