The Art of Sleeping: the secret to sleeping better at night for a happier, calmer more successful day

The Art of Sleeping: the secret to sleeping better at night for a happier, calmer more successful day
Rob Hobson

‘An insomniac’s dream buy!’ THE SUN ‘If you lie awake wondering how to get a good night’s sleep, this could be the answer to all your problems. ’ HAPPIFUL The secret to sleeping better at night for a happier, calmer, more successful day. The Art of Sleeping takes the reader on a journey that starts with finding your sleep base and identifies the issues that are contributing to their lack of slumber. Using the author’s personal experience, the latest scientific research, and expert advice, The Art of Sleeping will work through the three key pillars of a good night’s sleep: behaviour, environment and diet (BED). By the end of the book, readers will be equipped with greater knowledge and techniques to aid sleep and relaxation and live a happier, calmer and more successful life.

HQ An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://harpercollins.co.uk) First published in Great Britain by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. 2019 Copyright © Rob Hobson Rob Hobson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins. Source ISBN: 9780008339364 Ebook Edition © 2019 ISBN: 9780008339371 Version: 2019-10-21

Rob Hobson Registered Nutritionist Bsc, Msc Book design by Steve Wells An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.

TABLE OF CONTENTS page 12 (#uf7e585c4-8a10-5492-8d3c-2ec0619886b8) INTRODUCTION page 17 (#u6d87c69d-6268-512e-b02b-1b59926e6a71) CHAPTER ONE: SLEEP • Why sleep? • e circadian rhythm • e body clock • Sleep architecture • Dreaming • e stuff of nightmares • Mind over matter? page 53 (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER TWO:NAPPING • e art of napping • Lark or owl? • Sleep cycles page 73 (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER THREE:BEDTIME • Dear diary page 83 (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER FOUR: BEHAVIOUR • Lights out! • Digital detox • Chill out • Take a bath • Brain download • Get comfortable • Keep moving

page 105 (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER FIVE: ENVIRONMENT • Mess causes stress • Bedding down for the night page 117 (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER SIX: DIET • Eat right to sleep tight • Foods that harm • Foods that heal • Break bad habits • Herbs and supplements • Planning is everything! • Sleep tonics page 153 (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER SEVEN: MINDFULNESS • Losing sleep over it? • Relax every muscle • e stuff of dreams • Don’t forget to breathe page 177 (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER EIGHT: RITUAL • e art of sleeping

Dedicated to anyone who has ever struggled to sleep well

12

introduction

DREAMING OF SLEEP Most of us spend one-third of our lives asleep, but not all of us sleep well. e amount of time we sleep and the quality of the sleep we get on a nightly basis can lead to tiredness and fatigue, the effects of which can filter into all aspects of daily life, affecting our emotions, our ability to focus on daily tasks, appetite, relationships and memory recall. Many people underestimate the importance of sleep and live with the daily symptoms of fatigue, masking them rather than getting to the root of the problem. us, sleep deprivation has become an issue that’s easily ignored, but if poor sleeping is le untreated it can have serious implications on diseases that can impact on your long-term health. Sleep is the natural state of rest in which your eyes are closed, your muscles are relaxed, your nervous system is 13

14 inactive and consciousness is practically suspended. is is a vital period of replenishment and repair for your body and a time when your brain is given the opportunity to process information, memories and experiences. Sleep is essential, and it is undoubtedly one of the key pillars of good health. While our commitment to eating well and exercising regularly is ultimately down to personal choice and conscious decision-making, sleep is influenced by factors that are sometimes out of our control. You can make yourself a healthy lunch, you can find the drive to get yourself to the gym for an early-morning workout, but lying in bed and trying to fall asleep may be a little more tricky. Many of us are victims of the 24-hour culture in which we live, as the modern-day demands and expectations of work and life in general, as well as the impact of social media, very much influence how we live our lives. is way of living can take its toll on our ability to sleep well and whilst you may think you are managing to survive on very little sleep, take it from me that you are not. Many of us have developed coping strategies to function on a daily basis (does that third cup of coffee before 11am sound familiar?) rather than taking a step back to address

the real problem, which is not being able to sleep. Aer years of struggling with insomnia, I became particularly interested in researching the different approaches to achieving the best possible sleep and one of the best pieces of advice I can give you is that one size never fits all. In this personal, practical guide, which references the latest scientific research and expert opinion, I will break down the art of sleeping into three main pillars: Behaviour, Environment and Diet, which can be given the acronym, BED. Once you understand what your daily lifestyle looks like, it’s possible to develop a sleep ritual that is personal to you. My personal battle with sleep is what drove me to write e Art of Sleeping ; however, I intend this book to be for everyone, whether you are similarly struggling with insomnia, looking for a better quality of sleep or are simply interested in the mechanics of sleeping well. I hope that by reading these pages you will be able to achieve the sleep of your dreams. 15

CHAPTER ONE

sleep

18

‘Sleep is

that golden

chain that

ties health

and our

bodies

together.’

Thomas Dekker

19 Sleep is a condition of body and mind that typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive, the eyes are closed, the postural muscles are relaxed, and consciousness is practically suspended.

doze slumber nap zizz siesta

rest drowse kip snooze catnap bye-byes

22 Sleeping is considered to be a time of rest, but your body is working hard to ensure you are kept in good health. Your brain processes information, memory and experiences. Growth hormone increases to help repair your body’s tissues.

23 WHY SLEEP? Protein is replenished at a faster rate to support growth and repair. Production of skin cells, red blood cells and immune cells increases.

Sleep is essential

to everyday life

and influences

many areas

that impact

on our day-

to-day health

and wellness,

including:

24

25

Attention

Concentration

Creativity

Insight

Learning

Memory

Decisions

Emotions

Relationships

25

26 THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM Ever wondered why you feel sleepy at around the same time every night or wake up at the same time every day? It’s simply part of your circadian rhythm at work. Circadian rhythms are roughly 24-hour cycles that occur in the physiological processes of living beings – including plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria – and exist in every cell in the body, helping to set sleep patterns by governing the flow of hormones and other biological processes. Circadian rhythms are controlled by the body’s internal clock and influenced by environmental factors such as light and temperature; the sleep/wake cycle is an example of a light-related circadian rhythm that determines our pattern of sleep. 26