How To Sleep Better: Top Tips To Improve Sleep

Yes, eating a balanced diet, staying hydrated and exercising are essential parts of living a healthy lifestyle, but sleep is one of the most important aspects of it. During your sleep your body is constantly working to support your mental and physical health (1). When you are asleep, you go into recovery mode, allowing your brain and body to slow down (2).

There are four stages of sleep that are broken down into two categories, REM sleep and non-REM sleep which are all vital for your general wellness (3). The first two stages are simply your body calming down and transitioning into sleep, whereas stage three is your deep sleep, this is when your body is resting at a maximum (3). The last stage is when your brain mimics what it’s like when you’re awake. Why is this important? To process emotions, promote brain development, process memory consolidation and dream! (4)

Without the right amount of proper sleep, your day-to-day life can be severely affected, from your focus, your mood, your judgment to your energy levels (5). It is so important to get adequate sleep to reduce the likelihood of long-term health issues.

Here are the top 10 tips to help you sleep better:

Exercise and Move
Reduce Exposure To Blue Light
Avoid Caffeine After 2PM
Change Your Eating Habits
Take Sleep Supplements
Set A Bedtime & Stick To It
Have The Perfect Room Setting
Avoid Long Naps
Lessen Your Alcohol Intake
Relax And Clear Your Mind

Exercise and Move

Everyone knows the importance exercise has for our health, but many don’t realise how much it can help with improving your sleep. Movement during the day tires out your body and reduces stress, allowing you to fall asleep quicker at night (6). It is suggested, however, to avoid exercising late at night due to endorphins getting released and instead exercising outdoors in the morning.

Whether it’s a stroll, a run or intense hiit and heavy lifting workouts, try and include an hour or two a day of exercise to benefit your mind and body.

Reduce Exposure To Blue Light

Your TV’s, computers, phones and kindles are sources of blue light that can trick your brain into thinking its daytime, which in turn keeps you awake at night as blue light restrains the secretion of melatonin (7).

There are a few things you can do, wear anti-blue light glasses, change the settings on your devices or simply put any devices down within the hour before you sleep.

Avoid Caffeine After 2PM

Limiting your caffeine intake in general has great health benefits. Caffeine is in many things we drink, including sodas, coffee, tea, energy drinks and more so it can be hard to stay away from it. It increases the activity of your central nervous system meaning your alertness and your heart rate are heightened, making you feel more awake (8).

It’s okay to drink your cup of morning coffee, but it is important to set a boundary, even if you’re desperate for your bed at 3PM!

Change Your Eating Habits

Yes, a midnight snack always sounds like a great idea until you’ve got a bloated tummy. Your body needs time to digest the food you eat, and it is difficult for it to rest properly at night when your tummy is full.

Try and eat your dinner at least four hours before you go to bed to ensure that digestion won’t interfere with the natural release of melatonin (18).

Take Sleep Supplements

If you have tried to apply changes to your lifestyle and still struggle to get sufficient sleep, try sleep supplements to support yourself. High quality sleep is essential for brain function and immune health. Our Sleep & Relaxation range is designed to help you sleep easily at night, so you can feel your best during the day.

Set A Bedtime & Stick To It

Don’t fight your tiredness! Create a schedule that is suitable for you and set your body clock. Many studies have suggested that sleeping at around 10PM can have huge benefits on your quality of sleep (12).

Having a consistent time, you sleep and wake up at has been analysed and proven to have long term benefits with sleep quality (12). Irregular sleep pattern can change your cardiac rhythm and melatonin levels which signals your body that it’s tired and requires sleep (13).

Have The Perfect Room Setting

Many don’t realise the impact of having the right atmosphere in their room has on their sleep. When you are comfortable in your room, your body is more likely to relax and de-stress.

Research has shown that cancelling out noise, a cold room, dark and clean are factors that make an optimal sleeping environment (16).

Avoid Long Naps

Although everyone needs a little power nap every now and then, long naps can harm your sleep at night. You’ll find it much easier to rest at night when you haven’t slept during the day as you are conditioning it to be tired later in the day. If you need a quick power me up, around 20 minutes is the prime length of time for you to nap without negatively affecting your sleep in the evening (17).

Decrease Your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol has significant effects on our sleep and although it acts as a sedative, it is closely linked to poor sleep quality. Alcohol slows down your brain activity and is a depressant, and when consumed in excess, it causes long term damage to your overall health (9).

Consuming alcohol before bed can impact REM sleep and as the liver begins to metabolise those cocktails you had; you are more likely to experience disruptions throughout the night (9).

Relax And Clear Your Mind

There are simple habits you can implement in your evening routine that can help calm yourself and wind down. Remember, there is no point worrying about something you can’t control, so leave it for the morning!

Trying gentle yoga, reading or meditating can help slow down and clear your mind.

Talk To Your Doctor

Please consult your doctor or a GP on what habits you should implement in your lifestyle and what supplements you should take to support your sleep.

Take Home Message

Despite your busy schedules, work or anything else in between, your sleep should also be a priority. Inadequate sleep can cause major chronic health issues later in life and heavily influence how you are in your day to day. Support your sleep with our range of supplements from gummies, capsules, tablets and drinks, we have you covered.

FAQs

What is the best way to improve sleep?

Apart from incorporating healthier habits during the day, supplements can be a great helping hand in giving that restful night you’ve always dreamed of.

How can I sleep better at night naturally?

Even making small changes to your daily habits can positively impact your sleep. This includes eating healthily, exercising, meditating and reading.

What vitamins and supplements help with sleep?

We offer a range focused on sleep and relaxation, including Relax Shots, 5HTP, Zinc & Magnesium, and Relax Gummies. If you find it difficult to get to sleep, try using supplements to support your rest.