Recently a top trending hashtag was #IWouldSleepMoreBut - top trending as in over 21.4K at one point. All age groups, both male and female were joining in on the conversation and sharing the reasons of why they rob themselves of sleep.
At the top of the list were two things near and dear to all of our hearts:
It’s no secret that tech is invading our sleep sanctuaries and making their way into our bedrooms. Our computers, TV’s, tablets and phones have become the new bedtime routine and binge watching has replaced speed reading. Technology and being connected 24/7 is one of the leading factors in why our society is sleep deprived and many of us struggle with breaking the habit to disconnect. The irony is not lost that many of these tweets were happening very late at night on Twitter and past most people’s bedtime.
Tech Sleep Tip! Create a family docking station within your home. Set up an area outside of your bedroom where your entire family can plug in and charge overnight. This keeps everything organized and out of your sleep environment. Remove the temptation and go to sleep.
How many of us go to bed exhausted only to find that the moment our head hit’s our pillow our brain suddenly wakes up and starts talking. Loudly. The inability to quiet the mind was a clear struggle for most and a consistent issue I hear with my clients. Incorporating relaxing steps at bedtime like meditation and even calming colouring can help lower the heart rate and calm the mind, making it easier to drift off to sleep.
Mindful Sleep Tip! While meditation and mindful breathing can work to help you relax before bedtime practicing consistent sleep patterns can help prepare your body and mind for sleep. Going to bed and waking up at similar times each day helps to synch your body clock making it easier to fall asleep at night. This should always be the first step in practicing proper sleep hygiene.
Many of us wear sleep deprivation as a badge of honour. We can work harder and create more if we sleep less but what we don’t realize is we are putting our jobs or school work ahead of our health, and without your health what do you have? Getting proper restorative sleep and a sufficient quantity of sleep will help you learn better, remember more, and thrive at the project at hand. Adults are overworked and overtired and need to stop wearing their sleep deprivation as a badge of honour. Teens need to be better educated on their own sleep needs and boundaries need to be set to make sure our teens are getting the sleep they need. Parents need to make sure their teens aren’t unnecessarily overscheduled and be better role models when it comes to technology and bedtime. Use a family docking station to create those boundaries – see above please.
If having children wasn’t a reason why people weren’t sleeping more it would be weird, right? Parents unite!
But having tiny humans wasn’t the only cause for sleep loss…
Now it's your turn! Answer the question - #IWouldSleepMoreBut...
I provide free child and family sleep support on my Facebook page. I invite you to join our sleep community as I work towards Good Night Sleep Site's mission of a healthier rested family unit. For more sleep tips please visit Good Night Sleep Site and visit me on Instagram and Twitter. Join our movement and #BringBackBedtime.
#YMCSleeps is tackling sleep issues as they relate to tired and stressed parents, and tired kids too – because quality sleep is not a once-and-done project; it’s an ongoing and ever changing endeavor.
Follow on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, where we'll be sharing sleep stories and advice using the #YMCSleeps hashtag.
So here’s to more – and better– sleep!
Printer-friendly version