Sleep underpins our wellbeing. It gives us energy and stops us from feeling sluggish. Sleep gives us sharper concentration so we can make smarter decisions. If we sleep well, we are calmer and manage stress better. So there are fewer slammed doors at home and we are nicer to bearound. Sleep helps our immune system, too. Sleep helps us to perform at our best. So athletes take it seriously — and so you should, too. And while there are lots of expensive supplements out there to aid sleep, this is actually a free tool. I'm helping the disability sport organisation Parafed with wellbeing tips. The wellness advice is to help our future Olympians to perform at their best. I helped them with sleep tips this week. So I thought I'd share some of these sleep tips with readers.
■PS: Can someone tell my teenage son sleeping in until midday is not ideal? I may be a wellness expert, but I'm an ordinary mum, too (chuckle).
HOW TO SLEEP LIKE A BABY
1 Regularity is king. Go to bed at the same time. We do routines for babies; We should do it as adults, too. Aim to get to bed by 10pm.
2 Make sure you get 7 ½-8 hours nightly. Kids actually need more. If you train hard then you need more sleep than those minimum-hour recommendations. Sleep improves muscle regeneration and getting enough recovery powers your performance.
3 Do stuff to help you wind down, eg, meditation or yoga. I've got some one-minute yoga flows and a one-minute meditation on my Instagram page (@rachelgrunwell) that anyone can access for free. FitBit has a great two-minute breathing exercise on its watches to guide you, too. I love quick, easy solutions like this as they are easy to incorporate in busy lives.
4 Don't stay on your phone too late at night. The blue light can impact on sleep.
5 Back off too much caffeine — a stimulant — if you can't get to sleep. I have my last cup by 3pm. Cut it out completely if you struggle with sleep and see if this makes a difference. This is ultimately an individual thing. I drink coffee as it doesn't impact on my sleep.
6 Back off too much alcohol. Some people use it to de-stress. But it can actually do the opposite. It can reduce your ability to cope with stress and stop you from getting to sleep.
7 Move your body in a way that you enjoy. Exercise helps to shake stress.
Rachel Grunwell is a wellness expert, speaker and author of Balance: Food, Health and Happiness — which includes a chapter on sleep. Find her via inspiredhealth.co.nz. Instagram: @rachelgrunwell
