A  Guide  to  a  Good  Nights  Rest  

 By  Marlows  Mercantile    

Copyright  2014  

 
 Sleep:  Getting  the  Best  Night’s  Rest  –  ever!  

In a fast-paced world where everybody is very busy and there seems to be no time to do

everything that needs to be done, who could afford to sleep? Well, YOU should!

Sleeping is not a passive activity as once been thought, in fact, it is a very dynamic activity

which involves different activities happening in our body. During sleep, the brain is very active

doing biological maintenance activities such as sorting and storing information and cleaning the

byproducts of neural activity accumulated during our waking hours. Additionally, getting enough

sleep allows the body’s organs, bones and muscles to repair themselves; restore tissues and

cellular and; maintain a healthy immune system.

The quality of sleep greatly affects the time when you are awake – your energy,

productivity, mood, ability to handle stress, mental ability and sharpness, in short, your overall

well-being! Unlike any other activities, a restorative night’s sleep takes very little effort yet

provides great health benefits.

Table  1:  

How  many  hours  of  sleep  do  you  need?   Age Hours

Newborn (0-2 mos.) 12 - 18

Sleep requirements vary depending on age and
3 mos. – 1 yr. old 14 – 15
health conditions whilst greatly impacted by lifestyle.
1 – 3 yrs. old 12 – 14
Although there are no exact hours of sleep as determined
3 – 5 yrs. old 11 – 13
by research, the National Institutes of Health
5 – 12 yrs old 10 – 11
recommends the following hours of sleep (see Table 1):
12 – 18 yrs. old 8.5 – 10

Adults (18+) 7.5 - 9

Tips  to  Sleep  Better  

Feeling moody lately? Or easily fatigued? Quality sleep will solve your problem. Here

are some tips to help get a better night’s sleep.

Establish a Regular Sleep Schedule

Stick to a sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. This way,

your body adapts to a ‘sleep-wake’ cycle, which can help promote quality sleep at night.

The Sleep Environment

A comfortable sleep environment greatly affects the quality and quantity of your sleep. The

following are some factors you should consider in creating a room perfect for sleeping:

! Noise - Generally, a quiet environment is desirable for sleep. Yet for those living in urban

areas where noises are inevitable, ear plugs can help block out unwanted noise. Furthermore,

white noise machines can help drown out these noises whilst creating a familiar

“soundscape” your body can adapt to.

! Light – A dark room contributes to better sleep while strong, bright lights will keep you from

sleeping at all. Use thick, light-blocking curtains, drapes or blinds for you room. In situations

where you need to get up during the night, use night-lights instead.

! Temperature – Generally, a slightly cool room is ideal for quality sleep. Extreme

temperatures may keep you tossing and turning at night; consider a fan or air conditioner for

warm temperatures or a heater/humidifier for cold temperatures.

! Beddings – If you’re using an old mattress, you might want to consider investing in a new

one. In choosing your beddings such as mattress, blankets and pillows, choose those, which

you find most comfortable.

! Gadgets – TV, laptops, mobile phones and other gadgets can keep you awake, distract you

from sleeping and hinder quality sleep. Avoid bringing these things to your room or – make

it a habit to turn off or put these gadgets away an hour before bedtime.

Additionally, use your room only for napping and sleeping.

Bedtime Rituals

A bedtime ritual programs the brain to become familiar to a set routine and help regulate the

internal body clock. Here are some bedtime rituals you can adapt to help improve your quality of

sleep:

! Drink a glass of warm milk. There is scientific evidence behind this bedtime tradition – milk

contains the amino-acid tryptophan, which causes sleepiness.

! Take a quick shower at night to make you feel refreshed and more comfortable at bedtime.

! Listening to soothing and relaxing music or gentle hypnotic sounds or narration.

! Relaxation exercises (e.g. yoga stretches) could help the muscles relax.

! Listening to audiobooks is like reading a bedtime story with the eyes closed! Audiobooks are

like bedtime stories for adults.\

Proper Sleeping Postures

! Side position. Sleep experts recommend sleeping on your side as this can help in alleviating

chronic sleep deprivation and insomnia whilst decreasing the tendency of interrupted sleep.

To be more comfortable, slightly bend your knees towards the chest area.

! Back position. If you prefer to sleep in your back, it is recommended to put a rolled towel or

soft pillow under the knees to reinforce the curve of the spine.
Things  to  Avoid:  

! Caffeine. Caffeine is a known stimulant, which could keep you awake for hours. Therefore,

avoid drinking caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea and colas during late

afternoons because it will only make it harder for you to fall asleep.

! Alcohol. Although alcohol before sleep may help you relax, heavy ingestion of it may

interfere with the REM and deep sleep stages at night.

! Smoking. Nicotine, also a stimulant, is an active content of cigarettes. This causes smokers to

sleep lightly and wake up very early in the morning.

