Sunday Soother … February

An article by Lucy Howlett    No Comments

Steps To Take To Improve Your Sleep

I’ve been having trouble sleeping well lately and so have been looking into lots of ways/things that might help. Sleep is just as important as exercise and good nutrition to help with your overall health and well being, so I wanted to share my findings with you.

Block out any light

Do you have a clock that glows in the dark? Or light that comes into the room from outside? Take steps to get your bedroom absolutely pitch black. I’m looking into black out blinds because light comes into our bedroom from the street lamp. Alternatively, a sleeping mask might work.

Wind down routine

I know it can sound like a chore to change your habits and work on a ‘bedtime routine’ but it can make the world of difference, so it’s worth the effort. Things I’m personally putting into practice are as follows: switching off the TV and my phone at 9.30pm, getting into bed with just a lamp on to read (mostly Psychologies Magazine, as I love it), focussing on my breathing as I lay my head down to sleep and quietening down my mind as I do that.

Pillow

My chiropractor, Spyros Spyrides at Chiropractic First, in Hove emphasised the importance of a good pillow to me recently. If you think about it, the amount of time we spend sleeping in our lifetime, it makes clear sense to ensure we have good sleeping posture. Various types of memory foam pillows seem to be quite popular. Alternatives to memory foam are those filled with grains (millet and wheat), and different shaped pillows, chosen according to your sleep position. If you decide this might be your best option, do some research to make sure you’re spending wisely. Take a look at the range on offer here, at thegoodsleepexpert.com as mentioned in Psychologies’ January feature ‘The Big Sleep’ or pop into Chiropractic First.

Other tips that need little explanation but could do with some considering are:

• adding exercise into your day
• reducing caffeine after 4pm e.g. not just coffee but tea and dark chocolate
• adjusting your body/room temperature e.g. heating levels, thinner/thicker quilt, more/less clothes on.
• use a meditation app (‘Solfeggio’, ‘Take A Break’)
• avoid napping for longer than 30 minutes in the day

Lucy Howlett

Lucy is a vinyasa flow yoga teacher and personal trainer based in Brighton. Her passion for dance and fitness has brought her to her current position as yoga teacher, personal trainer and pre and post-natal exercise specialist. In her spare time Lucy can be found dancing, walking by the sea, checking out live music gigs locally and baking healthy vegan goodies.