Good rest ''is extremely important''
Achieving a good night's sleep is one of the most important daily activities, as failure to do so can lead to significant health and wellbeing issues, it has been claimed.
Jillian Lavender, director at LondonMeditationCentre.com, said sleep is the basis of all activities in our daily lives and it is therefore one of the single most important things in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
She commented: "In the sleep state all sorts of vital purification and repair mechanisms are carried out in order to allow us to go back into activity the next day. Without good rest, our system is not able to repair and rebalance, leaving us feeling unwell, drained and emotional."
Ms Lavender noted that when people become stressed and tired one of the first things to become more difficult is the ability to sleep soundly.
At times of high stress the body is working its hardest to restore its systems and is often in a heightened level of excitation and as a result, deep restful sleep can be more difficult to achieve.
However, it is vitally important that people do all they can to create a space which is free from distractions and promotes rest, as the best way to achieve a better night's sleep is to not be tired in the first place.
According to Sydney sleep scientist Carmel Harrington in the Canberra Times, ensuring body temperature does not get too high during the night can be one method for ensuring a more restful night's sleep.
"It's easier to get to sleep on a decreasing temperature. Normally the body's temperature is at its highest at around 19:00 after which it starts to fall, getting you ready for sleep," she noted.
Indeed, Ms Harrington advised the ideal sleeping body temperature is around 18 degrees Celsius and therefore, those looking for a good night's rest should avoid sleeping with windows closed during the summer, as this can create a hot and stuffy atmosphere in the bedroom.
Posted by Michael Ewing
