Zamandulo Malonde asks PE psychologists for tips on how we can get more sleep
If, going by the research by the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), South Africans are not getting enough sleep then what can you do about it?
There are the obvious tips, which MBA student Charles King gives and include: Switch off mobile devices, don’t watch TV or work in bed.
Avoid consumption of nicotine, caffeinated drinks or any substance that would impair sleep quality.
Get regular exercise. Over and above these, Port Elizabeth therapists have additional advice to help you get your recommended seven to nine hours sleep a night.
Clinical psychologist Ruth Stewart says political, professional, health and family-related issues all have an impact.
“[Judging by] the people I deal with in my practice, the primary cause of insomnia is stress. Stress wakes people up in the middle of the night and they struggle to go back to sleep.
“Sometimes it’s stresses due to marital issues or work and when there is a lot of political turmoil people feel a little bit more stressed,” she said.
She advises: Establish a consistent sleeping routine: go to bed and get up at about the same time every night and morning and avoid day naps.
Wind down: set aside an hour to wind down by doing something relaxing like taking a bath or reading before sleep.
Clinical psychologist Mark Eaton said information availability was one of the major contributions towards insomnia, with people spending hours on the internet when they should be sleeping.
“People are staying awake beyond [what] they should because they are either working on their laptops or on their cellphones. The screens’ blue LED lights affect the brain and keep people awake.”
In addition to limiting screen time, Eaton suggests:
Maintain a peaceful bedroom: de-clutter your bedroom and manage your sleeping space.
Monitor your diet: avoid eating heavy meals close to (within two hours of) bed time.
Take sleeping tablets for a maximum of one month to help you get into a sleeping cycle.
Clinical psychologist Dr Gillian Smale advises against staying in bed if you are not sleepy.
“Do not lie in bed if you absolutely cannot sleep because this trains your brain to associate bed with wakefulness. Rather get up,  do something relaxing until  you feel sleepy and then go back to bed. This way your mind will learn to associate bed and sleep in the correct way,” she says.
She suggests:
Avoid using  habit forming substances like tranquillisers, sleeping tablets and alcohol to sleep. Rather ask your doctor for a good anti-depressant which will stabilise your sleep pattern without the risk of addiction.
Use natural substances like chamomile tea and lavender to enhance sleep.
None of the psychologists encouraged the use of cannabis oil, however, saying that although dagga is now legal and is known to induce sleep, in their professional opinions it remained a controversial remedy.