How to sleep better

Recent statistics suggest we are getting less sleep than we used to. So – how can we claim back what’s rightfully ours?


Getting a good night's sleep has never been so difficult for us Brits, with over 50% of us struggling to nod off, according to the Great British Sleep Survey.

Meanwhile, a survey by hotel chain Travelodge found that we're getting almost an hour's less sleep than we used to. And things are perhaps worse than ever around the Christmas period, what with all the extra social engagements and shopping excursions.

This lack of slumber is more damaging than you might think. Dr Chris Idzikowski, a leading expert from the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, says: "Reduction in sleep invariably impairs concentration and memory and causes fatigue, tiredness and trickiest of all - irritability.

"Chronically reduced sleep time, meanwhile, is associated with increased weight and poorer glucose handling and other health problems. And, for men, testosterone levels go down."

With sleep deprivation wreaking such havoc on our personal and private lives, MSN Him asked Dr Idzikowski for his top tips on regaining this lost hour in dreamland.

Make time for sleep

It sounds obvious, but too many of us simply aren't clearing our schedules for sleep. Overworking, too many social commitments, faffing around on social media into the early hours - all these things eat up the hours and make it impossible for you to fit in your recommended amount of shut-eye (we'll come to that in a moment) and cancel out your sleep debt.

Dr Idzikowski says: "At the end of the day the only way of claiming back lost sleep is by allowing yourself enough time to sleep. Catching up at weekends, taking naps et. will keep you going, but to completely restore your sleep budget, you have to allow yourself enough time to sleep."

How much do you need?

We've already established just how important sleep is to our overall health and wellbeing, but how do you know if you're getting enough if you don't actually know how much sleep your body needs at night?

Figuring out your nightly requirement is an essential part of maintaining balanced sleep levels, says Dr Idzikowski. "Surveys indicate that the average amount of sleep associated with least ill health in young adult males is 7.5 hours, though anywhere between 5.5 and 9.5 hours is probably OK.

It depends on the individual. If, constitutionally you are a nine-hour sleeper and you are only getting 7.5 hours, then you will be sleep deprived and feel yourself suffer as a result."

Use your smarts

Statistics published by telecoms watchdog Ofcom showed that, in the first quarter of 2011, smartphones represented 48% of all mobile phone sales.

So with this electronic multi-tool fast becoming the default device in the UK, you should make the most of its capabilities in helping to restore your sleep debt. Dr Idzikowski says: "Devices like the Zeo (www.myzeo.co.uk) work with your smartphone to measure exactly what you are doing to yourself, and, more importantly, just what you are doing wrong.

"The Zeo measures sleep stages as well as total sleep time so it's possible to start identifying what you are doing during the day that may affect those stages. Identifying what affects your deep or REM (dreaming) sleep means that you can start managing this behaviour."

The right food and drink

It's common knowledge that coffee and other caffeine-rich treats can rob us of much-deserved sleep, but which other foods can hinder, or help, our slumber patterns?

Dr Idzikowski says the evidence for milky drinks aiding sleep isn't compelling, but it could work for some. "It may be something to do with tryptophan - an amino acid that is found in abundance in milk and nuts, seeds, bananas, honey and eggs. Tryptophan is the starting block for the production of serotonin, a brain chemical which is thought by many to influence sleep.

"You should avoid high protein levels as they block the absorption of tryptophan in the brain. Chocolate contains tryptophan and very, very little caffeine. Meanwhile, tests have shown that a very low carbohydrate diet over the short-term promotes an increase in deep sleep, but a reduction of REM sleep. Bear in mind over the long term, both deep and REM sleep are important so it's better to have a balance."

Eat at the right time

Perhaps a slightly more surprising reason for the emergence of this 'sleep debt' is the fact that many of us don't eat at a time of day that supports deep, dreaming sleep.

Dr Idzikowski offers the following advice: "Eat three meals a day and don't eat immediately before bedtime. But hidden in this question is when to exercise. Exercise and big meals in the evening are both OK but should occur at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you are a five-small-meals-a-day snacker, you could actually leave your snack to closer to bedtime.

"The biggest problem with eating a big meal prior to go to bed is getting night-time heartburn when some of the stomach contents and acid work their way back towards the mouth."

Reduce stimulants

If you've suddenly noticed that you're getting less sleep than you used to, it could be that lifestyle changes, or a period of excess (such as Christmas or birthdays), is the root cause of your sleep debt.

Take a close look at your lifestyle and cut out any activities which could be overstimulating your brain. "Don't indulge in excess caffeine, alcohol, smoking, heavy dinners, watching television or playing on the computer at night before going to bed," says Dr Idzikowski.

Take a holiday

Although taking a siesta when you can and catching up on lost sleep at the weekends may help some of us restore our natural balance, for the seriously sleep deprived this simply isn't enough.

