One top-tier wellness tip that I’ve learned over 5 years is…
Getting enough good night’s sleep.
Many procrastinate their sleep time every night or maybe reduce the hours just so they can get work done, or cram in the last few hours of Netflix before the next dreaded work day starts.
The next day, you might feel groggy and unable to focus at work. You might end up finishing your work later and unwinding even later. And the cycle repeats.
But.. do you actually feel productive and well-rested every day?
When you don’t get the right amount of high-quality sleep…
You get moody. You’re easily irritated.
You start putting on extra weight despite not eating much, and you start having a goldfish memory.
Do you know that not getting enough sleep increases your risk of getting chronic diseases?
Hustle culture is not a cool personality trait and in fact, can be really dangerous to your health.
Give your body and mind the rest they deserve.
Here are some easy and natural things you can incorporate into your daily routine to give yourself better sleep!
TL;DR: The ‘Fall (And Stay) Asleep Better’ Checklist
No. | Item | Get them here |
1. |  Cooling Cotton Bedding | Check price on Amazon |
2. |  Adult Weighted Blanket | Check price on Amazon |
3. |  Side & Back Sleeper Memory Foam Pillow | Check price on Amazon |
4. |  Light and Sound Blocking Blackout Curtains | Check price on Amazon |
5. |  Compact-size Essential Oil Diffuser | Check price on Amazon |
6. |  Relaxation Kit Essential Oils | Check price on iHerb |
7. |  Yogi Bedtime Tea | Check price on iHerb |
8. |  Yogi Honey Lavender Tea | Check price on iHerb |
9. |  Life Extension: Magnesium Supplement | Check price on iHerb |
10. |  Life Extension: L-Tryptophan Supplement | Check price on iHerb |
The first step to a better and deeper sleep is to create an exclusive space for you to relax and sleep.
This way, your brain will be ‘programmed’ to relax when you are in your room. No work allowed.
a) Use cotten sheets to keep your body temperature cool at night
Creating your sanctuary also means that your bed should be as comfortable as possible. Use cotton bedding for the cooling effect – and as you relax, your body temperature will drop.
If you don’t have cotton bedding yet — this is your sign to get one. The Pizuna cotton bedding is great for its quality and value for money. It is available in a range of colours too!
b) Pair cotton bedding with weighted blanket and memory foam to improve quality of sleep
Using a weighted blanket is very effective if you suffer from anxiety and restlessness. It stimulates the feeling of being hugged, enabling you to relax. Many people are able to stay asleep longer with weighted blankets.
Memory foam pillows support your head, shoulder and posture. Sometimes, when you don’t sleep in the most comfortable position because of your pillow, you might end up waking up tired! Memory foam pillows are personally a game-changer for me.
c) Block out light using blackout curtains
When your bed is as comfortable as possible, be sure to block any noises or lights that can disturb you from falling into slumber. Personally, I can’t stand any rays of light entering my room before I sleep. That’s why I have these blackout curtains!
They don’t only block lights, they block sounds too (to an extent). I truly recommend you to have these for a better good night’s sleep. These Sun Zero curtains are pretty good for their price!
Checklist Round-up:
No. | Item | Get them here |
1. | Cooling Cotton Bedding | Check price on Amazon |
2. | Adult Weighted Blanket | Check price on Amazon |
3. | Side & Back Sleeper Memory Foam Pillow | Check price on Amazon |
4. | Light and Sound Blocking Blackout Curtains | Check price on Amazon |
Step 2: Relax your body and mind with natural relaxants
Trust me, a sanctuary alone sometimes can’t help you fall asleep in under 5 minutes. That’s why 1-2 hours before sleeping I would start ‘preparing’ myself for bed.
This might sound weird, but preparing yourself for bed is simply relaxing your mind and body naturally.
In order to fall and stay asleep, your body and brain need to relax.
a) Prepare your body for sleep with relaxing scents
My doctor once shared that lavender has a naturally relaxing effect on our brains.
So I have an oil diffuser with this cute set of essential oils to set the mood. A bonus point is that they make my home feel calm and refreshing.
b) Drink relaxing tea
Taking relaxing teas helps me sleep better as well. It took me about 3 days of making a habit of drinking tea before bed and I could already feel the progress!
I rotate between Yogi’s Bedtime Tea and their Honey Lavender Tea. By far two of the yummiest tea I’ve had before sleep (even without sugar)!
c) Take magnesium and L-Trytophan to reduce stress
If you don’t want to drink tea before bed, try taking these natural supplements to ease your stress and anxiety.
Magnesium is proven to improve insomnia symptoms. When you are stressed, your blood pressure is high. So magnesium is able to lower your blood pressure so you relax easier.
There is also L-Tryptophan — which has relaxing effects on your body and brain too. This compound can be found in honey.
Although these supplements are natural, do consult a medical practitioner to ensure that these are suitable and effective for your body to get better and deeper sleep.
Checklist round-up:
No. | Item | Get them here |
1. | Compact-size Essential Oil Diffuser | Check price on Amazon |
2. | Relaxation Kit Essential Oils | Check price on iHerb |
3. | Yogi Bedtime Tea | Check price on iHerb |
4. | Yogi Honey Lavender Tea | Check price on iHerb |
5. | Life Extension: Magnesium Supplement | Check price on iHerb |
6. | Life Extension: L-Tryptophan Supplement | Check price on iHerb |
Step 3: Treat Sleeping as a Need than a Reward
Did you know that our body thrives in routines, patterns, and cycles?
Our body is an amazing harmony of many complex systems. One of which is our internal body clock a.k.a the sleep-wake cycle. It is heavily driven by hormones that are influenced by our daily habits.
In order to strengthen this cycle and improve your quality of sleep, be sure to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
Yes. Every day.
This habit will automatically cue our brain to sleep and wake up at certain times. Which will make up sleep easier and wake up feeling more energised.
Another way to strengthen this is to make sure you are exposed to the sun in the mornings and evenings.
Our hormones are highly influenced by sunlight. There’s a deeper science behind it but basically, the sun tells our brain that it’s in the morning and the body will be more energised. And during evenings, your body would know that the day is ending and it will ease and relax accordingly.
There you go – three essential steps to a better and deeper sleep!
It took me years of restless nights to understand how important it is to take your sleeping seriously. After I addressed this issue, my health improved significantly.
Do you know any other sleeping hacks? Let me know in the comments!
PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you!
Tell us
| PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you! Tell us |
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