Pillow talk

Weve come a long way from the saying early to bed early to rise makes a person healthy wealthy and wise Thanks to changing lifestyle and work patterns across the globe professionals are constantly trying to make the most of the 24 hours in a day to squeeze in one more hour of an assignment a few more minutes on our phones all the while cutting back on the one thing that gets us going sleep The result Sleepiness fatigue hypertension inability to maintain a healthy immune system mental disorders among other effects as per data released by the World Health Organization WHOAccording to doctors we need to clock in an average of eight to nine hours of sleep to perform our bestDr Prashant ChhajedBut here we are compromising on our sleep hygiene by making do with fewer hours watching or reading from our smartphones before we dose off or simply being unable to maintain regularity in our sleeping patternThis is what prompted a group of dedicated healthcare providers to kick off World Sleep Day in 2008 in order to create more awareness about sleeping as one of the most significant aspects of a healthy lifestyleIn a city that never sleeps we caught up with three busy Mumbaikars to speak to them about sleep and the lack of it and with Dr Prashant Chhajed a chest physician specialising in interventional pulmonology and sleep disordered breathing on a few tips to clock in that extra hour of sleepTake out seven hoursSona Mohapatra singer and music composerThe musician of Bolo Na and Rangabati fame says sleep eludes her Having covered seven countries since 2020 kicked off she says gigs rehearsals and constant travelling as well as being an entrepreneur allows her to sleep for four to five hours daily Last fortnight I almost entirely skipped sleep for three to four nights on a tour leading to acid reflux this week she says adding you may just find her napping at partiesDoctors tip You need to find a sevenhour slot to sleep to avoid fatigue If you have unavoidable work keeping you up dont take it to the bedroom Finish it outside and ensure no laptop TV or phone is on in the bedroom Keep bright lights out and minimise soundsTime zone mattersTrisha Mendes flight attendant with an international carrierThe 25yearold cabin crew who mostly travels on longhaul flights tries to get five to six hours of sleep between two trips However because we keep flitting between different time zones its difficult for the body to just fall asleep Often I remain awake for hours in bed she revealsDoctors tip Time your sleep according to the plan you have in the place youre landing If you know that youll have time to sleep when you land dont sleep in the plane as it disrupts chances of proper sleep later Also practice some form of meditation or shavasan to tune out other thoughts when in bed it helps to dose offWatch your dietVaniitha Jaiin wine and spirits specialistApart from being an entrepreneur Jaiin is also the mother of a 10yearold boy In between having to balance his school and cricket schedules she has to curate and attend events that go on till 1130 pm or later I usually try to get six hours of sleep on an average but on three out of seven days it often becomes five I travel abroad often and thanks to jetlag and less sleep I lose out on one or two days of productivity she saysDoctors tip If youre going to bed really late avoid any form of nicotine caffeine or chocolates You should ideally also avoid big meals or food that is too spicy before sleeping Also keep away from gadgets or books dont depend on them to fall asleepPlug in plug outNature Sounds Relax and Sleep Destress and listen to the sounds of nature which you can even set up as your alarm toneLog on to Play StoreStop Breathe amp Think Meditation amp Mindfulness Receive meditation and mindfulness recommendations every day at a clickLog on to Play StoreGood Night Sleep Site Helmed by sleep consultant this page provides tips advice and resources to sleeping betterLog on to instagramcomgnsleepsiteOlivia Arezzolo The Australian sleep experts page focuses on a holistic approach to maintaining a good sleep patternLog on to instagramcomoliviaarezzoloDalreen RamosCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates