A lot of people underestimate the effect having a good night’s sleep can have. It’s the time when your body can relax and repair itself. To recharge and give you the energy you need to go about your day. Without it, your mood, memory, productivity, and most other functions in the body suffer.
When you’re going through a stressful period in your life, it can be difficult to fall asleep. It’s hard to turn your thoughts off and let sleep take over your body. Even everyday responsibilities such as work and family responsibilities can make you develop bad sleeping habits which stop you getting a restful night’s sleep.
Getting your body to relax enough to fall into a deep sleep can be difficult, so read some of our tips to help you get a better night’s sleep.
Stop The Scrolling
As soon as we get under the covers, most of us pull our phones out to scroll on social media or get some extra work done on our phones or laptops before bed. Doing this before you sleep, however, can actually be harmful to your health. The blue light emitted causes eyestrain and can also disrupt your circadian rhythm (basically your internal clock that tells you when to sleep). The best thing you can do is place your phone on your bedside table and leave it there.
If you need something to do as you settle into bed, put on an interesting or soothing podcast and listen to it with your phone left on the table next to you (pop in some headphones if you share a room!). There are millions for you to choose from so you’ll definitely find something right up your street.
This can be especially helpful if you find your mind tends to race at night or you need a way to slowly reduce your screen time.
Get some exercise in your day
Although exercise probably isn’t what you want to hear, it really is a great addition to your day to help you sleep easier at night. Regular exercise in the morning or afternoon gives you a boost for the day, keeping your energy levels up when they need to be so you’ll be less sleepy midway through the day.
It increases your body’s adenosine levels which regulate your sleeping pattern so, once the sun goes down, your body will start winding down and you’ll have a deeper and more restful sleep.
Read our articles on exercise to help you find some quick workouts to fit into your jam-packed day. You can also look at our ‘Fitness’ category for more!
Stick to a routine
Aim to get to bed at the same time everyday. This gets your body into a routine of winding down and getting tired when it’s time for you to get to bed, making it easier to fall asleep. Your body’s circadian rhythm will eventually get used to this, making sure your body gets a proper and well-rested sleep.
If you’re struggling to fall asleep, listen to some soothing music or a podcast, or get up and do something that you find relaxing. This should help you fall asleep quicker.
No matter what time you end up falling asleep, try to stick to the schedule you’ve set. Your body will thank you for it!
Release the stress
Sometimes your daily stressors can take over your mind whilst you’re lying in bed, stopping you from getting a good night’s sleep. It can be difficult to keep your mind quiet at night, so try focusing on your wellbeing before bed to help you feel more relaxed!
Take some time before you sleep away from your to-do list and work. Do something for yourself to wind down. Here are some suggestions you can follow –
- Take a warm bath or hot shower
- Create a skincare routine and treat your body lovingly.
- Put on some comfortable pyjamas
- Keep a journal by your side
- Listen to some podcasts (with the screen off)
- Listen to some soothing music
- Do some deep breathing exercises
- Do some meditation
- Have a mug of your favourite hot chocolate or warm milk.
For help with meditation and deep breathing, go read our health articles on both to guide you through each process.
Remember – it’s important to take care of yourself!
Maximise your comfort
After you’ve followed the suggestions in the previous tip, don’t forget to make your environment just as comfortable.
- Block out any sources of light coming into the room by closing your door and curtains – this includes keeping your phone away on your bedside table – so that the room is as dark as possible.
- Block out any noises around you by wearing earplugs or ear muffs.
- Get into freshly cleaned sheets with puffed up pillows and an extra throw on top of the blanket. This can help you get relaxed enough to fall into a deep sleep.
- Spray an essential oil mixture on your pillow to help you sleep at night! Some oils, such as lavender, are anxiolytic, meaning that they relieve anxiety and can help increase relaxation in the body. There are many you can choose from to create the perfect blend for you.
Share some more tips to getting a better night’s sleep on our forum and social media! Let us know how you wind down and get comfortable in the evenings.
DISCLAIMER
Before you start any new diet, health programme, exercise routine, and ingest or topically use any oil, vitamin, mineral, product or compound, it is very important to consult your doctor, therapist or do a patch test to make sure you do not have any adverse reactions.
We do not offer any form of medical or psychological advice. The information in our wellbeing articles are offered for educational purposes only. Our wellbeing articles are not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease. Thank you.
