Healthy sleeping

Sleeping is critical to your mental health and well being. Sleep is a recurring state where your body is at rest, and your mind is less aware of your surroundings. When you sleep, your blood pressure goes down and your brain stores long-term memories. When you sleep well, you usually wake up feeling relaxed and well-rested. Poor sleep can have negative effects on your quality of life.

If you are unable to get adequate sleep, you may try the tips provided here to improve your quality of sleep.

An average adult needs about 7-8 hours of sound sleep every night. You should feel well-rested and relaxed when you wake from a night's sleep. Sleeping healthily has a lot of benefits, which include:

• Maintaining a healthy weight as healthy sleep helps you stabilize your blood sugar.
• Increased productivity. Healthy sleeping keeps your mind sharp and alert.
• Good memory. Sleeping healthily improves how your brain works and helps you retain information better.
• Good physical health. Healthy sleep reduces your risk of having severe health conditions such as heart problems and diabetes.
• Good mental and social wellbeing. Sleeping well helps you maintain a good mood and improves your interaction with the people around you.

These are good sleeping habits you can adopt to improve the quality of your sleep, such as:

• Sleep at a regular time every night. Your brain gets used to it and you feel sleepy when it is your bedtime.
• Prepare your bedroom for sleep by using dark curtains, switching off the lights and opening the windows for fresh air.
• Avoid using your phones, laptops and other gadgets about one hour before bedtime. Instead, you may wind down before bedtime by reading a book, having a shower, playing soft music or writing a to-do list for the next day.
• Avoid drinks that contain caffeine (e.g. coffee, energy drinks, cola) or alcohol before bedtime as these make you feel alert and may disturb your sleep.
• Eat light meals and do not snack before bedtime. Your favourite swallows like eba, akpu or pounded yam can wait till the next day.
• Clear your mind. If there is anything you are worried about, try to get it off your mind before bedtime. You can do this by sharing your thoughts with a loved one or by writing in your diary.

Sleeping does not just mean that you shut your eyes and lay on your bed. To be sure you are sleeping soundly, look out for the following:

• You do not find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. For example, you fall asleep within about 30 minutes of going to bed and wake at most once during your sleep.
• You sleep at least 7-8 hours every night. Children, including teenagers, should get at least 8-10 hours of sleep.
• You feel rested and energetic when you wake.

Allow yourself a few weeks before you see the results of applying the healthy sleeping tips. Sleep is a habit, and good habits can be learned with time. You can also check out some sleep apps that can support your efforts and may help you sleep better.