Tips
Sleep your way to better health
Is the coronavirus pandemic leaving you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed?
In this time of uncertainty and lack of freedom, many people are afraid of what the future has in store for us which is resulting in a lack of sleep.
During the lockdown, many people all over the world have been experiencing very strange sleep patterns according to sleep tracking apps.
Instead of staying up all night worrying about the world that awaits after lockdown, we think it’s best to accept that the world is in a process of major change. A change we were all hoping for, we were all tired, overworked, and overstressed. It was time for re-balance in the world and it has come in a way that no one could have predicted so let’s allow that light in and start to get ready for the beautiful new world that awaits for us.
In this time we have all started to question the way we live especially it’s impact on our health. There has been a huge move towards organic, chemical-free, and healthier eating. People have also started to take vitamins and supplements for the first time in their lives and it’s all to boost their immune systems.
Have you ever thought that good sleeping habits will improve your overall health and well-being and boost your immune system naturally.
A consequence of insufficient sleep not only impacts your next day in the form of being unproductive but it also affects your overall immune system, metabolism and other very serious health-related issues like strokes, heart disease, a very weakened immune system and also ages your skin.
Here are a few quick and easy steps to help you improve your sleep.
1. The Mattress
This is the number one most important part of your bedroom and is often the most overlooked item in a house. It is the piece of furniture in which you are spending your whole night and directly impacts on the quality of your sleep. A good mattress ensures a healthy sleep environment and it will support your back to promote deep sleep which is the phase of sleep where all your organs in your body and immune system restores itself.
2. Perfect Temperature
Temperature is important to prevent sweating or being too cold which is disrupting to your sleep cycles. The ideal bedroom temperature is between 16 – 19°C. Always use natural fibres which will regulate your body temperature. We recommend silk or cotton in the summer and Cashmere or wool for those cold winter nights.
3. A Dark Bedroom
When the retina detects bright light – natural or artificial – it sends a message to the brain to produce cortisol. This is overstimulating for the brain, which then keeps you awake.
Darkness in a room triggers the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes relaxation and enables you to sleep better. If you do have a light shining into your bedroom window from the outside, the best thing to do is get a block out blind. An easy fix!
4. Block out the noise
Noise disrupts sleep. The use of earplugs or white noise can help you sleep more peacefully. Turn off the Tv before you go to sleep if you have one in your bedroom.
5. Relax and unwind before bedtime
Many people suffer from a mind that is hyperactive at night time? Try to calm your mind and let go of all your stress from the day. Meditation is a great way of calming your mind. We recommend an app like Calm or the Chopra centre. If meditation is not for you, try a hot shower with a lavender-infused shower gel as lavender is a fantastic remedy for stress and sleep.