Let us help you get better sleep
Being unhappy with the quality or quantity of our sleep is a common topic of conversation. In fact, over half of Australian adults live with at least one chronic sleep symptom which impacts upon their daytime functioning1 and 1 in 4 young Australians aren’t happy with their sleep.2 Living in an age of screens and hectic schedules, what can we go about getting a good night’s sleep? Here are four things to consider.
1. Get to know biphasic sleep
Sleeping in two stages (biphasic sleep) was normal in our pre-industrialised society. People would sleep a few hours then have a period of activity before completing a second sleep. If you naturally wake once or twice during the night and can fall asleep again reasonably easily, then your sleep may well be normal.
2. Consider the root cause
If you feel you are not sleeping well, remember there are many factors at play. These can include:
- Health conditions (like chronic pain, respiratory illnesses and undiagnosed sleep apnoea),
- Lifestyle (such as shift work, stress and burnout)
- Life stages (like pregnancy, raising babies, perimenopause and caring for elderly parents).
Isolating the cause/s of your sub-optimal sleep helps your Pharmacist and healthcare team identify solutions to help you.
3. Help your mind
To move away from rumination, some people find it helpful to imagine themselves quietly doing an activity.
- Choose something which maintains your attention but won’t make you worried, stressed, excited or anxious.
- You could imagine the steps involved in a recipe, washing the dog or when you walk a favourite bush path.
Julien Lau
TerryWhite Chemmart Pharmacist
Miller Street, NSW
1. Get to know biphasic sleep
Sleeping in two stages (biphasic sleep) was normal in our pre-industrialised society. People would sleep a few hours then have a period of activity before completing a second sleep. If you naturally wake once or twice during the night and can fall asleep again reasonably easily, then your sleep may well be normal.
2. Consider the root cause
If you feel you are not sleeping well, remember there are many factors at play. These can include:
- Health conditions (like chronic pain, respiratory illnesses and undiagnosed sleep apnoea),
- Lifestyle (such as shift work, stress and burnout)
- Life stages (like pregnancy, raising babies, perimenopause and caring for elderly parents).
Isolating the cause/s of your sub-optimal sleep helps your Pharmacist and healthcare team identify solutions to help you.
3. Help your mind
To move away from rumination, some people find it helpful to imagine themselves quietly doing an activity.
- Choose something which maintains your attention but won’t make you worried, stressed, excited or anxious.
- You could imagine the steps involved in a recipe, washing the dog or when you walk a favourite bush path.
4. Tweak your sleep hygiene
We tend to invest less in our sleep while still expecting more of it. Keep good habits by:
- Establishing regular bedtime and wake up times
- Limiting naps to 30 minutes
- Eating lighter evening meals
- Limiting screen use in the evenings
- Making your bedroom a cool, dark and calm
- Considering certain aromas (like vanilla) or sounds (like binaural beats)
5. Supplements
For some people, magnesium supplementation in the evenings may help promote relaxation, which can improve sleep quality. There is also a form of melatonin which can help people 55 and over with sleep problems. Ask your Pharmacist about whether these are suitable for you.
Julien Lau
TerryWhite Chemmart Pharmacist
Miller Street, NSW
Sources:
1 https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/special-sleep-reports/chronic-insomnia-disorder-in-australia
2 https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/sleep
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-understanding-sleep
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/noise-and-sleep/binaural-beats
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