Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 51
Changing schedules
and time zones
Changing work shifts
can make it dif昀椀cult to
establish a regular sleep
pattern. Some people
adjust to shift work more
easily than others.
Travelling across time
zones can also disrupt
sleep. Your internal
body clock needs time
to adjust to the new
time zone, and this
can take a few days.
Late meals and drinks
Eating too close to
bedtime can cause
heartburn and chest
discomfort. Avoid late
meals and keep any
bedtime snack small
and light. Limiting
昀氀uids before bed may
also reduce the need
to get up to use the
toilet during the night.
Finding time to
Medical conditions
wind down
and pregnancy
What you do before bed
Medical conditions such
can affect how easily
as asthma or painful
you settle. Exercise,
arthritis can disturb sleep,
computer games and
as can psychological
television may disturb
dif昀椀culties. Identifying and
sleep when they happen
addressing the underlying
too close to bedtime.
cause is important.
Everyday stress can also
interfere with sleep. Give
yourself an opportunity
to relax and unwind
before going to bed, and
consider ways to make
daily life less stressful.
Pregnancy can also make
sleep more dif昀椀cult,
particularly in the 昀椀nal
months. Leg cramps,
chest discomfort and
frequent trips to the
toilet can all play a part.
Sleep disorders that
go unrecognised
Medication side effects
Sometimes, inadequate
Both over-the-counter and
sleep is linked to a sleep
prescription medicines
disorder. Insomnia,
can interfere with sleep.
sleep apnoea and
If you suspect a medicine
restless legs can all
is affecting your sleep,
have a signi昀椀cant effect
talk to your doctor. There
on sleep, yet may go
may be other options
unrecognised for years.
available to you.
