b e t t e r I s e l f - c a r e
A G reat Day
For Sleep
Sound slumber doesn’t begin
at bedtime. W hat you do in
your waking hours can help
catch the best z’s.
BY
DANIELLE BRAFF AND ANKITA A TALWAR
leeping isn’t as easy as Mother
Nature would have us believe. Even
though we’ve been snoozing since
Day one, nearly half (46%) of all
Indians have been sleeping less than
six hours a day—the minimum recommended
limit—according to a survey conducted by
research agency AC Nielsen on Global Sleep
Habits, while 61% sleep less than seven hours.
One key problem, according to experts,
is that we approach sleep as a night-time
challenge when, in fact, it’s a day-long process.
So stop counting sheep, and start counting
down to better slumber with our simple rest-
easy plan and expert tips.
FIRST THING: WAKE UP ON SCHEDULE
Yep, even if it’s a Sunday. When you hop out
of bed, you’re essentially pressing ‘go’ on your
circadian clock, the internal timer that cycles
your body between periods of alertness and
sleepiness. This timer functions best when
you wake up within the same 60-minute
window every day. “If you disturb this rhythm
too much, you run the risk of being overly
distressed and unable to sleep well at night,”
warns Dr Bhavna Barmi, Clinical Psychologist,
Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Delhi. One easy
way to ensure you get out of bed: place your
alarm clock across the room.
9 AM: LET THE LIGHT IN
When you wake up in the morning, step out in
the balcony or the garden to expose yourself
to some bright light. “Exposing the eyes to
strong natural light early in the day stimulates
the brain and prepares the body for a day
of activity,” adds Dr Barmi. This helps keep
tiredness at bay until night, when you
want
to
feel sleepy. Aim for 30-60 minutes of sunlight,
outdoors or through a large window, every
morning. Instead of switching on the electrical
lights, draw open the curtains of your room or
open the doors to let the sun stream in. Added
bonus: the fresh air will optimize lung function.
110
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS | DECEMBER
2011
PHOTOGRAPH: MARTY BALDWIN
