6 tips you hadn’t thought of for getting a better night’s sleep!
A good night’s sleep is absolutely essential for overall health and wellbeing. When we’re asleep, our bodies undergo processes that promote physical healing and restoration, repairing tissues and replenishing energy. Sleep enhances mental clarity and cognitive function, specifically memory, concentration, and productivity, which are essential for daily life. It’s also linked to emotional wellbeing and stability, which is why we can be prone to irritability, mood swings, stress, and anxiety when we don’t get enough of it.
When our bodies are well rested, they’re better equipped to fight off infections and illness, and are at a lower risk of heart disease, hypertension, and chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. Our creativity, alertness, and physical performance are enhanced, and our cells are repaired and regenerated. Ultimately, getting enough, good quality sleep means we will feel and look our best selves!
Many people find that as they get older, they have a harder time falling and staying asleep. As we age, our bodies produce lower levels of growth hormone, meaning we’re likely to experience a decrease in deep sleep and wake up more often during the night. Older adults who don’t sleep well can be susceptible to health problems, so it’s important to understand the underlying causes and implement tips and tricks to help you get a good night’s rest!
When it comes to falling and staying asleep, there are the obvious suggestions we’ve heard countless times before – exercise during the day, avoid electronic devices an hour before bedtime, limit alcohol and caffeine later in the day, avoid spending time in your bedroom unless it’s bedtime, and many more. If you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night, chances are these tips are already part of your daily routine, and sometimes we need a bit of extra help!
Try these 6 tips you hadn’t thought of for getting a better night’s sleep today and be on the road to feeling as rested and rejuvenated as ever!
Drink Moon Mylk before bed.
There are a number of all-natural products and supplements available that can help to enhance your sleep quality. ‘Moon Mylk’ is a product created by Naked Harvest, an Australian, family run, all-natural supplement company that carefully formulates their products using only the finest ingredients mother nature has to offer. Moon Mylk is a hot chocolate blend containing magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C, that is designed to help you relax, unwind, and have a regenerating night’s sleep. It tastes delicious and comes in a range of different flavours!
You can purchase it here: https://www.nakedharvestsupplements.com/collections/moon-mylk
Try Deep Sleep Drops.
Deep Sleep Drops are a naturally formulated product created by The Goodnight Company, designed to aid uninterrupted sleep and support optimal sleep patterns. It is a liquid herbal extract taken orally, directly under the tongue for a fast-acting effect. The drops naturally create a deep sleep by calming a busy mind and combatting sleeplessness related to anxiety and stress, helping you to wake up feeling refreshed and aiding restorative sleep habits!
You can purchase them here: https://www.thegoodnightco.com.au/collections/drops/products/deep-sleep-drops?variant=39692945555529
Explore the Calm App.
The Calm App was created to improve users’ health and happiness by reducing their stress and anxiety, improving their focus, promoting self-improvement, and improving sleep quality. The app has an extensive library of guided meditations, sleep stories, breathwork, exclusive music, and stretching exercises, making it a valuable tool for anyone looking to cultivate inner peace or simply relax and switch off before bed!
You can download the Calm App on the App Store.
Incorporate sleep-aiding foods into your everyday diet.
Integrating foods that are scientifically proven to assist with sleep quality into your diet is a simple and easy way you can improve your sleep. These include:
- Honey: it contains glucose which lowers levels of orexin, a neurotransmitter that raises your level of alertness.
- Chamomile tea: best taken just before bed as it has a calming effect on the brain and body.
- Milk: dairy is a natural source of the sleep-inducing tryptophan amino acid which helps to boost melatonin and therefore promote a regular sleep cycle.
- Bananas: they’re high in potassium, a mineral that is essential in achieving a state of deep sleep.
- Nuts: they boost serotonin levels in the brain and are an excellent source of magnesium and tryptophan. Try having a mixed handful of walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds before bed.
- Yoghurt: having small bowl of yoghurt as dessert before bed can aid in helping you sleep as it contains calcium which is needed for processing the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin.
Diffuse essential oils.
Essential oils are a powerful tool that have been utilised for centuries as natural remedies for various purposes, including promoting better sleep. Diffusing pure essential oils in your bedroom creates a soothing atmosphere, promoting a sense of comfort and relaxation before bedtime. You can also massage a few drops directly onto your skin or combine it with water and spray it onto your pillow.
Well known for its versatility of benefits, lavender oil is the number one essential oil when it comes to improving sleep. Ylang Ylang oil, an extract of tropical trees in Asia, is also great as it lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and naturally sets the body up for sleep. Bergamot oil, chamomile oil, and sandalwood oil are also effective for decreasing stress levels, reducing heart rate, improving mood, and ultimately assisting with a better night’s sleep!
You can purchase a diffuser and essential oils at Ecoya – a brand founded and nurtured in Botany Bay Australia, with products designed in New Zealand and handcrafted in Australia:
Try restorative yoga before bed.
Restorative yoga is a practice of passive healing, known for its ability to activate the parasympathetic nervous system which helps the body to rest, heal, and restore balance. It’s a restful practice that is all about slowing down and opening your body through passive stretching, with a focus on holding yoga poses for longer periods. Restorative yoga has been known to decrease stress and tension, promote deeper sleep, heal the body, quiet the mind, and increase flexibility. Try practicing it before bed to release any tension you might be holding within your body and transport you to a relaxed, sleepy state!
Don’t worry if you have no yoga experience – restorative yoga is suitable for beginners and people of all ages. Try following one of these YouTube tutorials tonight!
Bedtime Yoga for Sleep, Anxiety and Stress:
Restorative Yoga + Meditation: No Props 35-Minute Relaxing Practice:
Getting enough, good quality sleep brings a vast array of health benefits. It helps you to think clearly, stay at a healthy weight, lower your risk of serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease, reduce stress levels and improve your mood, get along better with others, make good decisions, avoid injuries, and improve your immunity! Try implementing these 6 tips into your daily routine and make your sleep a priority today.