All gamers know the classic line; “one last game”. When gaming with your friends and enjoying the moment late at night it’s often tough to pull the plug and go to sleep rather than playing numerous “one last game”. However the fatigue caused by sleep deprivation the next day makes the the “one last game” seem less worth it, as the lack of sleep can completely ruin the next day. To be able to be the best version of yourself, whether it is when gaming with friends, competing in esports or in everyday life, it all starts and ends with a good night’s sleep.
In this video you are introduced to six tips on how to overcome sleep problems and improve your sleep. The importance of a good night’s sleep is often underestimated, as people want to make the most of their time being awake. However a good night’s sleep can often be a catalyst for a great day, as you wake up revitalised and ready to seize the day, instead of being fatigued and unable to get out of bed.
Read more on how to improve your mental health as well as how to improve the mental aspects of your game or sign up to one of our programmes to get assistance from our psychologist with exactly the challenges you face!
If you have trouble sleeping, but you don’t really know what to do about it, we have some general advice that can help your brain and body relax before bedtime.
You can test these following six steps.
1. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
2. Create a consistent bedtime routine.
Do the same things for about an hour to half an hour before your bedtime. It could be to put on some relaxing clothes, tuning off your phone, watching your favorite show, reading a book or drinking a cup of tea.
There are many ways to create a great routine. It is all about creating the routine that works well for you, and that makes you look forward to bedtime. By doing the same thing every night before going to sleep you are telling your brain, “It is time to sleep now. It’s time to rest.” , which unconsciously tells your brain to dial it down and in return help you to fall asleep faster.
3. Write down your worries
The third advice is to write down your worries. You can have a physical notebook or use your phone. Use this step to “empty” your brain from worries, anger, thoughts about the future and your to-do-list for the next day.
4. Focus on your breath.
The breath is a good place to start when we want to calm down our mind and body. It helps us ground and come into our bodies instead of being in our head. An easy breathing technique is to breathe in on a count of 4, hold it on a count of 4, exhale on a count of 4 and hold it on a count of 4. Let’s try it together right now really quick you get a sense of it.
Start by exhaling and empty your lungs. Then take a breath in on the count of four. Hold it on a count of four. Breathe out. Hold it on a count of four.
5. Optimize your sleeping environment.
Here, we are talking about your bedroom. You can do this in many different ways, depending on your preferences.
a. Adjust the temperature. We get a better quality of sleep in a cooler bedroom, and therefore it can be a good idea to turn off your heaters and let in some fresh air before going to bed.
b. Minimize and remove noise. Close the door and place your phone outside your bedroom or put it on flight mode so that it doesn’t make sounds through the night.
c. Have comfortable linens so that it feels nice and cozy to get in bed at night. Focus on creating a bed that almost invites you in.
d. Sleep in a dark room and keep out as much light as possible. You can do this with curtains or a sleep mask if you have a lot of natural light in the early morning.
6. If you don’t fall asleep within approximately 20 minutes, get up and do something.
You should only use the bed for sleeping and having sex. You shouldn’t use the bed for work, playing video games, checking email and so on. The reason is that these activities tell your brain unconsciously that you need to be alert and awake, which prevents you from slowing down and resting.
We believe that nobody should be alone in the midst of a tough time in their lives. Therefore we encourage you to speak up if you’re going through a difficult time in your life at the moment. We all do at some point in our lives.
Remember that you can find many resources on our website, and learn much more about mental health.
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