7 Top Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep
If you’ve suffered with one or more sleepless nights throughout lockdown, you’ll know how the next morning and the next day might not feel the best. As well as feeling tired, you’ll likely feel sluggish, moody and will instead reach for sugary food and drink over healthier alternatives.
Sleep is so important when staying focussed and for your general overall health, mental wellbeing, diet and immune system, so it’s important you address the issue of restless nights if you find yourself in this position. Keely Parsons, founder of www.SassyShopWax.com, gives some of her top tips for a better night’s sleep:
1. Essential oils
Essential oils are derived from plants and can be used topically, orally in the form of supplements or by inhaling them in a safe form, such as through inhaler sticks and room sprays. There are many essential oils that can help to promote a good night’s sleep, including lavender, chamomile, bergamot, sandalwood and ylang ylang, to name but a few, so have a play around with different scents and figure out what scent you like best and which you have the best results from.
2. Lavender
While lavender essential oils are known to promote a good night’s sleep, there are many different ways in which you can feel the benefits of lavender – from having a vase of the flowers in your bedroom and using a night-time pillow spray to applying creams and lotions.
3. Use candles and wax melts to create a relaxing atmosphere
Creating a relaxing bedroom environment with the help of candles and wax melts can really help to change your mood and encourage a good night’s sleep. Depending on the scents you choose, you can create various atmospheres, but I would recommend lavender, vanilla, neroli, rose or jasmine as these can all help to relieve anxiety as well as encourage sleep, something that many people may also be suffering with during lockdown.
4. Cut out caffeine
Caffeine can get your heart racing and is widely known for being a good way to wake up in the morning and set you up for the day ahead, so a coffee before bed is definitely not going to help you sleep. If you enjoy a coffee or two, try to space them out throughout the morning and try not to have one after 2pm, or at least several hours before you hit the hay, just to be sure caffeine isn’t the culprit for sleepless nights.
5. Regularly exercise
I wouldn’t recommend any hardcore exercise close to bed as this will get your adrenaline pumping and keep you awake. Regular exercise throughout the day though can really help to relieve some tension and clear your mind, meaning you will have less stress keeping you awake at night.
6. Take a long bubble bath
A soak in a warm, bubble bath will really help relax your body and mind and relieve any tensions you may have picked up throughout the day. The warm water and scented bubbles will help your body to heal and playing some relaxing music will help take your mind off whatever may be bothering you. Your body will feel less achy as your muscles are relaxed and you will definitely have a better night’s sleep.
7. Set yourself up with a good night-time routine
Instead of getting straight into bed once you’ve finished work, the chores and tending to the family, make sure that you allow yourself a little time to unwind. While sitting in front of the TV and interacting with friends and family online is a good way to unwind, try not to use any technology, particularly blue light technology, right before bed – instead read a book or talk to your partner.
