As featured on 10 Daily,
You feel tired for much of the evening yet when it's time to hop into bed, you just. Can't. Get. To. Sleep.
You toss and turn, while maybe hearing deep breathing of your partner who is fast asleep next to you and wish you could just get some shut eye yourself. And it's a problem that a large number of us face each night.
According to data released by YouGov, while 58 percent of Australian take less than 30 minutes to fall asleep, a further 32 percent take less than an hour while the final 10 percent take more than an hour to get to sleep.
Further to this, women seem to find it harder to get to sleep than men, with 13 percent of women taking more than an hour to get to sleep when compared to seven percent of men.
That's a problem when considering the average adult should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, according to the Sleep Foundation.
The data further revealed that one in three Australians don't get the recommended amount of sleep per night.
While the physical impacts of not getting enough sleep are obvious, it also has an impact on your mental health as well. When you're not getting this amount of sleep, it can heavily influence your outlook on life, energy level, motivation, and emotions.
Speaking to 10 daily, sleep expert Olivia Arezzolo said…
it's a problem that's gripping the nation and causing considerable consequences.
"Not only are we exhausted in the early morning, we’re reaching for those sugary snacks come 3pm to see us through," she said.
She shared four simple strategies with us for how you can fall asleep easier, starting from tonight:
1. Start by asking why you can't get to sleep
Arezzolo said you should begin with taking a note out of motivational speaker Simon Sinek's book and be clear on your motivation about why you should fall asleep and connect this with anything beyond yourself, like friends and family.
"It’s easy to get distracted by the lights and whistles of Instagram -- so your awareness of how an early night will help you be your best you -- for the ones you love -- is key. Write your ‘why’ each night as part of an evening journal," Arezzolo suggested.
2. Take all screens out of your bedroom - including televisions
A big part of our difficulty in getting to sleep is finding it hard to 'switch off'. And having technology nearby and a television in your room makes it that much harder. A recent study found those with a TV in their bedroom get 31 minutes less sleep per night. That's 15 hours over the course of a month," Arezzolo said.
"Make it easy for yourself to disconnect from screens by not having it in sight -- simple."
3. Try using a sleep supplement to help
According to Arezzolo, a sleep supplement can be an important part of a bedtime routine and will assist your ability to fall asleep, particularly if it contains melatonin.
"A natural sleepiness hormone, research shows melatonin reduces (stress hormone) cortisol -- ideal for those who feel wired and anxious," Arezzolo, who is a fan of Performance Lab's 'Sleep', said.
4. Have 20 minutes of ‘unwind’ time before getting into bed
If you allocate time and space for relaxation, Arezzolo said you will find yourself feeling just that: relaxed.
" Ensure this is an active behaviour, concentrating your attention here and away from distracting thoughts," she said.
"My recommendation if you only do one? Meditation -- 100 percent. Studies show those who meditate not only sleep better, but also, are less stressed throughout the day."
