HOW to IMPROVE SLEEP ??

How to Improve Sleep

Improve Your Sleep

The wind down period before bed is so important for a good nights sleep. So many people (me included) are busy until the second our head hits the pillow. If this affects your sleep, then you need to change what you are doing in the lead up to bedtime.

In the picture you will see 6 things you can do to improve your quality of sleep.

There are a few I want to touch on and I’ll explain why below.

CAFFEINE is many people’s drug of choice. You drink coffee or energy drinks to wake yourself up so why are you drinking them in the evening before bed?? Caffeine has a massive effect on your sleep. After consumption, it sits in your system for around 6 hours. This is why you should avoid caffeine in the evening if you want a better night’s sleep.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES use blue-wavelength light, I call it junk light. It tricks the body into thinking it’s daylight. The hormone melatonin naturally increases at night to help you sleep better, but blue light actually suppresses melatonin production more than any other light.

Let me put it this way. You wouldn’t eat junk food all day and lose weight, so how can you expect to look at junk light all day and expect to sleep. If you are someone who works late on a laptop, invest in blue light blocking glasses.?

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES allow the brain to release serotonin. It’s a chemical which allows for calm and pleasant moods. Hence why after a big Sunday roast, everyone feels sleepy. Add some carbohydrates into your evening meal and enjoy better sleep.

Lastly, one thing that has transformed my sleep is using a relaxation app before bed. Headspace or a YouTube Video in this case. I put it on for 10 minutes and lie there controlling my breathing and listening to how my body feels. This has been a game changer as it allows me to take my mind off everything and focus on me. I haven’t yet managed to listen to a full 10 minutes without falling asleep.