January 8th, 2020 by Becky Calvert

Sleep is extremely important. It gives our bodies the chance to rejuvenate cells, repair injuries, strengthen our immune systems and gives us the chance to rest and get ready for the next day. However, many of us are not getting our full 8 hours and this can lead to stress, poor health and exhaustion. If this sounds like you, here are some simple changes for you to make to help you get all of the sleep you’ll need to take 202 by storm:

1. Establish a Routine and Put Technology Away

If you’re collapsing into bed and scrolling through Twitter for a couple of hours, it’s no surprise that you’re not finding it too easy to drift off to sleep. Put the phone away and establish a routine that surrounds making yourself feel as relaxed as possible – whether that means reading a book, having a bath or meditating before getting into bed. Once you’ve given your mind and body some relaxation time away from TV and phone screens, you might find that once you finally get into bed, you’re much calmer and more relaxed.

Now’s the time to close your eyes and empty your mind – something that can be hard to do when you’ve just scrolled through endless social media posts! You may find that this really helps you to get to sleep quicker, giving you much more of that well-needed sleep.

2. Eat Smart

It can be tempting to reach for the coffee, fast food and sugary snacks when you’re lacking in sleep. However, doing so can make the problem much worse and can make the next night’s sleep even worse. Instead, if you are feeling peckish before bed, opt for a banana (high in magnesium and relaxes muscle), oats (promotes sleep-inducing melatonin) or almonds (full of healthy fats which steadies heart rhythm and reduces muscle and nerve function) – all of which will help your body repair better for sleep.

Top tip: although having a nightcap is rumoured to help you drift off, it’s actually been proven that having any alcohol in your system prevents your body from entering a deep sleep cycle!

3. Exercise Daily

We get it, when you’re tired the last thing that you want to do is start an exercise routine. However, whether you hit the gym or just do a gentle walk, getting your body moving and your blood pumping is proven to help you sleep better. Exercise has also been proven to help combat anxiety, so if you seem to struggle with anxious thoughts whilst you’re trying to sleep, this is definitely worth a try!

4. Buy House Plants for the Bedroom

Houseplants are super fashionable at the minute thanks to home décor bloggers and influencers. They not only inject some bright colour into any room, but some can even encourage you to get a better night’s sleep. These plants include jasmine, gardenia and lavender – all of which have been used in scientific experiments to determine how well they work to encourage sleep. After the experiments, those who slept in rooms with one of these plants noticeably drifted off to sleep quicker and had a deeper, more relaxing sleep.

5. Control Your Exposure to Light

Melatonin is a hormone that your body produces to help you sleep. When it’s light, your body produces less and when it’s dark, your body produces more. With this in mind, if you’re sleeping with lights on or TV screens lit, your body won’t be producing as much melatonin as it would be if the room was completely dark.

You should also make sure that your getting a lot of light exposure during the day – so open the curtains and blinds and let some sunlight in!