When you were a kid you used to fight your bedtime routine. Now, that you are older and know the importance of sleep you are obsessed with a good bedtime routine. Whether it’s allergies, pain or anxiety/depression, getting to sleep can be a battle at times. It’s hard to shut your mind off at night. You are either worrying about what’s happening or what’s going to happen. Worrying has never solved any problems, in fact, it makes things worse than what they are; yet we worry. I thought I would share a few tips on how to get better sleep.
The goal is to get at least 7 to 8 hrs of sleep but don’t fret if you can only get less than that on some nights. Be thankful for the hours you did get and just know that each night will be different. Imagine yourself getting the best rest each night and eventually it will happen on its own.
Cut The Caffeine
You wake up feeling exhausted so you grab a cup of coffee or an espresso. Anything heavily caffeinated, whatever will get you up and through the day. Unfortunately, your morning routine is killing your bedtime routine. Try to have no more than 2 cups of coffee a day, or opt for green tea instead of coffee. Don’t drink a giant caffeinated drink past 4 pm, sometimes you may get away with it but I bet it’s affecting the quality of your sleep. I haven’t had coffee for almost 4 years. I miss the taste (I love an almond milk mocha) but I don’t miss the jitters and feeling dependent on it to get me through the day. It’s also bad for your skin if you suffer from acne you may want to ditch your coffee habit for green tea.
Herbal Tea
I am obsessed with tea. I use tea-infused products on my skin and I drink tea throughout the day. Chamomille tea, ginger tea, and peppermint tea are great before bed. I also love making my own sage tea or rosemary tea. Sip on herbal tea for an hour and a half before bed. If you want to avoid several trips to the bathroom, don’t drink tea or water right before bed. Instead, take small sips of water if you need to but don’t overdo it.
Clean Sheets
You might not realize this but the state of your bedding can impact your sleep. Clean sheets are a must for optimal sleep, so keep it clean and fresh. Try to wash your sheets and duvet covers at least once a week.
A Good Pillow
When’s the last time you changed your pillow? Is your pillow ruining your sleep? Finding the right pillow is important. There are so many great pillows on the market, so it’s not easy to decide what to get. The Coco Pillow has designed a great pillow that has one side that’s “cool to the touch” which counter-balances different temperature levels throughout the year. The other side is soft and comforting. Use my code to get 15% off your first purchase and FREE SHIPPING: ThingsIWishIKnew15
Sound Machine
If you have been following along you will remember that I went to Soul 7 spa for a few treatments. One of the treatments they use is sound therapy. Soothing sounds are a great way to relax the mind and body. Sounds range from white noise to fan, ocean, rain and more. You can purchase a sound machine that’s portable and compact which means you can take it anywhere!
Wireless sound machine for travellers:
Turn Off Your Phone
Get off your phone and read a book before bed. Watch a short episode on Netflix. Whatever you do, don’t scroll through your phone before bed!
