Getting a Goodnight’s Sleep

I know that when I have a really awesome good nights sleep, I’m a happier, bubblier and ever so much funnier (*cough cough*) person, I function better, and I just feel freaking fabulous.

We all know that getting a goodnight’s sleep is so important to our health, and everyday functioning.

You know when you have had a bad nights sleep, you’ve tossed and turned and/or you just can’t fall asleep because you keep thinking or stressing over something thats happening either in your personal or work life, and when you’ve finally fallen asleep that stupid alarm decides to goes off.

You get up, get dressed and then you look in the bathroom mirror and you look terrible. You look like you just went out a big bender and got dragged by the bus. Hence why sleep is most definitely a beauty secret. So, here are my tips on how to get a goodnight’s sleep:

CAFFEINE

All health specialists say to cut out all types of caffeine after 2PM – so that means anything such as coke cola, tea and chocolate (!!).

Caffeine is a stimulant that can stay in your body system for up to and around 6 – 8 hours.

So for example, if you have a coffee in the afternoon like around 5pm, the caffeine in that late afternoon coffee you had will stay in your body until 11PM or midnight and that can make it a tad hard to fall asleep by the time you go to bed. If you’re caffeine sensitive like me, I always make sure by midday I have no more caffeine whatsoever and yes that even includes chocolate.

YOGA POSES

I know from own personal experience when I do a few yoga moves or just even basic stretching positions, I always have a beautiful restful sleep.

By incorporating some sort of yoga poses half an hour before going to bed will help you fight off insomnia.

By calming down your body and your mind, you’re putting yourself in a better position for sweet and restful slumber. It really doesn’t matter what poses you do and you really only need to do about 10 minutes worth of yoga, just your basic stretches.

DECAFFEINATED CALMING TEA

I drink one cup of tea every night and usually about 45 minutes going to bed (I never drink just before bed because I know in about an hours time I’ll have to go to the toilet).

I tend to mix it up from night to night, what tea I will drink. One night it will be the Sleepy Time Tea in Vanilla or Infusions Chamomile Tea.

Both are decaffeinated and organic and these teas will do with the ingredients in them, is that they will put your body into a relaxation mode. I seriously recommend either one of these teas.

THE RIGHT PILLOW

You just know that the right pillow is almost just as important to getting a good nights rest (and also affecting your body structure).

Nothing worse than having a pillow thats either too lumpy or gives you neck and spine pains. The pillow I’ve switched over to in the past six months has been the bamboo pillow which conforms to your shape for excellent support, its made from shredded memory foam and naturally regulate thermo-temperatures.

SLEEP MASKS

I seriously need my bedroom to be completely pitch black for me to be able to sleep.

Medical specialists do report that any sort of light that come’s into your bedroom, whether it be from you mobile phone or the curtains not being closed properly etc, any sort of light that seeps into room can actually tell your body to release chemicals to keep you awake.

Hence why I have been sleeping with a sleep mask for many many years now. And I’m always on the lookout for cute funky sleep masks.

ESSENTIAL OILS / SPRAYS

There are certain smells that will help you to relax, and slowly help you drift off into sleep la la land.

Research has shown that smells such as lavender will help reduce anxiety and insomnia.

I use (depending on my mood) essential oils where I will put a few drops into a warm bath, so then all of the senses will absorb as well as my skin the lavender which will then help me to relax more or I use a light spritz, and spray all over my pillow and doona. It is so calming and will slowly help you to drift into sleep.

…and just when nothing else for whatever reason just isn’t working, I use this God-send miracle ↓

NATURES OWN – COMPLETE SLEEP ADVANCED

I know from my own personal experience when I am suffering from anxiety, my mind is in its own Formula One race and just won’t slow down and shut off, no matter what I do.

It’s when I will take Natures Own Complete Sleep Advanced herbal supplements.

These God-send supplements contain three powerful ingredients: lactium (helps to alleviate stress), ziziphus (its a herb thats used in chinese medicine and helps to calm the nerves, mind and help you to fall asleep) and hops (is for promoting relief of insomnia).

I seriously swear by these herbal supplements. and do use them every so often when my mind is on thinking overload mode and just won’t switch off at all and/or I’m more stressed than usual.

Tell me what ways do you try to get a goodnights sleep? Anything different? I’d love to know in the comments below xoxo