Strange as it may seem, getting a good night’s rest is not just about nodding off when you feel tired. Healthy, productive sleep is a conscious choice. How we manage our day, wind down into the evening, and approach our bedtime should have clear intent and purpose. Consistent sleep awareness is essential to our health.

Sleep Awareness Week aims to re-emphasise the link between sleep and health. It’s a good opportunity to consider and reassess the quality of your sleep and current sleep habits. Typically, it’s the quality of our daytime waking hours that are the tell-tale sign of compromised sleep:

• Do you constantly feel drained or grouchy during the day? Better sleep could be the answer.
• Are you making poor food choices, or not getting enough exercise? This could affect your sleep. Likewise, poor sleep may result in energy cravings for sugary foods or caffeine. It can become a vicious circle.
• Are you a high achiever who is always putting in those extra hours? Without proper sleep, your productivity can eventually become compromised.
• Scholars and students should be especially sleep-aware. Focused attention span is critical to learning. What our brains take in by day is processed and reinforced when we sleep soundly at night.
• The success of every day begins the night before. Proper sleep awareness means paying attention to the routine and quality of your sleep every night.

This is where we take professional advice and guidance. Just like many sleep experts and research programmes around the world, South Africa has its very own Sleep Science research group and consultancy headed by Dr Dale Rae and her team of dedicated sleep researchers at the University of Cape Town.

Sleep awareness is fundamental to a healthy, productive lifestyle. Yet it is not uncommon for people to become more sleep aware only once they encounter a physical or mental health issue related to insufficient or poor-quality sleep. Suddenly, there’s a realization and understanding of how a lack of sleep (what we call sleep debt) can impact our daytime functioning, mood and physical health.

Healthy sleep takes place at about the same time each night, is in sync with your body clock (i.e. late bedtime and wake-up time for “night owls”), meets your own personal sleep needs and leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for action the next day.

“Sometimes,” Dr. Rae affirms, “optimizing our sleep can be as simple as recognizing a few bad habits before bed, such as exercising or eating too late, which can affect the quality of our sleep. We should also be mindful of our caffeine and/or alcohol intake as too much of both, too late in the day, can impair sleep. The blue light emitted from phones, tablets, computers or TVs in the evening sends signals to the brain that it is still daytime, making it harder to fall asleep. Adjusting these habits can help significantly with winding down, calming the mind and body, and preparing yourself for a restful night’s sleep.”

This Sleep Awareness Week is your chance to prioritize your sleep! Check in with yourself, and if you're having trouble sleeping, follow Sleep Science Instagram for simple solutions to common problems. Plus, learn more about the amazing benefits of a good night's rest on our sleep guide. Better still, why not explore your next perfect mattress at www.dialabed.co.za.

Wake up to a happy Sleep Awareness Week!