Walking Towards Better Sleep
( The following audio is not a transcript but as an accompaniment to this blog post. It sets the scene and I hope you might listen to this first.)
In her book ‘52 Ways to Walk’, the author Annabel Streets focuses in chapter 10 research which states that if you take a walk within one hour of waking then this will help you sleep better at night. Light helps to set up our body clock for the day. If we expose ourselves to it within one hour of waking, this enables every cell in our body to set themselves up as their own timekeepers. So, in effect by walking early in the day, you are creating a signal later on that it is time for bed.
Get-up and start moving:
Annabel further explains that you don’t need a long walk to get this effect. Just 10 minutes is enough and don’t be deterred by cloudy or rainy weather, like I have previously. Even dull days can provide enough lumens- one measure of light- to produce results that are more effective than indoor lighting can provide.
In addition, morning light triggers the feel-good factor hormone serotonin giving us a boost to get our day going and crucially this converts to melatonin later in the day to help us sleep at night. However, our light sensitivity is at its lowest first thing in the morning. We need a burst of light to help us wake up and this sets our circadian rhythms, essential for a good night’s rest.
The late Dr Michael Mosley also re-enforced this message in his Podcast and book ‘Just One Thing’ about how to live better both physically and emotionally. It is listed here as number one in this reference.
My own experiences of sleep disruption:
There are many reasons why we can sleep badly, and I too have had periods of acute insomnia. Usually, this has been when my brain simply can’t switch off at night because I have had something specific on my mind, or I have simply worked too late and my brain is still active. I’ve also noticed any late-night phone screen time particularly plays havoc with my sleep pattern.
Personally, I know I should have my phone out of the bedroom and get an alarm clock if I need to set one. However, my problem is I like to have it with me because of the sleep meditations I do at night on YouTube. Night meditations have really helped calm my mind before bed and sometimes I have fallen asleep with them playing in the background.
However, my mild phone addiction means I can’t help but sometimes scroll on social media before settling down or absorbing yet more content online ranging from all my favourite channels, to simply watching how to do calligraphy, (the very thing I’m learning in the evenings to help me get away from screens). Hence, it can be a vicious cycle because I find it hard to put the phone down, and that disrupts not only when I turn the light off but also how much blue light I have been absorbing. I’m not sure what the answer to this is.
I also nightly mist my pillow with lavender spray. This may act simply as a placebo effect but it is something I enjoy and it has a soothing smell. My friend regularly provides a nice one from Avon and it is something I don’t want to be without.
Having a reduced body temperature at night also aids sleep, so keeping bedrooms at a cooler temperature will also help. I sleep with light covers and no heating on in the bedroom, but then I do live in a three-storey house and the heat rises. My bedroom is neither too cold nor too hot.
The Menopause and Sleep Disruption:
The menopause is also a challenging time for women with regards to sleep. This did affect me for a short period of time. I mention this briefly as I have no real experience of how traumatic this stage of life can be, but I do appreciate that it can affect women badly and in many different ways. I would encourage any women reading this to leave a comment about these experiences, if they feel able, and any suggestions which might help. At least there appears to be more professional advice available something that our mothers never had.
Sleep is such a huge topic that one blog post can only touch the surface of a sleep’s pillow. My aim is to set aside one week of mornings where I will get up and walk within one hour of waking every day to record what effect this has. So far my attempts have been feeble as often it has started to rain. Yesterday, I got up and got out and I felt really good afterwards. My day started and went really well for the rest of it, and I noticed I had more energy and focus. Do say what works for you and what also contributes to your own poor sleep quality, if you feel able to share, so we all might get a better night’s rest.
Until next week and thanks for stopping by for anyone new here…….
References: I hope these will help you to further explore this subject.
52 Ways to Walk, Annabel Street, Chapter 10, page 45-46 Bloomsbury Publishing 2022.
Dr Michael Mosley Just One Thing Podcast
Why we sleep badly https://personalbrandingblog.com/if-you-want-to-wake-up-feeling-refreshed-and-energized-say-goodbye-to-these-bedtime-habits/
The benefits of sleep www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/benefits-of-sleep
Getting a better nights sleep-support and advice https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-fall-asleep-faster-and-sleep-better/
