I admit it, I’m a sleep ambassador. Eight hours of sound sleep per night is something everybody should treat themselves to! Sleep is the most underrated health routine; many people think that sleep is just some flexible element in their daily schedule, something to shift left and right to fit in all the work that needs to be done. Actually, the exact opposite is true! Sleep must be a fixture, a fixed point, a due date that can’t be missed, not unlike a plane departure if you will.
Our creativity, our mental flexibility, our confidence and our decision making – all of those can be optimized if we just sleep enough.
If you want some more insight on this matter, read Thrive by Arianna Huffington, who I admire very much. I would highly recommend her book to anyone with a go-getter attitude!
Winter is our natural sleep season to unwind and to recharge our batteries. However, today we cheat on our very own instincts: as the sun sets in the early afternoon hours, artificial lights go up, TVs and monitors flicker deep into the night. Granted, the artificial light gives us a longer day in winter, but it can also damage our biorhythm for good. In our brain, the epiphysis regulates melatonin production after dark. Artificial light slows down the epiphysis and blocks the melatonin synthesis – as a consequence, we struggle more and more with falling asleep.
Here are a few simple yet efficient tips for all sufferers that will help you now to emerge energized come spring:
- 10 pm is the time to turn off the light, the TV, the smartphone and all other mobile devices
- first thing in the morning: some light exercise and fresh air
- 6 hours before going to bed: no caffeine, no alcohol
- a relaxing evening routine with a bath, a hot tea, candles, and a good book
