We’ve all been there— waking up after a sleepless night, feeling exhausted and run down. Lack of sleep impacts our ability to concentrate, puts us in an irritable mood, and can even weaken the immune system. Sleep is such an important part of our well-being, but most of us have trouble falling asleep or getting good quality sleep. Here are some tips to help you get better sleep and finally feel rested and energised.
Causes of Bad Sleep
There are many causes of bad sleep, but for most of us, the answer is stress. Whether it’s work deadlines, having an overwhelming to-do list, or personal problems, most of us are under chronic stress. If you’ve ever lied in bed for hours, thinking about everything you didn’t do or still need to do the next day, it might be a sign that stress is negatively affecting your sleep. Stress and overworking yourself can also lead to an all-over-the-place sleep schedule, which disrupts your Circadian rhythm. When we constantly wake up and go to sleep at different times, our bodies have a hard time naturally knowing when to fall asleep.
Practices For Better Sleep
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy has been around for centuries— people have been using scents to bring health benefits, such as uplifting mood, helping with sleep, and boosting the immune system. Few scents have as many well-documented health benefits as lavender, a well-known sleep aid. Rawe Sugar’s Secret Garden Natural Wax Melt has a beautiful lavender aroma that helps you feel calm and sleepy. It also contains Geranium and Rose— two scents that help with calming and reducing anxiety.
Exercise
Sleep is a time for the body to rest, replenishing your energy and helping you recover from the day. However, if you live a sedentary lifestyle, you may not be burning enough energy in the first place. From your body’s perspective, there’s no need to rest (and sleep) if you still have lots of energy at the end of the day. Try exercising each day, whether it’s a full-body workout or a relaxing walk. Schedule your workouts whenever you have time, but try not to do any intense exercises before bed, or it can also negatively affect your sleep.
Bath and Oils
Self-care is another relaxing and effective way to fall asleep faster. If you enjoy self-care days, incorporate some aromatherapy into your next bath. Use oils such as lavender, chamomile, and valerian root to promote calm and sleepiness. Make sure the oils that you use are skin-safe!
Unplug from Devices
We know it’s difficult to disconnect from the screens, but they could be affecting your sleep quality. The blue light emitted from our phones and computer screens affects the production of melatonin, which is the hormone released for sleep. Put away the devices at least an hour before bed. This will also help your brain unwind and relax instead of staring at emails and being stimulated by TV shows or social media.
Cut the Caffeine
Caffeine stays in our systems a lot longer than you might think, so you may want to cut down your coffee consumption. Try not to have any caffeine in the late afternoon. If you need a pick-me-up, switch to green tea or a matcha latte. Green tea still contains caffeine, but far less, and does not induce anxiety.