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Beat Exam Stress

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Spring is in the air and we’re loving it in Camp Sleep Well. The birds are singing, buds are blooming and the sun is starting to reappear.  With May just round the corner it means bank holidays and lighter evenings for us to enjoy. But for some, it also means sleepless nights and sweaty palms as exams are looming. We’ve pulled together our top tips for surviving exam season and reducing stress with a great night’s sleep… 

Choose Sleep

Teenagers can miss out on vital sleep as they cram in last minute revision. In the month leading up to exams, the number of teens who have just five to six hours of sleep a night doubles to 20%*.  Lack of sleep results in forgetting little everyday things. So those who pull all-nighters doing last minute revision are likely to forget most of what they stayed up to study. We know getting a great night’s sleep helps improve health, moods, thinking, memory and immunity. You brain keeps working when you’re asleep, consolidating what you’ve learned through the day. So really try to get your eight-a-night to maximise your chances of remembering facts and figures in the exam.

Keep Calm

Stress can affect people in different ways. A staggering 83% of teens admit stress and worry affects their sleep*. What you do in the half an hour before you sleep directly affects your quality and quantity of sleep. During exams, having a healthy bedtime routine is more important than ever. Check out our 30 tips for a healthy bedtime routine for inspiration here. As well as having a bath, reading a book, dimming the lights and getting ready for the next day, why not have a warm cup of milk? Sleep Well is a natural milk drink designed to help all ages relax and get a better night’s sleep. Our gorgeous drink is made with whole Jersey milk, honey and valerian – the herb that’s been helping people relax and sleep for 2000 years.

Create a Space

According to UK Sleep Council, 82% of teens do last minute revision in bed. While there’s no denying the bed is more comfortable than the kitchen chair, if you spend all day revising in bed then your brain stops associating it as a place of rest and sleep. Our Sleep Specialist Dr. Neil Stanley adds, ‘the bedroom should be a sanctuary reserved for sleep. A place that is pleasant and relaxing.’ So keep your study books out of the bedroom.

Fuel Up

Nutrition experts say that healthy eating can make a real difference to revision. So what brain-boosting snacks should you stock up on? Well, it’s no secret that nuts and berries are highly nutritious. Nuts are full of good fats and magnesium, which can help keep stress levels low. And berries are full of vitamin C to help keep your immune system running smoothly.

Stay Hydrated

One of the best ways to stay focused is to keep hydrated. Whilst revising for exams, and ideally during the exam if allowed, it’s important to drink plenty of water. The NHS recommends you drink around 1.2 litres a day. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try adding a slice of lemon or fresh mint and cucumber to give it a bit of a twist!

* Research by the UK Sleep Council

The Good Sleep Habit

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What you do before snuggling down for the night directly affects the quality of your sleep. In September we launched our Sleep Well Bedtime Routine kit to help all our lovely followers to get the good sleep habit as part of the national ‘Sleeptember’ campaign.

Create a habit in 30 days

If you do the same thing every day for 30 days, it soon becomes a habit. Download our bedtime routine ‘get ready for bed’ top tips and handy sleep tracker so you can keep an eye on how you’re doing. We’d love to hear your great night’s sleep stories. Tag @sleepwellmilk and #bedtimehabit and we’ll find you on social.  Cheers all and sleep well. x

 

Your FREE Sleep Habit Downloads…

 

Download: Get The Good Sleep Habit

Download: Get Ready for Bed 30 Top Tips

Download: Sleep Well Sleep Tracker

 

Sleep FAQs

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We were proud to work with Dr Hillary Jones recently to be featured in his Live to 100 magazine which is available through news outlets across the UK as well as online (click here for latest edition).  Working with our sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley, we pulled together this sleep FAQ and were keen to share it with you here.  Hope it helps you sleep well.

 

  1. In what way can the quality of my sleep affect my health?

More than half of Britons say stress or worry keeps them awake at night, and a third of adults in the UK have taken medication in an attempt to relieve sleeping problems.  A third! However, the cost of all those sleepless nights is more than just bad moods and a lack of focus. Regular poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Sleep debt is such a huge issue in today’s society due to our “always on” lifestyles and people are now waking up to the benefits of a great night’s sleep.

 

  1. What are the main factors that can disrupt my sleep?

Take a look at your lifestyle to see if there are things that may be causing your sleep disruption.  These could be your diet, exercise patterns (or lack of exercise) and your sleeping environment.  Is your room too hot or too cold? Do you have a partner that disrupts your sleep? Are you stressed and find that your worries are stopping you from nodding off? Then consider your sleep schedule.  Ideally you would enjoy a regular relaxing bedtime routine that allows your mind to unwind and you will be going to bed and getting up at the same time, even at the weekends.

