Top Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

We all know that sleep is important but for many of us, getting a good night's sleep can be easier ‘said’ than ‘done’. This week, members of the Mobilise Community have joined us on a cuppa, live stream and social media chat to tell us what they do to help them get the sleep they need. 

Setting yourself up for a good night's sleep

During Suzanne’s Livestream last week, (which you can see in the Mobilise Community Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/groups/mobilisecommunity), Suzanne talked about the importance of setting up the room as part of a nightly routine. When we opened this up for discussion in our Top Tips Cuppa, the Mobilise Community shared what they do to set up their room, which includes;

• Making sure the room is cool and dark

• Putting phones away

• Removing or reducing any noise 

Some people have also found things which help them get comfortable in bed which include;

• Lavender spray

• Fresh bedding

• Pillows

• Weighted blankets

• A wheat bag or hot water bottle

For all sorts of reasons, sometimes it can be difficult to get a good night's sleep in your own bed. During our discussions, we found out that some people move into another room if they struggle to sleep. We also heard that some people have a bad nights sleep due to the demands of their caring roles and their solutions included;

• Where possible, planning an overnight stay somewhere else 

• Have someone else come in to take over the caring role during the night so that you can switch off.

Getting to sleep

Whether we plan it or it happens by chance, we have found that many of us have developed our own routines and rituals that prepare us for bed. A popular one in the Mobilise Community is listening to podcasts! If you’re looking for a new podcast, why not check out our Who Cares Wins Podcast, hosted by James! You can find it at www.mobiliseonline.co.uk/podcast. 

The full list of activities included;

• Listening to podcasts (as mentioned above)

• Listening to music

• Breathing exercises

• Unwinding and relaxation techniques

• Reading a book

• Journaling or writing down thoughts

Having a good night's sleep

Do you struggle to get to sleep? Do you know why? 

Some of us have found that we actually have barriers that prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. Taking medication at the wrong time, having a nap during the day, or being overtired are just some of the reasons our community have shared with us. The most important thing is to be able to identify your own barriers in order to find ways to overcome these. 

Barriers might include;

• Not being able to switch off

• Anxiousness or worry

• External noises

• Not feeling tired

• Not having a regular sleep pattern

• Having caffeine before bed

• Caring responsibilities which mean that you need to get up in the night

Now, there isn’t one method or technique to help you to overcome these barriers but knowing that there is a barrier can help reduce frustrations and if there is a solution, this can be added to your usual nightly routine. For example, keeping a notepad by the bed for the late night thoughts or setting a specific time to be in bed (even if not asleep) to help establish a sleeping pattern are just two of the ways you can overcome the barriers identified above. You might find that you develop your own solutions too. 

No two people are the same and so we can’t all have the same bedtime routine. However, it might be worth trying some of these and finding out what works for you. When you’ve cracked it, and get a good night’s sleep, why not share what works for you and help us to help others.