Improving Sleep
Learn more about the little things you can do to sleep better.
Why it’s important to get a good sleep
Sleep has effects on our overall health and wellbeing. When we sleep, our bodies go through the processes of healing and repairing. Sleeping well leads to waking up energised and refreshed to tackle your day.
Sometimes, we toss and turn at night, or don’t sleep deeply even if we try. This is common, and can be caused by — or result in — stress or anxiety. There are, however, some small steps you can take that may help you get the rest you need.
How does Improving Sleep help?
Improving Sleep is a quick quiz that gets you started on identifying possible problem areas in your sleep cycle. You’ll see some recommended healthy sleep tips and can try the ones that suit your lifestyle.
FAQs
What is a sleep cycle?
A sleep cycle generally consists of four stages of sleep:
- Before sleep, a drowsy stage when you begin to feel tired.
- Light sleep, which is a stage where you’re dozing off, and your body is slowing down and preparing for a deep sleep
- Deep sleep, when our bodies experience rest and restoration. Deep sleep is said to be essential to a restful sleep. You may find it hard to be woken up when you are in a deep sleep
- REM or Rapid Eye Movement sleep. During this stage, your brain is active even while you experience rest. This is often associated with vivid dreams.
Good quality sleep — which includes deep sleep — is restorative and important to your wellbeing. There are things you can do that help you experience good quality sleep more often.
What if I’m still not getting a good sleep?
Your sleep cycle can be affected by age, daily routines, activity levels, or mental distress. While there are tips you can follow that lead to better sleep, things may not improve. In this case, consult a health professional.
Try Improving Sleep now
Small Steps Toolbox
These tools have been developed to help with feelings of anxiety, stress, or low mood. Each tool only takes a few minutes. Health and wellbeing is an ongoing journey, so try them out and see what works for you.
Balancing Mood
This tool can give you insight into how what you’re doing affects your mood, and recommends activities that can improve how you’re feeling.
Understanding Loneliness
Loneliness is a common feeling we all get from time to time. The tool asks you when you feel lonely and gives insights on why or what you can do about it.
Mindful Watching
During this mindfulness exercise, you’ll be guided by relaxing audio to calmly notice different visual aspects of images and apply this to your surroundings.
Reframing Thoughts
This tool can help to identify unhelpful patterns in your thoughts and beliefs and reframe them over time to help you feel better and make decisions that support your overall sense of wellbeing.
Identifying Signals
During this exercise, you’ll be guided to identify sensations in your body that you often experience when feeling upset. You can use these as signals to react differently, use a tool, or engage in self-care.
Supporting Others
Supporting Others gives you tips on what you can say or do when you’re helping someone who’s going through a hard time.
Gratitude Practice
Learn to appreciate the small things in life through practising gratitude. Doing this regularly can help lift your mood and make you feel happier.
Muscle Relaxation
Teach your body how to relax better through muscle relaxation. The key is learning to apply this skill in everyday life to the entire body so that you’re not tensing muscles when you don’t need to.
Deep Breathing
This reflective technique involves slowly breathing in and out to help you feel calmer and more relaxed. This tool is guided by an animated image that inflates and deflates.
Active Listening
This skill involves fully focusing on what a person is saying, rather than selectively hearing. In this exercise, you’ll practice listening and develop an awareness of when you’re not paying attention.
Building Self-Worth
This tool helps you on your journey to gain self-worth. Go through the Building Self-Worth card deck for energetic, reflective, or inspirational activities.
