Bedtime Hacks to Stay Asleep

Getting a good night’s rest is incredibly important for both our mental and physical wellbeing– so much so, many nutritionists have argued that a decent amount of sleep is just as important as eating a balanced diet.

Studies have shown that when our eyes are shut and our minds are less active, the body is in a somewhat recovery mode. In this sleepy downtime, our muscles are being relaxed, our digestion is being regulated and even our stress levels are gradually being ironed out to a more healthy state.

So while it’s safe to say that everyone wants a good night’s rest, it can sometimes to be hard to wind down especially with our busy schedules. To help you enter a blissful snooze sooner, we’ve put together some tips and tricks to help you fall asleep faster.

Rest assured, we certainly understand that for coffee lovers, it’s important. It’s a part of most of our morning routines, helps us all to stay alert throughout the day and let’s face it – is also incredibly delicious. However, like all good things, coffee should be consumed in moderation.

A standard cup of dark coffee generally stays active in your system for ten hours and even after the tenth hour, our brain activity is still coming down to a normal flow state.

If you are the type of person that needs a pick me up in the afternoon, perhaps alternate your evening coffee with herbal tea or a juice.

This is not for everyone but if you do find yourself tossing and turning all night with your mind running at a million miles an hour, then weighted blankets may be worth a try.

Weighted blankets generally weigh between 5-10 kg and use the added pressure to both relax the nervous system as well as mimic the sensation of being hugged or held without the physical contact. This calming process of keeping our bodies fairly still, is intended to slow down our minds to improve sleep quality and relieve any symptoms of anxiety or stress.

Creating an environment that encourages sleep is one of those small changes that can have a big impact. It can be difficult to fall asleep with so many distractions around us and having it all so assessable can make it harder.

Try sleeping with your laptop in another room, maybe opt for an alarm clock instead of having your phone charging nearby and instead of watching TV right before you go to bed, maybe try reading. It always starts with “I’ll just check my emails or I’ll just watch one more episode” and before we know it we are adding items to cart and halfway through a season of a TV show.

Minimising the distractions in your bedroom will declutter your mind and bring some bedtime peace as you lay your head down.

The only thing stronger that a wandering mind at night is a growling restless stomach. If you’re going to bed hungry, chances are that your gut will either make it difficult to fall asleep or it will randomly wake you up during the night to be fed.

This is not to say that a second dinner is required or an excuse to quickly order some late-night burgers– but it’s recommended that your appetite be satisfied enough with nutrients and fiber that it won’t interrupt a healthy REM cycle.

A good amount of sleep is between eight to ten hours in one go, not a total of eight to ten hours with breaks in between.