More and more people are developing an interest in personal wellness, but they just don't know where to start. There are plenty of apps out there for guidance and tracking your progress, from eating to exercise to meditation. What most people might not consider is that sleep routines are just as important as fitness or nutrition. Even if you exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet, you may not be getting enough sleep. The UK government plans to release its own guidance for "sleep hygiene" to encourage people to adjust their sleeping habits. If you aren't getting enough sleep, this can lead to negative effects on your mental and physical health. You can utilize your smartphone with an app to tell you how to get 8 hours of sleep.
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Take Sleep Seriously with the Simba Sleep App
Overuse of technology is a contributing factor to sleeping problems, but technology can also help if you use it right. This is where the Simba sleep tech company comes in with their new sleep app. The launch is accompanied by the #TryFor8 campaign to encourage people to maximize sleep. Most people will only get around 6 hours of sleep a night when the ideal amount is a full 8 hours. The app is available from the App Store or Google Play Store and helps users to get their sleeping routine back on track. It can help you to identify your sleeping habits and tailor a training programme to make them better. Professional advice is available on things like nutrition before sleeping and attitudes to sleep to help you set sleeping goals.
Become a Pro at Sleeping with the Pro-Sleep Team
The #TryFor8 challenge encourages you to actively do something about your poor sleeping ability. Simba has a "Pro-Sleep Team" who provide coaching and tips throughout the 8 weeks of trying to get 8 hours of sleep per night. The app releases new challenges every single week with varying levels of difficulty. By the end of the challenge, you should have reworked your habits and become a sleep pro with some help from the experts. So, who are these experts? The team includes the rugby star Maro Itoje, rugby icon and qualified doctor Jamie Roberts, and health specialist Peta Bee. Rugby players know how important sleep is for anyone in athletics or fitness training, as it affects energy levels and muscle recovery optimisation.
What kind of sleeper are you?
One of the unique features of the Simba app is that it can help you to profile which kind of sleeper you are. This allows the app to tailor your training programmes and goals to adjust your specific habits. The Simba developers have created 9 "sleep personas" based on data collected from over 3,400 sleepers. So, you can find out how you sleep, how many people in Britain sleep like you, and what to do to improve your sleeping and ensure a good night's sleep at last. Take an advance look at Simba's 9 sleep personas:
Wriggler (39%)
The majority of people in the UK fit into the definition of a Wriggler. This type of sleeper is constantly changing position, disrupting their sleep as they try to get comfortable. They just can't relax and rest.
Catcher Upper (16%)
In today's hectic world of constant communication and long working hours, many people just don't get enough sleep during the week. They try to catch up on sleep later, but it only confuses their body clocks.
Heavy Sleeper (16%)
The strange thing for a lot of sleepers is that when they sleep, they do so quite heavily. It's not easy for them to wake up, but when they do, they still feel tired. They are probably waking up at the wrong time.
Thinker (11%)
Anxiety is a common problem amongst younger people especially and can affect the ability to sleep. Over a tenth of sleepers have trouble shutting down their racing thoughts so that their brain isn't always alert.
Early Bird (8%)
The early bird may get the worm, but you can burn yourself out if you go to bed late and get up early. Early Birds can still have poor sleep routines and not get enough sleep, even if they are the first ones out of bed.
Light Sleeper (5%)
Even if they fall asleep easily enough, light sleepers will wake just as easily. Waking up so frequently disrupts your sleeping pattern and prevents you from completing the restorative stages of deep sleep.
Night Owl (3%)
The opposite of an Early Bird, Night Owls run late and prefer to be awake later into the night. This means going to sleep later, which drastically reduces your sleep if you still have to get up early in the morning.
Sleep Master (2%)
Only 2% of sleepers have a perfect balance and get the right amount of sleep. These people are in tune with the natural rhythms of their body clocks and can optimise both their sleeping and waking time.
Maverick (>1%)
Less than 1% of sleepers in the UK have such a wildly varying routine that their body clock can't keep up. This type of sleeper desperately needs to establish an effective sleeping routine to improve their health.
Do any of these sleepers sound like you? Download the Simba app to find out which type of sleeper you have the most in common with, and how you can improve your sleep hygiene to become a Sleep Master.