5 Tips To Help You Fall Asleep

 

Hi guys! Today I wanted to address getting to sleep, because not all of us nod off within two minutes of our head hitting the pillow. Sometimes it takes me hours to fall asleep, and nights when it's really bad, I can't sleep until about 4am, meaning I've only caught 2-3 hours, which is obviously way below the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night. Then I'm basically screwed up for the whole next day. Lack of sleep can make you tired, cranky, unproductive and unhappy. So I'm here to share the methods I use if I'm having trouble sleeping at night.

1. Take a warm shower

Before bed is my most favourite time of day to shower. We've been suffering through a cold Winter this year, so not only will a shower warm you up before bed, it also helps to relax your body and mind. Instead of using your 'invigorating' shower products, try using ones that have a soothing, calming scent. Wash the day's worries right off, take some deep breaths, use your favourite body mousse/shower gel/body scrub, then hop into bed feeling clean, refreshed and hopefully warm and sleepy.

2. Practice a pampering skincare routine

Much like a warm shower, sitting down to a pampering skincare routine is a great way to wind down before bed (and it's great for your skin too!). Taking off your makeup and layering on a nice serum, eye cream and moisturiser is a good opportunity to give yourself a face massage whilst you apply all your potions and lotions. If you want to go the extra mile, invest in a body moisturiser (I've got some body butters and yogurts from The Body Shop I'm currently loving) that smells divine. There's nothing better than getting into bed when you smell delightful lol. This is a great way to slow down and relax, with added skincare benefits.

3. Use lavender scented products

Building on from the last tip, lavender is often used to help induce sleep, although it also has many other health benefits. You could try a lavender room spray, lavender body mist, lavender room diffuser or lavender essential oils. There are even lavender scented soaps and lavender hand lotions. Probably don't use all of these at once, that might be overkill lol. Also, check you're okay with the fragrance before spraying your whole pillow, as it does give some people headaches.

4. Write out your To Do List the night before

I only thought of this brilliant idea recently. I used to lay in bed and worry about all the things I had to do the next day. And then I'd worry that I wouldn't remember all of them when I woke up the next morning. Then it finally clicked. Write out my damn To Do List the night before. I then leave it on my desk and it's all there for me to complete and cross off the next day. Genius! I'm a big worrier, so this is just a small change that has actually made a big difference for me.

5. More exercise, less caffeine

This tip is pretty obvious. The more exercise you do during the day, the more worn out you'll be at night, meaning you're likely to fall asleep faster. I'm not saying do 4 hours of cardio (please don't do 4 hours of cardio), but if you're usually pretty idle, any exercise is better than none. Get out, be active, walk, dance, play Wii Fit, whatever you like, but just try to wear yourself out a bit. And try to really cut down on caffeine at night, whether it be coffee, Coke, Pepsi Max, energy drinks or chocolate. Caffeine is a stimulant to your brain and nervous system and you're trying to do the exact opposite, calm your body down before bed, not stimulate it.

I hope these tips have helped if you, too, struggle to fall asleep. Let me know how you go!