The Good Sleep Guide
I f there’s one thing we rely on for our comprehensive well-being, it is sleep. No matter how much you might be exercising or eating right, if you’re not sleeping right, you’re not allowing your body to repair and renew itself.
It’s hard giving sleep the time and the respect it truly deserves. We’re sleeping erratically and many of us are plugged into a digital device, staring into the bright screens until we nod off, It might take a personal pledge to recommit to better habits, but it’s important we all take sleep seriously. Here are a few tips for better sleep.
Essential Oils and Hot Baths
Lavender on your pillow can promote deep relaxation. Other sleep promoting scents include vanilla and chamomile. Invest in a couple bottles of your favourite essential oils and dab onto your pillow. A diffuser will work too. A hot cup of chamomile or fruit medley tea right before, will set the mood.
Another pro-tip is to make time for a hot bath or shower. Use some coconut or olive oil and give yourself a gentle scalp massage. Use this time to de-stress. Giving yourself just 15 minutes for a hot bath will help you sleep a lot better.
Deep Breathing For Relaxation
Its the simplest but most powerful relaxation method. Do a simple breathe in for eight counts and breathe out for eight counts. Repeat three-four times and see how you feel alter that. Yoga has plenty to otter when It comes to preparing the body for rest. The standing forward bend (uttanasana), corpse pose (savasana) and the legs- up-the-wall pose (viparif a karani) are great poses to do before bed.
Say No To Stimulants After 3PM
The 3PM rule is pretty foolproof. Make sure to decline coffee, tea, soda and spicy food after 3PM and you will give your body a healthy chance at setting its own sleep rhythm. We usually wreck our natural rhythm by having caffeine or heavy meals later in the day. The body and mind get over stimulated and our digestive system goes into overdrive, making sleep impossible. Try this rule and watch your quality of sleep increase.
Getting a solid eight hours every night is essential for you to perform physically, mentally and spiritually the next day. Respecting and preparing for bed time is the least we can do, to say thank you to a body that never stops working for us.