Do you struggle to fall asleep? Your bedtime routine may be impacting your ability to fall asleep at night and therefore affecting your energy and mood throughout the day.
It should take between 10 and 20 minutes to fall asleep, give or take a few minutes. Often times, when we feel like we can’t fall asleep, we start checking the time on our phones which then adds stress to the sleep process. But rest assured, there are simple steps you can take onboard that will help you to fall asleep at night.

Tips

– Stop caffeine by 3pm. The half-life of caffeine is approximately 5 hours, meaning if you have a coffee at 3pm, half of the caffeine will still be in your system at 8pm. By having your last bit of caffeine in the early afternoon, it gives your body enough time to clear the caffeine and have minimal impact on your sleep cycle.
– Cut out screen time before bed! Try to avoid screen time (phones, computer & tv) at least 1hour before bed to reduce stimulation and promote proper circadian rhythm function (the bodily system that controls your wake and sleep cycle).
– Set your electronics to change to a yellow light(instead of blue light) after 7pm. Blue light suppresses the bodies releases of melatonin –the hormone that makes us sleepy.
– Avoid stress-inducing activities in the hour leading up to bed. Reduce stressful TV, podcasts, books or work to avoid unusual cortisol levels which will in turn affect your ability to fall asleep and your overall sleep quality.
– Maintain a regular bed time and routine! Going to bed at the same time every night and waking at a similar time every morning helps to regulate the circadian rhythm and avoid those nights where you’re left staring at the ceiling thinking “I need to be up in 5 hours” – we’ve all been there.
– If you are struggling to fall asleep & suddenly feel wide awake even though you were just passing out on the couch, get out of bed! Laying in bed waiting to fall asleep can suddenly become daunting; go drink a cup of tea, read a book, put on a podcast or step outside for 5-10 minutes until you feel ready to go to bed again – try to avoid screens.
– Ensure your bedroom is dark and not too warm. We associate darkness with sleep and brightness with being awake, so having lamps on in the bedroom can interfere with the circadian rhythm.
– Drink a relaxing tea. The ability of a good quality tea can often be overlooked. A nice ‘sleepy-tea’ blend (such as my Bed Time tea blend) or a good quality chamomile tea will help trigger the circadian rhythm and begin the wind-down process.
– If you’ve had an exceptionally stressful day, taking a warm bath with Epsom salts is a nice way to relax as the magnesium soaks into the muscles. Adding a few drops of lavender essential oil will also add another dimension.
– Try a mindful diary! Many people enjoy jotting down three things that added joy to their day and three things that may have upset them. Through acknowledging these somewhat negative aspects of the day, it helps to think about why this upset us, how we could handle the situation differently if it occurred again and how to move forward.
– Meditation, even a few minutes, is another holistic way to wind down at the end of the day and reconnect the mind with the body. There are many apps out there, or even YouTube videos and podcasts, that you can find to target how you’re feeling in that moment.
– Stretching before bed, especially after a warm bath or shower, can help to loosen the muscles and remove any tension we have been holding onto throughout the day. Taking five minutes can help to relax the mind and body.

 

Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can cause inflammation throughout the body, progressing to a number of conditions, so give these tips a go! Book in with yours truly for further support!

 

Madeline xx