Is it possible to improve your sleep habits in 4 weeks?

When we think about creating healthier habits, usually the first things we change are exercise, a nutritious diet, or drinking more water.

But one important habit that is often overlooked is sleep.

A few months ago, if you asked me how I felt about my sleep habits, I would have said without thinking, “I’m fine.” I used to be one of *those* morning people.

but, ABC Health Check QuizI realized I wasn’t paying enough attention to the sleep I was getting and it seems I’m not the only one. A third of Australians agree they are not getting the recommended hours of sleep (approximately 7-9 hours each night for adults).

Lack of sleep can contribute to anxiety, depression and depression Chronic diseases such as diabetes — a condition that some members of my family suffer from — and as an Indigenous woman, Data Shows I’m Four Times More Likely to Get Diabetes Compared to my non-Indigenous friends.

That’s why I’ve made exercise part of my routine and why I try to eat more nutritious foods.

But I didn’t know sleep could also cause diabetes.

So last month, I decided to take my sleep more seriously and attempted a four-week “sleep experiment.”

Using some advice from ABC Health Check Quiz I decided to stick to a consistent wake-up time every day (including weekends), make bedtime a routine, reduce naps to about 20 minutes, and create a separate space for my pet to sleep.