According to Harvard University Medical School: "If you've missed 10 hours of sleep over one week, make up for it over the weekend and the following week.

"If you've missed sleep for decades, it could take a few weeks to repay the debt. Plan a vacation with a light schedule, and sleep every night until you wake naturally. Once you've determined how much sleep you need, factor it into your daily schedule."

Sleep deep

If you're getting eight hours of sleep a night and still feel exhausted, chances are you're not getting the right type of sleep. Dr Idzikowski explains: "The main stages are deep sleep, REM sleep and light sleep. REM and deep sleep are critical for physical wellbeing and peak performance.

"Deep and REM sleep are both thought to be restorative, and light sleep may act as the cement for the other stages. Getting the right balance is the key to achieving elite sleep - basically the best quality sleep you can get."

So, this means no distractions in the bedroom (TV, computers all have to go), making sure the room is a comfortable temperature and giving yourself enough time to sleep.

Once you've done this and followed all the other expert tips above - you should find yourself back in the black.

Article by  By Tom Fontaine MSN Him

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Bad habits that can be healthy

They’re called bad habits for a reason, but treat them differently and they can occasionally be good for you.


We're constantly warned of the dangers of our bad habits, whether that's drinking, gambling, swearing or something else.

And of course, it's right that we are. These habits are bad because they do us harm, making us more unhealthy, more miserable, or just much less fun to be around.

Or at least they do if we do them too much, or in the wrong circumstances. But some bad habits can actually be good for us, if you know how to treat them. Here's how.

Swearing

At best, swearing can make men seem inarticulate. At worst, it can make them seem angry or aggressive. Nobody likes to hear loud swearing in a public place.

But on occasion, a well-chosen profanity doesn't just feel like the only word up to the task - it can even be good for you.

Researchers at Keele University's School of Psychology found that volunteers who repeated a swear word throughout the ordeal were able to keep their hands in ice cold water longer than participants who repeated a non-swear word. It adds to previous evidence that swearing, on occasion (when you stub your toe, for example), can be an effective form of pain control.

But the Keele researchers warned that swearing works best when it's done in moderation.

"People who don't swear very much in daily life can keep their hand in roughly double the amount of time when they swear compared to when they don't swear," said Keele's Dr Richard Stephens. But the research found that swearing is less effective as a painkiller in people who swear regularly at other times.

Drinking

Excessive drinking ups your risk of various cancers, obesity, heart disease and a host of other unpleasant ailments. But alcohol doesn't have to lead to ill health. It can be good for you.

There's actually quite a lot of evidence that moderate drinking is healthy. Most recently, a study from researchers at Calgary University found that people who drank moderately were 14% to 25% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people who didn't drink at all.

That chimes with a ten-year study on Irish and French men, which found that regular, moderate drinkers had a lower risk of heart disease than both non-drinkers and binge drinkers.

Bear that last line in mind, though. Only modest drinking - four units a day for men at most, up to a maximum of 21 a week - seems to confer health benefits. Heavy drinking is always bad for you.

Fighting

Brawling on the street or in the pub is never a good idea. You could get seriously hurt. You could get arrested. You could get shunned by everyone you know.

But studies show that training to fight in a controlled environment actually makes people less violent.

The research has largely been done with martial arts, but it may be true of boxing too. When you fight in a structured environment, you release aggression safely, connect with others socially, and give yourself something to do on boring nights when you might otherwise be out looking for trouble (if you're that way inclined).

In fact, research from a Gentle Warrior martial arts training programme in the US found that teenagers were less likely to be bullies the longer they participated in the programme, and they were also more likely to help others who were being bullied. These positive results were only reported in boys.

In other words, structured training in martial arts helps boys develop a better attitude to violence and aggression. Fighting - in the right way - was good for them.

Find a martial arts class near you

Gambling

Gambling is undoubtedly bad for you if you become addicted to it or if you need to gamble to try and pay the rent. But moderate gambling, like your monthly poker night with friends, can be healthy in all sorts of ways.

For a start, you enjoy it, and having fun is good for us. You also do it with friends, and having strong social relationships is, according to research, one of the keys to happiness.

In fact, research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that, among older people, gambling is a positive boon. It found that between 80 and 90% of all recreational gamblers over 65 claimed to enjoy excellent health, compared with just 62% of non-gamblers.

You may not be over 65, but the reasons the researchers found for this positive effect are relevant at any age. Gamblers were more stimulated (they enjoyed it - a lot) and sociable than non-gamblers.

A paper from the University of Salford concluded that, though more research needs to be done, contrary to popular opinion recreational gambling might actually be beneficial to the vast majority of us.

What all this suggests is that, outside of illegal activity, there is very little in life that is bad for you in every circumstance. As these examples show, even so-called bad habits can be good for you, if you stick to a few simple rules - and of course remember that moderation is key.

Tips for improving your poker game

Article by Hugh Wilson for MSN Him