We all know how bad it feels to struggle through the day after a poor night’s sleep. In the short term, without enough sleep we feel lethargic, cranky and have difficulty concentrating. In the long term, however, lack of sleep can cause significant damage to our overall health.

If you already suffer from a condition such as bruxism (teeth grinding), which is often associated with poor sleep habits, it’s even more important to tackle the problem. Sleeping your way to better health won’t happen overnight, especially when we’re trying to fit in with a busy lifestyle. But by following these easy to start sleep health tips, that elusive eight hours of rest is probably more achievable than you think!

Top 5 sleep health tips 

1. Find your body’s natural rhythm

The key to better rest is to get in sync with your body’s natural sleeping rhythm, known as your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is all the mental, physical and behavioural changes that occur in your body over a 24 hour cycle. These changes are largely controlled by daylight and darkness — for instance, our brains release a chemical called melatonin which makes us drowsy when the lights go down at night. Likewise, when we detect sunlight, our bodies are designed to perk up and get ready for the day.

To find your own circadian rhythm, start sticking to a regular sleep schedule and go to bed/wake up at the same time each day. This will reset your bodyclock, improve the quality of your sleep, and help your body to work the way it was designed to.

2. Make your room comfortable to sleep in

It may sound obvious, but it’s easy to take for granted how much difference a comfortable bedroom can make to the quality of your sleep. For peaceful dreams, make sure your room is as cool, dark and quiet as possible. Invest in a good-quality mattress and pillows, and if you’re a light sleeper, try earplugs, an eye mask or blackout curtains to avoid distractions throughout the night.

Some people find consistent ‘white noise’ in the background helpful for sleep, such as a fan running or a soundtrack of rain or ocean sounds. Alternatively, you can try using a white noise-generating app to minimise disruption.

3. Managing your energy levels with food and exercise

As tempting as that afternoon coffee is when energy levels start to dip, consuming caffeine late in the day can not only cause stress, it’s a sure way to mess with your sleep schedule. Also watch out for alcohol, eating large meals late at night (which can keep you awake from indigestion), and exercising too close to bedtime — this has a stimulating effect and won't help in winding down at the end of the day!

That said, exercise is still a crucial factor in healthy sleep. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly tend to sleep better and feel more alert — so long as you do it earlier in the day.

Aim to work with your body's energy levels instead of fighting against them with stimulants. Use foods or activities that energise your system at the times you most need them, and train your body to recognise the right time to rest.

4. Sleeping away stress

To reach the deepest phase of sleep — which is when your body begins the recovery process and replenishes energy — your muscles need to be relaxed. For people with a lot of stress on their mind this can be difficult to achieve, but it’s particularly troublesome if they’re prone to sleep bruxism.

Concerned patients at IWO sometimes ask “does grinding affect your sleep?”, and the answer is yes — stress-induced or habitual bruxism will certainly make it hard for your muscles to relax. Consequently, bruxism sufferers regularly feel tired or experience issues resulting from muscle tension, such as headaches and migraines. If you suspect you might be grinding your teeth while asleep, your orthodontist can show you ways to change your behaviour and minimise any damage to your oral health, and give you a better night’s rest in the process.

5. Ways to wind down

There’s many ways you can incorporate relaxation into your evening routine: whether you like to read, have a warm bath, listen to soothing music or practice relaxation exercises like meditation — it's about finding what works for you.

However you choose to relax, one thing that definitely won’t help is being stuck to the screen! The blue light emitted by electronic devices such as your phone, tablet, computer or TV is disruptive to your circadian rhythm — so if you want to rest easy, put your tech to bed at least an hour before you head off to sleep. 

If you’re finding it hard to maintain a healthy sleep each night, it’s time to visit a specialist and explore other causes, such as bruxism. At IWO, we don’t just help you achieve a beautiful smile — we can also use orthodontic practices to put you onto the path to achieving optimal health.