 

  1. How many hours of sleep should I be getting per night?

The Sleep Council says the recommended sleep for 18-65 year olds is seven to nine hours a night.  Some people need more, some less.  The real sign of whether or not you are getting enough sleep is if you feel tired in the day. Worryingly, the average UK person is under sleeping by at least an hour a night.  We’re a tired bunch and it’s really impacting our health and wellbeing!

 

  1. What measures can I take to make sure I’m getting the right amount of sleep every night?

There isn’t a one size fits all solution to sleeping.  Find out what works for you and try to establish a bedtime routine.  These three key elements will really help you get your eight a night:

 

  1. A Quiet Mind

The number one essential for getting to sleep is a quiet mind. If you find yourself tossing and turning at night with a head full of worry, get up and only go back to bed when you feel tired. Try writing down what is worrying you in a journal before bed to give your mind permission to switch off and pick things back up in the morning.

 

  1. A Relaxed Body

Try to find ways to help you relax in the evening.  It could be by enjoying a warm milk drink, having a long soak in the bath or by snuggling up with a great book.  Trying deep breathing practices can also help you relax and prepare your mind and body for sleep.

 

  1. A Bedroom For Sleeping

The bedroom should be a sanctuary reserved for sleep.   Somewhere not too hot or cold – the ideal temperature should be around 16-18°C (60-65°F). Your bedroom should be pleasant and relaxing with fresh air and blackout curtains.  Invest in a high quality and comfortable bed and go for the biggest one you can fit in your bedroom.

 

  1. Recently, I’ve been struggling to fall asleep. What can I do?

One of the most important things you can do is to establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine. When we were younger most of us had an established bedtime routine.  Now, many of us work late and fall into bed far later than planned, with no thought for a bedtime routine. Creating this sleep routine will signal to the body that it is time for sleep and will allow you to put the stresses and worries of the day behind you.  What you do just before you go to sleep directly affects the quality and duration of your sleep.

 

  1. Does what I eat and drink throughout the day affect the quality of my sleep?

We know that certain foods and drinks can interfere with sleep, the most obvious ones being caffeine and alchohol. A heavy meal close to bedtime may make you less comfortable when you settle down for your night’s rest. At the same time, going to bed hungry can be just as disruptive to sleep as going to bed too full. Enjoying a light meal a good few hours before you plan to sleep should set you up for the best chance of getting a good night’s rest.

 

  1. Is napping during the day disrupting my sleeping schedule?

Whilst naps will never make up for a poor night’s sleep, a short nap of just 20-30 minutes can help pep you up, both improving your performance and reducing the number of mistakes you’re likely to make during the day if you’re overtired. Psychologically, a nap also feels like a ‘treat’, providing much needed respite from a stressful day and improving your overall sense of wellbeing.

However the best way to get a good night’s sleep is to be awake during the day.  It sounds obvious but sleeping in late and excessive napping will play havoc with your sleep patterns.

 

  1. Are there any products available on the market that can help me have a better night’s sleep?

Sleep Well is made from three simple and nutritious ingredients associated with a good night’s sleep: pure wholesome Jersey milk, honey and valerian.  Because of its relaxing ingredients, Sleep Well helps to calm you down. It’s perfect for those nights you really need to sleep but your brain won’t switch off. Drinking Sleep Well thirty minutes before you want to sleep can help you wind down and have a restful night.  Delicious drunk warm or cold, Sleep Well is available in handy 200 ml ‘sip and sleep’ cartons.

Buy Sleep Well here…

Summer Sleep

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Snoozing through the Solstice

The sun has reached its highest altitude of the year with the summer solstice and we’re celebrating at Sleep Well HQ with more than 16 hours of sunshine a day.  But, with these long, lazy hazy days of summer, many of us will struggle to sleep well.  It’s just too light outside! We wake up earlier because of the lighter mornings and the temptation is to stay up later. It just doesn’t feel right tucking ourselves into bed when the sun’s not yet set.

Melatonin is the naturally occurring hormone in our bodies that helps regulate our sleep and wake cycle. Our brains secrete more melatonin when it’s dark, sending signals to the body that it’s time to start winding down and getting ready for bed.  It’s melatonin that helps make us feel sleepy so it’s important to make your sleep sanctuary as dark as possible.

