Brought to you by Sovereign
I’ve had trouble getting to sleep for the longest time. Sometimes my brain is just on overload and I’m thinking about all the things I have to do, replaying things I have done and coming up with great ideas for things I want to do. I usually get around four hours of sleep a night, although occasionally my internal monologue goes something like this…
“If I go to bed now, I’ll get eight hours of sleep.
If I fell asleep now I’d get six hours sleep. Six hours is reasonable…
… okay, now I have five hours …
… four hours ….
… this is ridiculous, can I even function on two and a half hours of sleep?
Ugh, an hour until I have to get up. Should I just get up now?
… *snoring*”
Sovereign‘s new mantra is Life. Take Charge, and they are encouraging people to take charge of their life and wellness. This has made me start looking at ways I can take charge of my life and health, and the first thing I wanted to take charge of was my sleep patterns. Sleep (or lack of) can impact on so many areas of your life, and it’s something I really notice affecting my daily life.
Setting the mood for sleep
BUILD A NEST – Make your bed a comfortable place where you can relax. Get sheets that feel nice on your skin (I recommend microfibre sheets or the highest thread count cotton that you can afford. Trust me, it makes a difference and is worth the extra pennies!); replace your pillows with ones that are the right height and softness for your preference; get a duvet that keeps you just the right temperature. If you need to buy a new bed or mattress, then do it. It sucks having to part with the cash but so worth it to improve the quality of your sleep! Other ways I build my nest include not having clutter on my beside table (er, mine might need a wee tidy before you inspect it…), lighting scented candles and having a lamp with a dimmer switch so that I can turn the lights down when I’m getting in to sleep mode.
SWITCH OFF – Turn off your technology (TV, phone, laptop, PlayStation … whatever electronics you’re using) at least half an hour before you hit the hay. This is definitely something that I struggle with – I always just want to do a quick check of my Facebook page, watch another episode of House on Lightbox or finish off that blog post. But I’m learning – I try to take that time and use it to go through my bed time routine, to get that “sleep habit” process going.
PYJAMAS – Get comfortable sleepwear. Whether you prefer a chemise, a cute PJ set, a nana nightie or a tee, make sure you pick something comfy. Make sure it’s weather appropriate so your body is the right temperature. Other requirements from me are that it fits well (I hate getting tangled in my clothes or having my pants slip down when I roll over!), I feel good wearing it and it’s made from a nice material. Same principles as building your nest.
STRETCHING/YOGA – Stretch it out. Gentle stretches and certain yoga poses can help your body to relax, getting you into the mood for snoozing.
GET INTO A ROUTINE – Having a set sleep routine can help to “train” your mind and body to prepare for sleep. Washing off your makeup, going through your evening skincare regime, having a shower and then massaging a lovely moisturiser into your skin, gently stretching your muscles … start a sleep routine and stick to it. If you can do it at the same time each night then even better.
SING ME A LULLABYE – Bring a sleep app/music/white noise/guided meditation into your routine. This has been an absolute saviour for me – when I’m having trouble sleeping, I use my Take A Break! app. It’s a guided meditation, but I turn the voice off and listen to the sound of waves crashing on the shore. No matter how wide awake I am, I always fall asleep before the 13 minute track is up, without fail. It’s a free app, and you can get it on iTunes or Google Play.
What are your tips for getting to sleep? Share them with me below!
xo Meagan
I just go with the flow now.. I keep my iPod loaded up with all my favourite podcasts and just accept that some nights I will have a listening marathon.Not ideal but better than lying awake worrying. Exercise sometimes helps, as does making time to read print rather than online before bedtime, but sometimes nothing works . Good luck!
Those are some good ideas! I’m going to give them a go, thanks!
Is it creepy to say you look so pretty when you are sleeping?
Haha oh bless, thanks Helen! Definitely a posed photo though – when I’m actually asleep it’s more like wild hair everywhere, covers askew and face crumpled from sleeping face down (occasionally in a patch of drool)! Most certainly not glam 😉
Turning technology off is huge, it’s hard to unwind when you are constantly bombarded with cool things to look at. I think it is worse for us bloggers as we lay there thinking about all the things we want to do to our blogs! (well I do ;))
Yes! So hard to switch off when there are so many great ideas buzzing around in you brain. I had this problem last night, so I typed all of my great ideas in bullet points on my phone, then switched it off and told myself I’d look at them today (like, I actually said it out loud). That meant I got the ideas out of my head and into solid form so didn’t have to worry about losing them, and I gave myself a time that I could think about it. Definitely helped!