It is commonly known that you will spend around 1/3 of your life sleeping. Sleep is an important function and much of the body’s healing takes place while you sleep. During sleep, your immune system and detoxification organs can attend to cleansing and restoration without needing to focus on the functions of daily life. Sleep gives the cells of the body the opportunity to repair and eliminate waste.

Sleeping and waking are part of your internal clock which is controlled by the brain. How much sleep should a person get every night? The actual amount depends on the individual (& age). Some people need a great deal of sleep, while other can survive on a lot less than the generally recommended value of 8 hours. An individual needs to get the right amount of sleep to feel alert, healthy and fit. Some people require more sleep due to their circadian rhythm and metabolism.

Brain wave studies have indicated that there are four stages of sleep that occur in cycles that last around 90 minutes each. When you first fall asleep, your brain waves slow down and you become more relaxed. It is only when you enter the third stage of sleep that your body and mind become more unaware of the world around them. The fourth stage is the deepest, known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM). These stages repeat through the night at least three or four times.

For the most restful and restorative sleep, ensure that your sleeping environment is as healthy as possible. Using natural cotton bedding and pyjamas allows your body to ‘breathe’ comfortably. Maintain plenty of fresh air by keeping a window open at least a few centimetres if possible. Avoid eating for around two hours before sleep so enable your body to concentrate resources on healing and repair rather than digestion.

If you have difficulty getting to sleep, then there are a number of factors to consider that may assist you to obtain a good night’s sleep. - (important in so many other facets of life) make sure that you are getting sufficient exercise during the day. So people find that a 30-minute walk before or after dinner can be especially helpful for facilitating deep sleep. - Avoid caffeine (particularly late in the evening). For some individuals even a morning coffee has been shown to disturb night time sleep. - Avoid stressful mental activity immediately before bed (curl up with a book or relaxing music instead). - Ensure, as much as possible, that the environment is peaceful. - If you are lying awake and unable to get back to sleep, focus your thoughts on a positive event or situation from the previous day rather than concentrating on what is worrying you.

Some remedies for a good sleep include herbal teas (such as chamomile) or a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom salts and around 10 drops of lavender essential oil diluted in the bathwater (nb. some aromatherapists recommend not using lavender when pregnant). Epsom salts are high in magnesium which can assist in relaxing the nervous system and muscles. Calming, meditative breathing and deep relaxation exercises can also assist in promoting a good night’s sleep by quieting the mind and body. Don’t forget that having a home massage is a great way to facilitate relaxation.

Waking up can be just as important for some individuals. Leaving curtains open so that the morning light can signal your body that it’s time to rise. If you are going to bed each night at around the same time then naturally you will awake at a regular time each morning without the need of an intrusive alarm. There is then no need to leap out of bed – just take a few minutes to breathe, stretch and enjoy the start of a new day.

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About The Author:

Richard Lane is a qualified remedial and sports massage therapist, with a mobile massage practice in Sydney's Inner West, http://www.innerwestmassage.com.au/ He also operates a Sydney corporate massage business, Massage Sydney. His clinic is in the Sydney's Eastern Suburbs at Maroubra.