Darkness is your friend

When it’s time to sleep, make sure your room is as dark as possible. As well as investing in curtains made of thick fabric, buying blackout blinds to block light from the windows can make a huge difference.

Mask up

If you’re travelling or want an extra layer to make it even darker, pop on an eye mask. From cotton and silk to satin or polyester, eye masks are a great investment.  Top Tip: they’re also perfect if you want to have a nap in the day and don’t have time to reapply your makeup!

Let the air in

Sleeping with your window open to keep your room nice and cool is recommended but this can mean that pesky light creeps back in. Secure your blinds in place so they don’t flap and make sure you close your curtains fully; you get the benefit of cooler air without the light creeping in.

Turn it down

Keep the lights down if you get up during the night.If you need some light to move around safely, try installing a dim nightlight in the hall or bathroom or using a small flashlight. This will make it easier for you to fall back to sleep.

Travel Sleep

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From the constant hum of the air conditioning and permanent light of the TV to random traffic noise and glow of street lights, sleep is likely to be more disturbed when we travel.  This is because our primeval instinct kicks in to protect us when we are sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings and, being more alert, we wake up more easily. Check out these sleep tips from our sleep guru Dr Neil Stanley to help you get a great night’s sleep when you are staying away from home:

 

Reserve your room for sleep

Your hotel room should be a sanctuary reserved for sleep. Make the most of the facilities – eat in the restaurant, do any work in quiet spaces or lounge areas, socialise with colleagues or friends at the bar and only head to your bedroom when you are tired and ready for sleep.

 

Adjust the temperature

Make the room temperature right for sleeping. Somewhere not too hot or cold, the ideal temperature should be around 16-18C (60-65F), so adjust the air conditioning when you check in to your room. If you can open a window that’s ideal as a recent study in the Netherlands has proven that fresh air helps you sleep better.

 

Use the do not disturb sign

Reducing noise can really help, although many hotel appliances can’t be unplugged. To reduce noise in the room, make use of the “do not disturb sign” on your door to try and encourage people walking by to be a little quieter. Downloading a pink noise app can help mask sounds, as well as using earplugs.

 

Keep it dark

Light is a signal to our body that it’s time to get up so it’s important to sleep in as dark a room as possible. If that means putting the room menu card in front of the standby light on your TV to prevent it blinking at you all night, or packing an eye mask, then do it! Many hotels have blackout blinds and curtains so use them.

 

Avoid blue light

Whether it’s a mobile phone, a laptop or a TV, you should avoid exposure to ‘blue light’ about 45 minutes before you head to bed. Blue light screens suppress the production of melatonin, which is the hormone your body produces to help you get to sleep.

 

Destress before bed

Take time to get unstressed for bed and relax. Have a bath. Jot anything down in a notebook you are worried about or want to remember for the next day.  Read a book. Listen to music. Sip a cold or warm mug of Sleep Well. Investing in getting yourself ready to sleep gives you the best chance of getting a great night’s sleep.

Sweet Dreams

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No cognitive state has been as extensively studied yet as misunderstood as dreaming.  The average person dreams three to six times per night for up to 20 minutes per dream.  That’s up to two hours a night forming a big part of our human experience.

 

Researchers believe dreams play an important role in problem solving, incorporating memories and processing emotions. Many people come up with their best ideas whilst dreaming, suggesting it’s also a conduit for creativity.

 

Dreaming mainly happens during the light stage of sleep or what’s known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.  That’s why light sleepers and people that wake several times during the night are more likely to remember their dreams.  If you’d like to remember your dreams more, follow these top tips to help you:

 

Ditch the alarm clock

You’re more likely to remember your dreams if you allow your body to wake up naturally. Focusing on the sound of an alarm pushes dreams out of your field of consciousness.

 

Avoid alcohol

Try not to drink alcohol or take medication right before bed time as this can disrupt REM sleep and decrease dreaming.

 

Sweet dreams are made of cheese

Eating cheese or spicy food before bedtime can cause indigestion and alter your body’s metabolism. This in turn affects the brain’s overnight activity leading to dreams or nightmares.

 

Programme your brain to remember

Right before you go to sleep, make a conscious decision to remember. It’s amazing how receptive your mind can be when you ‘programme’ it to do something.

 

Drink Sleep Well

Certain herbs such as valerian root and chamomile, which are used to induce sleep, can bring on more vivid and fluid dreaming.  With its gorgeous tasting combination of milk, honey and valerian, drinking Sleep Well half an hour before you head to bed may well mean you’ve bagged yourself a one-way ticket on the dreamland express!