Read This and Get The Best Night's Sleep Ever

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It’s a fact that sleeplessness is on the rise, with more adults than ever admitting to not getting the recommended eight hours or not feeling refreshed when they wake up. An epidemic of insomnia seems to have swept the country, with all sorts of factors keeping us awake at night. So how do we make sure we maximise the chances of dropping off – and of staying asleep? Here are some easy to follow tips that will give you the best night’s sleep ever…

Sync it Up

Have you heard of a Circadian Rhythm? The name refers to your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, where a complex mix of hormones, brain waves, and temperature fluctuations dictates when we need to sleep. For best results, you need to make sure that your periods of rest coincide with these natural patterns of sleep in the body. The best method of syncing up is to ensure that you stick to a consistent time of waking up and going to bed each day, even over the weekends, Exposure to daylight in the morning is also an important factor, so try to fit in an outdoor AM stroll.

Ban Tech from the Bedroom

You’ve probably heard it before, but if you’re serious about improving sleep quality, you need to ban phones, tablets, and televisions from the boudoir. The reason? These devices emit blue light, which signals to the brain that it's time to rise and shine. If you’re trying to go to sleep as these signals are being sent out, you’re reducing the quality of sleep you get thanks to this low-level interference. Not to mention that any noise from television will cause subliminal disruption. The old trick of reading a (paper) book before bed is the ideal way to let the brain unwind for an hour or so before sleep.

Optimize your Environment

Restorative sleep depends on a restful environment, so check all the factors here – consider investing in blackout blinds if your room gets a lot of sun, ensure you have a good quality single size mattresses and get fresh bed linen. Also try and minimize clutter in the bedroom so that it’s a quiet, relaxing and clean space focused on getting to sleep.

Try a Bath or Shower

Many of us take a shower in the morning, but science points to the fact it’s more beneficial to take your bath or shower in the evening before bed. Studies have shown this prompts a temperature drop in the body that gears it up for sleep and leads to a more restful night overall. Adding in a bit of aromatherapy in the form of a lavender bath oil or pillow spray can also help to boost relaxation.

Take Regular Exercise

Getting a daily dose of exercise has been shown to be more effective than insomnia drugs, so it’s important to get some form of physical activity in – but not too close to bedtime, as that can throw sleep off balance. Time your sessions at least 3-4 hours before you are planning to sleep for the best results.