Tips on How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
As we grow older, it seems that our daily lives keep getting busier. School assignments, work, house chores, social events and many other responsibilities tend to make our days quite hectic. As a result, most of us have very little time to make sure our healthy habits are in check. Besides healthy eating and exercising, a very crucial element that helps us maintain our mental and physical well-being is sleep.
Sleeping is essential for us to make sure a lot of things don’t get out of balance. Getting regular, quality sleep offers tons of benefits, such as strengthening of the immune system, improved memory, weight loss, increased awareness and productivity, reduced stress and a boosted mood. It’s exactly what the body and mind need in order to function properly.
Unfortunately, many people today, especially teenagers and young adults, suffer from sleep deprivation. Worried you might be one of them? Here’s what might help.
Creating the Perfect Calming Sleep Environment
The first step towards a better night’s sleep is making sure the environment where you will be sleeping is just right. This means you should make your bedroom the most comfortable and calm space where you can easily relax and drift off in.
Soft Bed Sheets
Wondering can sheets help you sleep better? The answer here is a definite yes! They make a huge difference not just in the aesthetics of your bed, but in your sleep quality as well. So, make sure to buy the softest sheets Australia offers, to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Eye-catching and pretty bed sheets may compliment your room, but many of them won’t do your skin a favour. A great tip is to always go for light-coloured and breathable fabrics, such as cotton or flannel, to ensure maximum comfort and safety. Synthetic materials will surely pose a problem for people with sensitive skin, and they can also cause the early appearance of wrinkles.
Another thing to look out for is the laundry detergent. If you are washing your luxury sheets with the wrong products, their quality and looks will definitely fade. Not just that, some detergents that contain perfumes and dyes will be extremely harmful to your skin as well. So, always go for a detergent that is free of toxic chemicals.
Furthermore, you should change your bedclothes every week. Not only will this keep your sleeping environment fresh and clean but by doing so you can also fall asleep faster, because who doesn’t love the touch and the smell of soft and nice-smelling bed sheets? As for replacing the old ones, you should be doing that every 24 months. And lastly, remember to pick your bedding in accordance with the season. Flannel is best for the cold weather, while silk or cotton make the best choice for the hot summer days.
Keep Your Bedroom Cool and Dim
Another pro tip about setting up the best sleep environment is to make sure you got the right lighting and temperature. Multiple studies have shown that the body tends to go to sleep faster if the room where we are sleeping is darker and the temperature in it is cooler. This mainly falls back on our natural instincts. However, it’s also known that a cold room will slow down your heart rate and will boost the production of melatonin, which is our body’s main sleep hormone.
So, if you want to dose off quicker, dim the lights and cool down the area. Make sure your bed sheets are cool as well. This way you can make sure your sleep cycle won’t get disturbed by all the sweating a hot room can cause or the flinching because of bright lighting.
Peace and Quiet
Even though some of us may have learned how to fall asleep in a loud environment, it’s generally best for our body and mind to go to bed in a quiet area. When the room you are sleeping in is free of loud and unnecessary noise, you will find yourself being able to fall asleep more quickly. Without other sounds constantly disturbing our sleep, we can be sure that we will be getting a nice deep sleep that will get us through the day. But, what if you live in a noisy neighbourhood or if your family mainly consists of night owls? Well, then it’s time to invest in a quality white noise machine. There are many kinds to choose from, you just have to pick the right one which will help you go to sleep faster.
The Power of Essential Oils
Due to our busy lifestyles, when it’s time for bed, anxiety and draining thoughts might cause us to stay awake even when we already feel sleepy. Luckily, there’s a way to fix that. You can use the calming effects of the best certified pure essential oils, to bring yourself to a feeling of calm and relaxation.
Essential oils have been around for quite some time and they have proven to be very beneficial to our well-being. They can be used to help relieve tension, stress, headaches and anxiety attacks. These oils have huge calming and soothing effects on our body, which will help us get to our happy place in no time. Another advantage about the essential oils is that they can be used for skin problems as well, such as sunburns, acne, wounds, insect bites and burns. These products are truly amazing and will leave you thinking that they might have magical powers.
The most commonly used essential oils are lavender oil, peppermint, tea tree, chamomile, jasmine and rosemary oil. Each of them has different things to offer which surely won’t disappoint you. Now, people use them in various ways. You can apply your favourite oil directly to your skin or you can add a few drops of it to your bubble bath. An effective way to get the most out of the oil is to put it in a diffuser or in a bowl full of boiling water, so you can inhale the healthy and calming aroma. You can even use the oil as a substitute for regular massage oil, which will certainly enhance the effect of the massage treatment. So, if you are looking for a quick way to cool down after a long day, essential oils are the choice for you.
How to Reset Your Sleep Cycle
Besides adjusting your room the right way, it’s important to modify your lifestyle as well. You can find yourself laying in the cosiest bed, with your head resting comfortably on the finest sleeping pillows you can choose, yet still having trouble turning off your brain. So, here are some tips on how to improve your sleep:
- Limit caffeine and alcohol during the day;
- Avoid naps longer than 30 minutes;
- Get enough natural light throughout the morning and afternoon;
- Stay away from electronic gadgets late in the evening;
- Consider doing yoga or taking a bath before bed;
- Don’t eat at least 2 hours before going to sleep.
Final Thoughts
So, now that you know the general tips on how to improve your overall bedtime experience, it’s time to say no to sleep deprivation. Start by getting yourself the best sheets Australia has to offer along with the most calming certified pure essential oils and create the perfect serene environment for your much-needed shut-eye.