Try aroma oils
The scent of essential oils can be very calming and help promote a far deeper sleep. But don’t be limited to lavender alone! Eucalyptus is also great for making sure you breathe easy while you sleep.
Don’t invest in sleeping accessories. Silk eye masks are a distraction!
Sleeping beauty
Any products you use will be more effective while you sleep, as this is when the skin repairs itself and absorbs all its nutrients.
Don’t cut out your morning coffee!
Drinking coffee in the morning won’t hinder you sleep that night. Plus, despite popular opinion, coffee isn’t actually all that bad for us. In fact, caffeine is a great anti-oxidant that aids circulation, keeping your cheeks flushed and mind alert. It’s even said to help fight diseases!
NEVER sleep in make-up
Even if you are absolutely exhausted, you MUST remove all traces of make-up to ensure you don’t clog your pores and emerge with a puffy, worn face in the morning.
Add lavender to your bath
The combination of lavender oil and lavender absolute in the French Kiss Bubble Bar, £4.25, Lush, helps to relax and clear the mind. Lavender also nourishes dehydrated skin, leaving you feeling super soft before bed.
Create a routine
Going to sleep and waking up at around the same time every day will help your body to sleep better, and mean you’ll be feeling fresh in the morning instead of hitting the snooze button!
Use a sleep balm
Rub this natural remedy on your forehead and temples to help promote sleep. Enriched with beeswax, lavender and lemon oils, this Anatomicals sleep balm, £8 for a sleep set, Ocado, on your forehead and temples before you to go sleep.
Try herbal tea
Avoid caffeinated teas before bedtime, but drink chamomile tea to soothe and relax you.
Add bananas to your diet
Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium, which help calm down your brain after a busy day.
Get exercising
Being more active in the day can help you to sleep better at night. If jogging isn't your thing, why not try an exercise class instead? We love Zumba!
Snack on almonds
Not only are they great for your skin, Almonds contain magnesium, which helps muscles relax.
Try a sleep mask
Light can impact your sleep pattern as the body produces the chemical needed for sleep better in darkness. This quirky sleep mask, £5.96, Anatomicals, is great for blocking out light, especially handy for shift workers.
Cut down on caffeine near bed time
Caffeine, found in tea and coffee, is a stimulant which means if you drink it before going to sleep your less likely to be able to nod off. Try switching to herbal teas or milky drinks after 7pm to ensure a good night's rest.
Try cherry juice
Drinking a glass of cherry juice or eating a small serving before bed is said to help beat insomnia.
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Turn the TV off
Most of us use our free time before bed to unwind by watching our favorurite TV programmes, but this could be having the opposite effect. Try turning all technology off an hour before you go to sleep (this includes iPads and laptops, too!) and unwind reading a good book instead. You’ll be surprised at how tired it can make you!
Eat your breakfast before bed
Oats aren’t just for breakfast! Enjoy an oat porridge before bed to reap the benefits of its natural sedative qualities.
Include potatoes in your evening meal
Potatoes and other carbohydrates that are easy to digest help people get to sleep faster when eaten a good few hours before bed.
Enjoy a bath bomb
The sleep-inducing combination of essential oils in this Twilight Bath Bomb, £3,25, Lush, will help your mind to shut down for the night. This bath treat turns a deep purple colour in the bath and has a strong lavender and malt fragrance to help induce drowsiness.
Stock up on leafy greens
People who have a calcium deficiency tend to find it more difficult to sleep. Leafy greens such as spinach and kale are high in calcium.
Drink honey and lemon before bed
Honey contains a type of sugar that releases slowly into the bloodstream, meaning you don’t wake up hungry in the night.
Snack on pumpkin seeds
Magnesium helps calm your body down. Get your daily dose with a handful of pumpkin seeds before bed.
Swap chicken for fish
Fish such as salmon contains the vitamin B6, which creates a sleep-inducing hormone in the body.
Milk
A mug of hot milk is the oldest sleep trick in the book, and not without grounding. Dairy contains a powerful sleep-inducing nutrient.
Stay hydrated
Keeping hydrated throughout the day helps you to sleep at night. Try to drink around 8 glasses of water a day.
