BalanceAprilIssue2017 - 14

26-38

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0-12

ALARM BELLS
You have quite a lot of
difficulty sleeping, and it's
likely to be affecting your
day-to-day life. One of the
biggest issues with not
getting enough quality
sleep is that it can become
a self-perpetuating cycle
- in other words, the harder
it is to fall asleep, the
more you are up at night
worrying about the fact
that you are not getting
enough shut-eye.
Try to find ways to relax
your mind and body, and
re-consider every aspect of
your bedtime routine, from
how late at night you eat
(and indeed what you are
eating), to the mattress you
sleep on and the amount of
light in your bedroom.
It might be worth
consulting a specialist for
diagnostic purposes and
recommended treatments. 
TRY Give up caffeine
altogether until your
sleep improves. Learn to
meditate and try some
relaxation techniques.

14

13-25

ROUGH SLEEP
You are not making the
most of your downtime at
night. Chances are you
spend the final hour before
bed watching TV on a
tablet or checking emails
on your phone. You
probably then fall asleep
with light still in your
room, whether it's coming
in through the gap in the
curtains or from the device
you leave charging.
You should highly prize
your sleep and address
these issues, as poor sleep
can dramatically affect your
energy levels, health and
general wellbeing.
Educate yourself on
the subject, understand
how your circadian cycle
works and what you can
do to optimise your sleep
and productivity during
the day.
TRY Adopt an unrushed
pre-sleep process - read
a book rather than use
technology, and let your
body move from warm to
cool to mobilise a natural
sleep state.

You tend to drift off easily
without too much effort - but
that does not mean things
still can't improve.
Changing your mattress,
or pillow, for example, could
rectify any sleep concerns you
have, so it's worth taking the
time to fully understand
your profile. Try sleeping in
the foetal position on your
non-dominant side to protect
your vital organs. 
TRY Keep all technology out
of the bedroom to avoid the
temptation to use your mobile
in bed. Don't even use it for an
alarm - invest in an alarm clock.

39-50

SWEET DREAMS
Lucky you, you're one of the
few people who is not only
a naturally sound sleeper,
but also recognises the
importance of getting the
right amount of shut-eye.
Continue to make sure
your bedroom is pitch black
and stay away from rich, fat
or sugary foods at night, as
these keep your body active.
If something is making
you anxious or upset, it
could result in the occasional
restless night - and if your
body and mind are used to
getting the optimum amount
of rest each night, then the
difference when you don't get
what you need will be that
much more pronounced.
But these are small things
- really, you should count
yourself lucky and keep on
sleeping well!

BALANCE April 2017

FIND YOUR

BALA NC E
❶

FOLLOW
DOCTOR'S ORDERS

It's all very well trying
a different pillow or
spraying lavender, but if
you have an underlying
medical condition, such
as sleep apnoea (pauses in
your breathing while you
sleep), you may need
medical assistance. There
are plenty of homeopathic
remedies to try, too, most
of us city dwellers are
deficient in magnesium,
which is central to a good
night's sleep. Find what
works for you - from
hypnosis to meditation
to emotional freedom
techniques.

❷

TRY A SIESTA

'Oh, sure - I'll just drop
everything and go for an
afternoon nap.' Hang
on - we'll explain. Our
ancestors were probably
polyphasic - they slept
for shorter, yet more
frequent bursts. We, on
the other hand, try to
sleep in a long, solid
block. The Spanish, it
seems, are on to
something with the siesta.
It's not always possible to
achieve, but a 30-minute
nap between 1pm-3pm or
at least a 'zone-out' time
is the best way to cope
with a demanding schedule.

❸

ADOPT A FOOTBALL
MINDSET

Yes, really. That's because
it's good to break down
your sleep into 90-minute
cycles. Why 90 minutes?
Because that's how long
the body's natural sleep
phases of non-REM (rapid
eye movement) and REM
sleep (when we dream)
last in total. So you could
be better off having six
hours' sleep (four cycles)
rather than seven, as
seven means you would
wake up mid-cycle.
To get into this mindset,
set an alarm for every 90
minutes during the day
and take a short break. B

VOV POPS COMPILED BY: JADE HARDING PROPS: THANKS TO MINNIE HALL

The
results



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BalanceAprilIssue2017

BalanceAprilIssue2017 - 1
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