! Certain types of medications. Medications for various health conditions such as: anti-

arrythmics, beta-blockers for high blood pressure, clonidine, corticosteroids, diuretics,

caffeine- or alcohol-containing drugs, certain antihistamines, SSRIs, Theophylline and

thyroid hormone medications may disrupt or interfere with sleep. Please discuss the potential

effects of any medications with your physician before discontinuing.

! Heavy meals and beverages. Eating heavy meals and drinking too much at night is a no-no.

Heavy meals may cause indigestion or stomach problems which may disrupt sleep. On the

other hand, drinking too much may cause a frequent need to visit the bathroom at night.

! Taking a late afternoon nap. Taking naps during the day can be refreshing, but afternoon

naps particularly after 3 PM may make it harder to fall asleep during nighttime.

! Exercising before bedtime. Exercise is healthy, but it should be avoided 2-3 hours before

bedtime.
Common  Sleep  Problems    

Insomnia

Insomnia is the most common type of sleep problem that presents the inability to get the

desired amount of sleep because of difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Insomnia can affect

one’s mood, physical vitality and even mental ability during the day. It can also lead to

irritability, anxiety, depression, increased risks or heart problems and vehicular accidents.

Common signs and symptoms:

- Difficulty falling asleep.

- Waking up frequently during the night.

- Difficulty in getting back to sleep after waking at night.

- Sleep feels very light and fragmented.

- Dependence on sleeping pills and other sleep-inducing supplements.

- Drowsiness and low energy during the day.

How to alleviate insomnia:

Treatment of insomnia involves the use of medications and non-pharmacological interventions.

Medications for insomnia include antidepressants, melatonin, diphenhydramine, benzodiazepins

and non-benzodiazepins. On the other hand, non-pharmacological treatment involves behavioral

therapy, relaxation techniques, reconditioning, sleep restriction therapy, establishing bedtime

routines and practicing good sleep habits. Discuss these issues with your doctor before

consuming any medications or non-pharmacological treatments.

 Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea involves pauses in breathing during sleep. This condition causes sleep disruptions

because a sufferer usually moves out from deep sleep to light sleep due to the temporary

cessation in breathing. Such pauses may last from a few seconds to several minutes, occurring

around 30 times or more an hour. Sleep apnea is usually a chronic problem and its sufferers are

often unaware of their condition.

Common signs and symptoms:

- Loud, consistent snoring accompanied with pauses followed by choking or gasping.

- Drowsiness during daytime.

- Irritability, depression or mood swings.

- Morning headaches.

- Sore throat or dry mouth upon waking.

How to alleviate sleep apnea:

Sleep apnea is a treatable condition and treatment may only take lifestyle modifications and

some sleep techniques:

- For sleep apnea sufferers who are overweight, losing weight is proven to significantly

alleviate its symptoms.

- Lifestyle modifications such as avoiding caffeine, smoking, sedative drugs/sleeping pills, and

alcohol.

- Sticking to a sleep schedule.

- Sleeping on your side.

- Elevating the body from waist up using a foam wedge or a special pillow.

- Opening the nasal passages at night using nasal dilator, breathing strips, net pot or a Nasal

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)

RLS is a neurological disorder involving unpleasant sensation in the legs (sometimes to the

arms) causing an intense urge to move it and thus interfering with rest – making it difficult to

sleep and stay asleep. A distinctive aspect of this disorder is that it is activated when you lie

down and try to relax.

Common signs and symptoms:

- Uncomfortable sensations of itching, aching, burning, creeping, throbbing or tingling to the

lower legs which occurs just before falling asleep, creating a strong urge to move the legs.

- People suffering from this condition often want to move and shake their legs or move around

to relieve these unpleasant sensations.

- Rest or lying down triggers the symptoms.

- Symptoms get worse at night and are often absent or negligible during the day.

How to alleviate RLS:

- Medications such as: Parkinson’s disease medications (i.e. pramipexole, ropinirole, rotigotine

transdermal system), anti-seizure drugs, muscle relaxants, painkillers and sleep medications.

Discuss any medications or symptoms with your doctor before proceeding.

- Lifestyle changes such as: avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking; sticking to a sleep

schedule; moderate exercises; losing weight; relaxation techniques (e.g. meditation, yoga).
- For self-treatment, you can try the following:

! Wearing compression socks/stockings or wrapping the legs with bandages to relieve

discomfort.

! Stretching once in a while at work or during long travel hours. Good stretches for RLS

include calf, hip and front thigh stretches.

! Sleeping with a pillow between the legs to prevent the nerves (in the legs) from

compressing.

Additionally, it would be excellent to keep a Sleep Diary which includes your sleep habits,

lifestyle, diet, routine and exercise activities to help diagnose and treat various sleep disorders.