Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand April / May 2017: Health & Wellness Issue | Page 16

Health & Wellness
4 BANGKOK
SLEEP HACKS
For many expats, a Bangkok bedtime is a world away from
their usual routine, presenting a whole new set of challenges to
reaching the Land of Nod (and staying there) each night.
by ANNALIESE WATKINS
D
rifting off into a peaceful
slumber may be a breeze
for some, but others can
struggle to switch off and fully re-
lax, particularly in a city as full of
stimuli as Bangkok. Perhaps the
hometown sheep you used to
count have fled for sleepier pas-
tures, leaving you wide awake at
1:00 a.m., remembering the times
when dozing off didn’t feel like
an endless fight between body
and brain.
Avoid falling into a restless rut
with these easy-to-follow sleep hacks
for a good night’s rest in the city:
# 1 PUT YOUR
PHONE TO BED
Living in different time zones from
family and friends means catching
up becomes less convenient; and,
as your day draws to a close, theirs
is just beginning, often leading to
a flurry of phone activity as you’re
heading to bed. Though it can be
difficult to step away from this con-
tact, it’s doing your sleep pattern a
world of harm.
Research has found that staring
at the glare given off by your phone
and other electronics at night pre-
vents our brains from releasing mel-
atonin, a hormone that tells our
bodies it’s nighttime. The result? Our
internal body clocks become con-
fused, delaying sleep and affecting
its quality. Try cutting out phone ac-
tivity for a full hour before you hit the
hay — any messages or emails you
receive in that time will still be there
tomorrow.
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# 2 TOO HOT TO
HANDLE?
Even at night, temperatures in
Bangkok can reach up to 80 F, making
it difficult to get comfortable under
the covers. Of course, keeping your
air conditioning running all night
will negate the need to take extra
measures to keep cool, but it’s not
always the most economical nor
environmentally-friendly way to stay
comfortable.
Beat the heat by choosing light-
weight cotton sheets to encourage
ventilation and airflow in your bed-
room, and stick to loose pajamas.
Some people prefer to sleep au natu-
ral to keep them cool at night — this
method is worth a try just to see if you
might prefer sleeping in the nude.
You can also lower the total heat in
your apartment by unplugging appli-
ances and switching off lights when
they’re not in use and by eating cold
or room-temperature dishes to avoid
generating extra body heat.
# 3 SOUNDS OF
THE CITY
Whether it’s the bustling traffic be-
low, the whirr of your air con, or that
darn dog that won’t stop barking,
Bangkok has a soundtrack that just
won’t quit. Before you pack up and
move to a quieter soi, consider these
less drastic measures.
Earplugs and noise-canceling
headphones are not a long-term
solution, but can work wonders when
the occasional noisy night is keep-
ing you awake. Consider sleeping
on your side and wearing just one
earplug in the exposed ear, that way
you’ll block out most sound and
you’re less likely to miss an alarm
clock in the morning. It’s also helpful
to go to bed at the same time each
night, as a regular bedtime will help
to stabilize your circadian rhythm
and make it easier to fall asleep. If all
else fails, consider relocating to an-
other neighborhood or building —
there are few things worse for our
physical and mental wellbeing than a
prolonged period of sleeplessness.
# 4 BOOZE OR
SNOOZE?
While most of us have heard that
cheese before bedtime gives you bad
dreams, few may know that spicy
food and alcohol can cause night-
mares of their own. Unfortunately,
Bangkok is well-known for both, and
whether you’re catching dinner at a
street stall or socializing at a bar, fi-
ery feasts and bottles of Chang are as
much a part of the city’s lifestyle as
temples and traffic.
But for a slumber that leaves you
feeling fully rested, it’s worth ab-
staining from time to time. Not only
are spicy dishes likely to give you
uncomfortable indigestion, they
are also linked to more time spent
awake during the night and taking
longer to fall asleep. Alcohol, on the
other hand, may help you to nod off
quicker but can actually cause you to
wake during the night, leaving you
feeling less rested in the morning. It
can also increase your risk of snoring,
leading to a broken sleep and diffi-
culty concentrating during the day.
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