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3. Meditate for sleep<br />
Studies show that by paying attention to the present<br />
through mindful practices we can cultivate position<br />
emotions which in turn help us sleep. Before bed,<br />
foster mindfulness with a simple meditation exercise<br />
by taking a long, deep breath in through the nose,<br />
then slowly releasing the air through the mouth.<br />
Far from being for monks and hippies, meditation is<br />
widely used by the world’s most successful people.<br />
4. Avoid alcohol<br />
Drinking alcohol may induce sleep but it can<br />
radically reduce the quality of sleep. Aside from<br />
being a diuretic and making you prone to nighttime<br />
toilet trips, studies show it affect reduce rapid<br />
eye movement (REM) sleep, an important regular<br />
part of the sleep<br />
cycle, during the<br />
course of the<br />
night. Drinking<br />
also relaxes the<br />
muscles in your<br />
throat leading to<br />
snoring and so<br />
wakefulness.<br />
5. Switch off<br />
Modern devices such<br />
as phones and energy<br />
saving light bulbs<br />
emit blue light which<br />
can interfere with the<br />
sleep-inducing hormone<br />
melatonin and trick our<br />
bodies into thinking<br />
it’s time to be up and<br />
about. To maintain your<br />
sleep pattern, dim the<br />
lights and implement a<br />
techno-curfew an hour<br />
before bedtime. You<br />
may also want to turn<br />
your clock away from<br />
you to stop obsessing<br />
about time.<br />
Dr Tim<br />
Paget is a<br />
physician<br />
and coach.<br />
He believes<br />
taking time for your<br />
physical and mental<br />
wellbeing is an essential<br />
ingredient in personal<br />
success and happiness.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Sleep</strong> <strong>Book</strong> 9
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