Quality sleep is essential for a healthy mind, body and soul – not to mention healthier hormones and periods. Everybody needs sleep however not everybody is having a good quality nights slumber. Sleep is part of our intrinsic healing and rejuvenating process, it is time for recovery and self care, hence it really is so important. Many ailments and diseases can be exacerbated due to a lack of sleep, or chronic fatigue, which is on the rise.
Many of us procrastinate to get to bed too, feeling as though we have little or no time to ourselves or even enough time in the day to achieve the things we need to do. R&R (rest and relaxation) is holy and unfortunately many of us just don’t get enough – for many reasons! I talk about sleep hygiene a lot with my clients, here are some top tips to drift off and have the best nights sleep.
Rest. Relaxation. Restoration.
Some top tips for a better nights sleep
- Try to have your evening meal at least two hours before bedtime, ideally four but this is tricky for many! This includes the consumption of sugary foods, caffeine and alcohol too, which are all stimulants and better to avoid as the day progresses if you want a dreamy restful sleep. As well as creating higher blood sugar levels, whilst lying down with a full, heavy stomach is a recipe for disaster for our digestion. Another tip? Stay light at night! If you must eat late, choose lighter, simpler meals if you can.
- Magnesium supplements are best taken at night, if you do take them. Over time, they can help us reach a deeper state of relaxation both mentally and physically. Whilst improving the quality of our sleep overall and maintaining our melatonin levels, which is the hormone responsible for our sleep/wake cycle and circadian rhythm.
- Avoid any bright lights or artificial lighting 1-2 hours before your bedtime. This includes TV, mobile phones, Kindles & iPads etc.
- Take a bath or shower at night, by having water on the skin it not only washes away the day but stimulates relaxation – this is an act of self care that is often overlooked! In particular, baths are excellent ways to prepare for a relaxing night ahead and can become a beautiful ritual on a dedicated evening, something to look forward to, particularly in the colder months. For a beautiful way to enhance the properties of your bath water, I recommend a good handful of Epsom Salts and up to five drops of lavender essential oil for a relaxing, detoxifying soak. Lie back and relax!
- Complete darkness – the darker the room, the less distraction and more relaxation!
- Maintain a cool room, experts recommend 18°C as the ideal bedroom temperature for a sound nights sleep.
- Aim to go to bed at the same time every night, ideally 10pm! At this time, the body enters its healing phase and between 10-11pm is really the optimum time to get to bed, sleep and allow the circadian rhythm and body to get in-sync. Our bodies need and love rhythm and routine. Ideally we should aim for eight hours of shut eye a night – however some of us can do just as well with 6-7. This is really personal preference and see how our body feels.
- Create a cosy and comfy environment – touch and smell are important parts of our comfort and relaxation. Using essential oils to scent the room can help to stimulate good vibes (such as lavender again or valerian, both renowned for helping to induce relaxation and sleep. Avoid candles, which are really not a good idea for our health at all, especially not in the bedroom due to many being full of synthetic chemicals). Whilst taking into consideration the feel and sensation of your mattress, pillows and bedding, ensuring you feel really cocooned and ready to drift off! View your bedroom as your special space to rest, relax and revive. The surroundings and materials we have in our bedrooms are often overlooked but they are all part of a great sleep experience.
- An increasing amount of apps and white noise machines or alarm clocks are available now for those who many find benefit from some soothing, comforting sounds as they drift off. They can also assist in helping us switch off our busy, tired minds – great for those who struggle to clear their thoughts at nighttime. Another great tip to disconnect easier? Write down tomorrows to-do list earlier in the evening, close the book, drop the pen and leave those thoughts on the paper.
- Never under sleep, never over sleep. Lie ins may sound like a good idea at the time but they are detrimental to our rhythm and rarely that beneficial to our overall energy levels. Remember, getting UP late, brings us DOWN!
- During daytime, let in the light! Ensure you get outside and enjoy fresh air and daylight every day. Again, this regulates the bodies circadian rhythm and encourages us to move our bodies, which in turn helps us gain a better nights sleep. Increasing our exposure to the sunshine and light helps us, as when we expose ourselves to the light, it tells our mind and body that we are awake and that it is time to be alert! Artificial lighting unfortunately does not have the same effect, so going for a short walk on a lunch break if you can be a great boost, when we are often feeling that mid afternoon slump especially. However there are some great gadgets out there to mimic the effects of sunlight which can be useful for darker winter mornings, helping us rise or for shift workers for example, when exposure to light throughout the day is limited.
- Despite we have so many things going on in our lives, we need to wind down efficiently before we go to bed. In some cases we may need to push ourselves to prepare for a good nights sleep, as if it is another item on our agenda. Gentle stretching exercises, meditation, reading and relaxing music are just a few examples of activities you can set aside for some down time in your evenings. It is so important to try and force some moments of quiet and calm before we retire for the night, even if we have to schedule ourselves in for this. Creating a scheduled night time routine, including preparing everything the night before for the day ahead, not only for yourself but all the family, is a surefire way to help everyone relax, unwind and get ready for a great nights sleep whilst feeling much more organised.
There are many ailments which can impact your sleep or sleeplessness, that homeopathy can help with too, the list of remedies is a whole blog post in itself, however it is always best to look at the entirety of symptoms and sensations. During consultations, the following occurrences, may be things you would like to discuss in regards to your sleep:
- Busy, overactive mind at bedtime
- Worry and overthinking, unable to switch off
- Not ready to wind down at night
- Periods and menopausal symptoms and sleep disturbance
- Restlessness and waking frequently during the night
- insomnia, which can occur for several reasons, including connections to medical conditions &/or medications too
Ultimately as research progresses, we discover more and more about the restorative powers and importance of getting a good nights sleep. With the winter nights drawing in now, take advantage of this slower time of year, to kick start a new routine and prioritise getting to bed earlier and waking up feeling refreshed and ready to face the world!
Wishing you a peaceful nights sleep ahead. zzz
