+447967 968821 frances@sleepwell.today

How to sleep better by prioritizing your nightly slumber

7 Dec 2020 | Insomnia, Sleep, Stress

sleep better by prioritising slumber

Four weeks today and it will be 1st January. Can you believe it?  I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for the New Year with the prospect of Spring and hopefully getting our lives back towards some kind of normal. I’m already making plans – business and personal – for how I want 2021 to shape up. OK, I know I can’t yet book my summer getaway but I’m starting the process of setting my intentions for the Spring.

For example, one of the few benefits of lockdown has been that I’ve got into the habit of taking regular exercise.  I’ve also been switching off the TV and reading a lot more. These habits are something I definitely want to keep going forward.

I’m wondering if you’re going through a similar process? Whatever you feel about New Year’s Resolutions, January is a great time for a fresh start – but like any venture, it needs proper resourcing in terms of thinking and preparation time.

So I have two questions for you.  They’re both about your sleep which, as the third pillar of your wellbeing along with diet and exercise, is such an important area for reflection. 

All too often we focus on our work and business plans and completely over look the importance of our biggest asset – ourselves and our health and wellbeing. 

Here’s the two essential questions –

        1.  Thinking about your sleep, how satisfied are you with its quality and quantity?  If you were to give it a rating of between 1 and 10,                                                                                                                                 where 1 is the worst possible and 10 is absolutely amazing, what score would you give it?

        2. Now thinking about the priority you give to getting good sleep – the time you allocate to sleep-supporting habits, protecting your relaxation and down time, managing your                                                    schedule so you have time to eat and drink properly and so forth – what level of priority do you give your sleep?

Rate this again on a scale of 1 – 10 but this time 1 is the top of the scale – It’s my No.1 priority and 10 is at the bottom – It’s the lowest possible priority.

 Now reflect:
What do your scores reveal?

Is there a big gap between the two scores? If so, what does this mean?

For example if you answered 4 on Question 1 – your sleep quality/quantity is far from amazing – and 8 on Question 2 – you put sleep well towards the bottom of your priority                                                list – that’s a clear indication that there are steps you could take to bring better sleep but for some reason you aren’t yet able to take them.

And this is just how life is sometimes, isn’t it?  We know we should do something but it can feel impossible to take the first step. As a working mum, dad, spouse or partner, your life is already very full. Managing tricky teenagers or caring for elderly parents places a great strain on your precious reserves. Women in particular find it hard to prioritise their own needs. As natural carers, we overdo it at times!

As a sleep coach my job is to help people to understand why, up to now, they’ve decided consciously or not, to put up with their sleeping problem.

From working with many men and women, all with their individual sleep histories, I’ve been able to identify 5 key barriers that stop people from prioritising their sleep.

These 5 Barriers are  –

  1. You don’t have the time or the energy to even think about your sleep
  2. You confuse self-care with selfishness. You feel selfish if you put yourself first.
  3. You feel you need to get someone’s permission – your husband/wife perhaps –  before you can invest in yourself
  4. You can’t see the benefits in taking action
  5. You’ve tried to fix your sleep before and it didn’t work.

Overcome these and you’ll be able to give your sleep the priority it deserves. You’ll be able to start the journey to regain the refreshing sleep that will make your life so much more fulfilling, productive and fun.

If you’re suffering from lack of Zzzs yet find it hard to prioritise it, let me help you to get clear on what’s stopping you.

I’m truly passionate about helping people to sleep well with all the resultant benefits for themselves, their families and the wider community. That’s why, in the busy run up to Christmas before I break on 18 December, I’ve reserved 5 slots in my diary for a FREE Sleep Analysis Call.

This is your opportunity to gain professional input on your sleep and get crystal clear about the steps to take so you can sleep well, work well and live well in 2021 and beyond.

As one client commented after working with me –

As a long sufferer of insomnia I had tried many, many ways to break this most unpleasant habit. Frances’ approach to my problem was a breath of fresh air with sound advice, reassurance and an understanding of my frustrations.  ED Business Owner Brighton
If you’d like to feel like this then do book your call now. I only have space for 5 calls before Christmas. I promise you, you’ll be so pleased you took up the opportunity. Your family, friends and colleagues will also thank you for it.

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