Why is sleep so important? We tend to think of sleep as a time when our minds and body shut down, but this is far from the truth. Sleep is the time when your mind and body repair themselves and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes. You can help your learning and memory by entering deep sleep, as well as preventing heart disease and other illnesses.

In this article, you will not only learn how to sleep better but also how long you should sleep and what to do before bed to get the optimum and restorative night’s sleep that you need.

 

How To Sleep Better

Some people are capable of sleeping less than the recommended amount of 8 hours and can still function perfectly fine. This is because they were able to achieve a good quality night’s sleep, regardless of the time sleeping.

A healthy night’s sleep consists of 5 states of sleep, without waking up in between. The stages are 1-2 light sleep, 3-4 deep sleep and 5 REM sleep, also known as Rapid Eye Movement (this is where your dreams happen). Going through these 5 stages of the sleep cycle means you have a healthy sleep pattern. During your time sleeping, you will experience these states in a cycle, which lasts between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes, where you will repeat your sleep cycle. 

Getting a healthy night’s sleep has many contributing factors, how you are feeling, and whether you have been overwhelmed or stressed can affect your sleep, to how much you ate and how much you moved your body.

Many factors affect sleep and here are some ways to help you when it comes to them much-needed hours of ‘shut-eye.’

 

Move Your Body

Regular exercise and if were able to do a lot of physical exercises or strenuous work that day, can make it easier to fall asleep as your body is physically fatigued and will usually help you to spend longer periods in deep sleep. 

 

Relax And De-stress

To get the best night’s sleep, you need to relax and centre your mind. Use the sleep well balm to help to de-stress and forget about the day. Its lavender scents promote restoration and relaxation, which is the perfect combination when it comes to falling asleep.

 

Use Aromatherapy

Cultivate the perfect environment that promotes serenity and calm. Aromatherapy is the perfect way to balance the room, you can do this by dimming the lights, making sure the room temperature is not warm and lighting a candle. You want

 

When Is The Best Time To Go To Bed?

For the most part, there’s no ‘ideal’ set time to go to bed that will give you the best sleep. However, it’s more about the length and quality of sleep you get. Deciding when to go to bed to best suit a ‘normal’ lifestyle, however, is something that matters.

Usually, a lot of us work between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm, with a break in between. Each individual will also have different needs before and after this time frame; and of course, we also have days off when work restrictions don’t apply.

So for the best night’s sleep of a full 8 hours, you must work backwards and account for everything you need to do in your day. This includes travelling, preparing food and eating, leisure time and hygiene.

If you start work at 9 am and it takes you 30 minutes to get to work, and 1 hour to shower, get ready and have breakfast in the morning, you need to be waking up at 7:30 am, which means falling asleep at 11:30 pm. 

 

How Long Do You Need To Sleep For

An adult sleep recommendation is 8 hours. However, this can differ from person to person. If you have certain mental or physical health conditions, this may alter the time you need to spend sleeping. Sleeping 8 hours every night is also pretty hard to obtain if you have a newborn baby or a busy work schedule.

Why do we need 8 hours every night? Well, we need this time for our body to recover, grow and repair itself, giving your body 8 hours to do this, is considered a healthy amount of time to get what you need from your sleep.

This recovery and repair aren’t just physical either, your body uses the unconscious time to sort through all your memories, thoughts and feelings from your day and keep your hormones in balance.

What Should You Do Before Bed?

To prepare for a restful night’s sleep it’s useful to ‘wind down’ in the evenings. The 2 hours before you go to sleep are crucial, during this time frame it’s recommended not to eat any heavy foods, as most digestion takes place as you sleep.

Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea right before bed as this will keep your mind alert when you are trying to get to sleep. Instead, you can opt for a chamomile or fruit tea which can aid digestion and sleep. 

Taking a soak in a warm bath with lavender scents will relax your muscles, making it easier to fall asleep. A warm shower will also do the trick if part of a nighttime routine. Starting a nighttime routine will mentally prepare your body for sleep, after you’ve gone through your routine for a few days in a row, your mind will get used to it and will begin to automatically know what comes next: sleep.