The secret to: a good night's sleep.

Working within a financial advice firm can sometimes mean catching a good night’s sleep quite the challenge (we get it) – however, good quality sleep is one of the most important things you can do to achieve peace of mind and maximum productivity throughout the day.?

Here are our teams 5 secrets to gaining the best night's sleep:

1.???? Weighted blanket

It may sound ‘gimmicky’ but the science behind weighted blankets is fascinating. The pressure of the blanket allows your autonomic nervous system to go into a ‘rest’ mode, which in turn helps to reduce symptoms that can restrict your sleeping: breathing, anxiety, and a quickened heart rate. A perfect gift for Christmas for anyone you know who may need a helping hand with getting that all-important good night’s sleep! They even have them for dogs (especially popular around Bonfire night!)

2.???? Listening to a podcast

Most people need the time to prepare and get their brain ready for sleep. It’s known that if you relax before bed, it will prevent anxiety when trying to fall into the land of the nod. Getting yourself into a habit of listening to a podcast will help send signals to your body that it’s time to sleep. There’s also the option of listening to it as you close your eyes, it may seem like it would do the opposite, but some podcasts have user data to back up the fact that they’ve helped people fall asleep. Try it for yourself and see if it works! The guided meditation podcasts are especially great.

3.??? Lavender pillow mist

A pillow mist could turn into your new best friend by stimulating your olfactory system (the part of your brain in charge of smell) with scents that are known to enhance sleep quality and allow you to fall asleep more easily. Did you know that over 30 studies have found that aromatherapy improves sleep in adults by promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety and stress? Two of the main scents you see in these types of pillow/sleep sprays are lavender and chamomile – so if you’re not a fan of these…you might be best picking a different option from the list!

4.??? Pink noise

You’ve most likely heard of the famous white noise, which does help sleep, but have you heard of pink noise? It helps to reduce the difference between loud noises that might jolt you out of sleep (like someone snoring or a car door slamming). It’s also known to help you fall into a deeper sleep meaning you wake up feeling more refreshed. It’s quite difficult to get used to at first, but the research speaks for itself – it's helped thousands of people worldwide sleep like a baby.

5.??? Dextera

Oh…who put this one in here?! It’s true though, Dextera helps aid your night's sleep by making sure your firm runs smoothly and your team are on track without the need for middle-of-the-night musings on when your RMAR is due or when you need to submit your PAYE return to HMRC. It’s a good enough reason to sign up for a FREE 21-day trial , that’s for sure...

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Sweet dreams!

The Verve Group