Prioritise your Sleep in 2025

Prioritise sleep and make a commitment to your wellbeing in 2025!

Prioritizing sleep is a commitment to your health & well-being, and we hope that goes on to bring you happiness in 2025!

Sleep is essential to life, occupying approximately one-third of our lives. For the average person who lives to 90, that’s a whopping 30 years spent sleeping! 

Despite its seemingly passive nature, sleep is a dynamic and intricate process that serves as the cornerstone of physical health, mental clarity, and emotional well-being. It has a profound influence on nearly every system in our bodies from the brain to the heart, immune system, and beyond. Yet in our often hectic lives, the “city never sleeps mentality” is not limited to Gordon Gekko and his Wall Street friends.  Sleep is often undervalued and  sacrificed in the  name of productivity, entertainment, or social obligations.  Today, an average of 6.5 hours sleep means we are more sleep deprived than previous generations who enjoyed about 8 hours a night.

Lack of sleep can have severe consequences.  A tired brain behaves impulsively, it craves stimulants like caffeine and nicotine and desires carbohydrates like sugar. The knock on effects are huge.

Restore – Replace – Rebuild

Understanding the critical role of sleep in maintaining overall health requires delving into its biological significance. Sleep is essential for memory consolidation, hormonal regulation, cellular repair, and immune defense. Chronic sleep deprivation, on the other hand, has been linked to a host of adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. So prioritizing sleep is not merely a lifestyle choice but a fundamental aspect of our health and wellbeing.

Among the various factors influencing sleep quality, is the physical environment in which we sleep. Light exposure and noise levels obviously affect sleep quality but critical determinants of a good night sleep are the temperature of the bedroom and the bedding you sleep in.

The Biological Necessity of Sleep

Sleep is essential for the optimal functioning of nearly every organ and system in the human body. The process of sleep is divided into two main stages: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. These stages alternate in cycles throughout the night, each serving distinct purposes.

1. NREM Sleep: During NREM sleep, the body focuses on physical restoration. This stage is characterized by slowed brain waves, decreased heart rate, and reduced breathing. It is during this phase that tissue repair, muscle growth, and immune system strengthening occur. The release of growth hormone, vital for development and recovery, is also activated  during NREM sleep.
2. REM Sleep: REM sleep, on the other hand, is primarily associated with cognitive functions. During this stage the brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and fosters creativity. REM sleep also plays a key role in maintaining neural plasticity, which is crucial for learning and adaptation.

Disruptions to these sleep cycles can lead to significant health issues. For instance, insufficient REM sleep has been linked to impaired memory and emotional regulation, while inadequate NREM sleep can compromise physical recovery and immune function.

Factors Affecting Sleep Quality

Quality and Quantity of Sleep both matter!

It’s the quality of sleep that makes you bound out of bed.

Sleep quality is what makes you feel refreshed and invigorated for the day ahead. It’s influenced by lifestyle habits and environmental conditions.

1. Light Exposure: The presence of light, particularly blue light emitted by screens, can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm. This rhythm regulates sleep-wake cycles and is heavily influenced by natural light and darkness.
2. Noise Levels: Excessive noise can interrupt sleep cycles, leading to fragmented and less restorative sleep.
3. Bedding: Comfort and support provided by your bedding helps to promote uninterrupted sleep.
4. Diet and Hydration: Consuming caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime can interfere with sleep patterns. While alcohol may help to sedate you it negatively affects the quality of your sleep and should be avoided at bedtime!
5. Stress and Mental Health: Psychological factors, including stress, anxiety, and depression, are significant contributors to sleep disturbances.
6. Physical Activity: Regular exercise promotes better sleep, though vigorous activity close to bedtime may have the opposite effect.

The Critical Role of Bedroom Temperature

Among the factors influencing sleep quality, the temperature of the sleeping environment is key. Our sleep is deeply intertwined with thermoregulation -  the body’s ability to maintain its core temperature within a narrow range. As we fall asleep, our core temperature naturally drops which facilitates the transition into deeper stages of sleep. Maintaining an optimal bedroom temperature can enhance this process, and very hot or cold nights hinder it. In Australia we have a wide range of night time temperatures from below zero to around 25 degrees Celsius which makes it all the more important to take measures to regulate the temperature of your room and sleep in the right bedding at different times of the year.

1. Optimal Temperature for Sleep: Research suggests that the ideal bedroom temperature for most people is between 15.6 to 19.4 degrees Celsius. This range aligns with the body’s thermoregulatory processes, creating a conducive environment for restorative sleep.

1. Effects of High Temperatures: Sleeping in a room that is too warm can lead to discomfort, excessive sweating, and difficulty falling or staying asleep. High temperatures disrupt the body’s natural cooling process, preventing it from entering deeper stages of sleep and a resltess night is experienced. 
2. Effects of Low Temperatures: Conversely, excessively cold environments can also be detrimental. If the bedroom is too cold, the body uses more  energy to maintain its core temperature, leading to disturbed sleep and reduced overall restfulness.
3. Thermoregulation During Sleep: The body’s thermoregulatory processes are most effective when external conditions support them. For instance, a cool bedroom environment allows the skin’s blood vessels to dilate, promoting heat loss and enabling the core temperature to drop as needed for sleep.
4. Seasonal Variations: Seasonal changes can further complicate the relationship between bedroom temperature and sleep quality. Adjustments in bedding, clothing, and climate control can help maintain an optimal sleeping environment year-round.

Practical Strategies for Regulating Bedroom Temperature

1. Invest in Climate Control: Air conditioning, fans, or heating systems can help maintain a consistent and comfortable temperature in the bedroom.
2. Use Appropriate Bedding: Lightweight, breathable natural fabrics such as cotton, linen and hemp are ideal for warmer months, while insulating materials like wool are better for colder seasons. Above all, avoid sleeping in synthetic fabrics as these lack absorbency.  This means when you sweat at night you often feel restless and awake repeatedly through the night feeling hot and sweaty.
3. Ventilation: Ensuring proper airflow in the bedroom can prevent overheating and maintain a fresh, cool environment.

The Broader Implications of Sleep Health

Sleep is not an isolated component of health but a critical foundation that is affected by lifestyle factors. Poor sleep quality can exacerbate existing health conditions and create a vicious cycle of declining well-being. Conversely, prioritizing sleep can serve as a foundation for broader health improvements.

It’s a cycle!  Better sleep makes you feel more energetic which in turn encourages you to do more physical exercise and eat more healthy food! It also improves your ability to think objectively, gives you  emotional resilience and reduces the likelihood of stress-related behaviours that can further disrupt sleep. So by addressing sleep quality, we unlock a whole range of benefits that improve all aspects of our lives.

If you’re struggling to get enough sleep, make this the year you reframe the way you think about it – it’s not being lazy or indulgent, it’s a pillar of health, critical for mind, body and overall wellbeing.