Sleep is so important, and affects everything that we do. From our mood to our appearance, our hormones, appetite and more, if you’re not sleeping well you’ll usually find that everything else in life becomes much more stressful and difficult. Here are some proactive ways you can improve your sleep and feel better overall.
Stick to a Bedtime Routine
Getting into a good bedtime routine is one of the best things you can do when it comes to your sleep. This involves going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time each day, that way you’ll start getting tired at roughly the same time and drifting off will be easier. Since many of us now work from home and have more flexible working routines, it can sometimes be tempting to stay up late and sleep in when we can. But if you keep to a schedule it will be far better for your quality of sleep
Prepare Your Bedroom
Creating a bedroom that’s designed with sleep in mind is important. You want the space to be calming and cozy, so consider the patterns and colors you’re choosing in the decorating process. Find the right storage and organisation so that your room isn’t messy and cluttered, as this can have a negative impact on you while you’re trying to fall asleep and even affect your sleep quality. Adding blackout blinds or curtains will stop you from being woken early in the morning by the sun, since light is a powerful ‘wake up’ signal to the brain. Since the sun comes up as early as 4am in the summer, the last thing you want is to be woken early before you’ve had all the sleep you need.
Avoid Alcohol
While alcohol can make you sleepy, the quality of sleep you will get under the influence is generally poor meaning you won’t wake up feeling refreshed. This is because your sympathetic nervous system stays active and your heart rate stays elevated, meaning you will wake up as soon as the sleep inducing effects of the alcohol wear off. So avoid the nightcaps, instead you could make use of essential oils. Lavender oil is known for its relaxing properties, you could add some to your evening bath or purchase a lavender oil pillow spray. Another alternative is CBD oil from sites like CBDistillery, this can be applied to the tongue and is safe and legal. It has been shown to promote relaxation and better sleep.
Keep Tabs on Your Mental Health
Finally, if your mental health isn’t in a great way then this will affect your sleep. Anxiety and depression can affect your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, and in turn this can make the conditions worse in a vicious cycle. If you know your mental health isn’t the best currently then reach out for help, speak to your doctor about the next steps. When you get back on track, better sleep will most likely follow.
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