Why prioritising sleep should be one of your New Year Resolutions
New Year is a time when we set our resolutions for the year, and generally, there will be something to do with health and well-being, whether it is to get fitter, lose weight or start participating in a new sport.
There is one resolution that we tend to overlook, but it is the most important foundation for our health. Sleep is the glue that binds everything together; without it, the rest does not function well.
Sleep is essential for the body and mind to function optimally. It’s a vital component of a healthy lifestyle, impacting physical health, mental well-being, cognitive abilities and emotional stability. We all know how we feel when we sleep poorly, but we don’t always realise how much it impacts our overall health.
While alcohol might appear to help us get to sleep, the reality is our sleep quality is significantly reduced and, more often than not, our sleep is more disturbed when we have been drinking, so why not try Dry January and see if your sleep improves.
For some of us, getting to sleep or staying asleep can be one of the hardest things to do. Sleep changes can be one of the first symptoms of menopause, and it is very common to experience a lot of interrupted sleep during perimenopause.
When we are stressed and busy, our minds can struggle to quieten and they love to wake us up at 3 am to remind us of what was on our mind before we went to sleep!
That is why night-time routines can really help to improve sleep and sleep quality, enable us to wind down, to relax, clear the mind and prepare ourselves for the seven to nine hours our bodies deserve.
Make it a resolution to get those hours of sleep every night your body needs during 2024 – it will have a huge positive impact on your health and well-being.
Ann de Jongh is a Health & Wellbeing Coach
