Getting an adequate nights sleep is essential to mental and physical wellness, and this is even more important if you have an eating disorder. Lack of sleep can make you feel tired, emotional and irritable. It can affect your memory and decision making. This, in turn, can affect your ability to challenge the eating disorder and stay positive.
If you have been having difficulty sleeping, the following Sleep Hygiene Tips section is a good place to start. If the sleep difficulty persists, you may need to talk to your GP about it.
Sleep Hygiene Tips
- Avoid or limit caffeine over the course of the day, particularly after midday.
- Don’t go to bed too hungry or having eaten just before bedtime
- Avoid using phones, tablets, computer screens which can stimulate parts of the brain and keep you awake. It is generally best to keep phones and tablets in another room if you think you will be tempted to use screens during the night. Aim to stop using them one hour before going to bed.
- Keep a regular bedtime and getting-up time, and avoid daytime napping.
- Develop a relaxing night-time routine e.g. listening to music, reading, writing, etc.
- Do a room survey: Is your room too hot, cold, noisy, light? Changing the environment can support a restful nights sleep
For further advice on sleep: www2.hse.ie/healthy-you/shake-off-the-sleep-monster.html