Sleeptember

Sleeptember is a month long campaign to highlight the importance of sleep and encourage everyone to consider how to get a good night of sleep. Focusing on practicing sleep hygiene, considering mattress and bed needs, learning more about sleep disorders, and ultimately working toward getting more sleep will help people live happier, healthier lives!

Sleep is a basic and fundamental requirement for us all, and it is important for good physical, mental and emotional health, as well as being vital for memory, learning and growth. Sleep deprivation can impact behaviour and development and cause a lack of energy affecting everyday life. Over 20% of GP consultations in the UK have tiredness and fatigue as the primary cause.

There are four R's for good sleep:

Regularity - going to bed and getting up around the same time each day

Routine - routine associated with sleep signal the brain to wind down

Restful - a sleeping environment should be dark, quiet and comfortable

Right bed - the right bed is a comfortable ones, not too hard, too soft, too small or too old

In the UK, September can be a challenging month for sleep.....With schools and universities returning after summer breaks, it can be a restless time for everyone involved. The changing of seasons can also play a significant part - where the transition from summer heat to autumn cool air occurs and temperatures fluctuate, and the lack of daylight hours affect our body's rhythm causing a disruption to our sleep.

If you’re a poor sleeper, then why not set yourself the challenge of changing your sleep habits for the whole month of September?