It’s no secret that we need sleep, in fact sleep deprivation has been used as a form of torture for centuries. Common side-effects of insufficient sleep include irritability, problems reading and speaking, difficulty concentrating and poor judgement- this is probably why the CIA is known to deprive suspects of sleep as part of their ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ for more than 100 hours at a time!

Getting yourself into a good sleep routine can be harder than it sounds - sometimes one late night can throw your whole week out of whack. Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about the concept of ‘sleep hygiene’ which involves healthy sleep habits that can help you get to sleep easier and sleep soundly throughout the night. Some experts suggest keeping a two-week sleep diary to help you better understand your sleep habits so you can make changes where necessary.

Sleep helps with...

• Our immune system. Cytokines are immune cells that target inflammation and create an immune response, and these cells are produced and released while we sleep. T cells are also important for immunity, as these cells seek out pathogens like bacteria and viruses and destroy them within the body - these cells are also most active while we sleep.

• Our memory. While we sleep, our body consolidates what we have learnt throughout the day and turns that new information into memory so we can access it when we need it. This happens in the hippocampus part of our brain, which studies have found is most active at night.

• Our appetite and regulating hunger. The hormones involved in regulating our appetite are called ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin stimulates a hungry feeling, while leptin suppresses it. When we are sleep deprived, ghrelin levels rise, which can in turn lead to feeling hungry and overeating.

The NHS suggests that adults require 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night to allow the body to recharge and restore. This differs for children - while toddlers need around 11 hours of sleep, school-aged children and adolescents need 9-11 hours.

Healthy habits to help you get into a great sleeping routine...

• Do a daily debrief with someone before bed each night - this could be a partner, friend or housemate. This can help you wind down for the day and share some of the worries or concerns that might stop you sleeping. This is especially important for kids!

• Avoid eating a large meal right before bedtime. Try to eat dinner at least 2 hours before bed to allow your body some time to start the digestion process before sleep.

• Make your bed a place that you only use for sleeping. Try not to work or watch movies in bed.

• Avoid screens for at least 30 minutes before bed. The blue light from screens, like your phone or computer, can trick your brain into thinking it is day time and suppress the release of our body’s sleep hormone, melatonin. Exposure to light from a screen in the hour before bed can decrease the release of melatonin by more than 80%.

For those wanting to find out a little more about sleeping smarter check out this great podcast with Shawn Stevenson.

- By Bridget Houlden DC