Staying In 13th June 2023 by Lorna Gilligan

Everything You Need To Get A Better Night’s Sleep

There’s lots you can do!

Pexels/Ivan Obleninov

We all know we need a good night’s sleep, but actually getting it – well that’s the challenge isn’t it?

A good night’s sleep is necessary to help you function throughout the day, but it also has a huge effect on your physical, emotional and mental well being. Ever wondered why your brain can’t focus once it hits 2pm … tiredness.

Aside from the obvious, I’m knackered all the time #sleepdeprived answers, there’s actual scientific facts that support the idea that a good nights sleep and your overall health are linked.

Sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality can cause anyone to feel anxious, irritable and impulsive as it can affect your concentration, memory and even your decision-making – no wonder they tell you to pull over if you’re feeling tired!

To aid you in your quest for a better night’s sleep, we’ve put together some top tips to help you get a better night’s sleep and also rounded up some products below that should help you on your way to your coveted dreamland.

Pexels/Andrea Piaquadio

Top Tips For Getting A Better Nights Sleep

1 Increase your exposure to bright light during the day

Your circadian rhythm is a natural clock your body has to tell you when your body should be awake and when it should be asleep, so exposing yourself to the sun and bright light during the day will help keep it healthy and aware of the day to night cycle helping you get those zzz’s.

2 Reduce blue light exposure in the evening

Pexels/ Artem Podrez

Yes, we know, we do it too… but it truly will help you get a better night’s sleep if you keep off any electrical device with a screen at least two hours before you intend to sleep. It’s similar to the above in that the blue light emitted from your screen emanates the blue light from the sun making your brain and your circadian rhythm think that it’s still daytime when in reality it’s probably 3am and you’ve got Gossip Girl playing on your screen.

3 Reduce long daytime naps

We’ve all headed upstairs for a twenty minute nap and emerged four hours later with matted hair and not a clue what day it is, let alone the time. Unfortunately this could be contributing to your restless sleep, as you’re actually confusing your internal clock whether you mean to or not – making it think you should be sleeping when it’s bright not when it’s dark. But, you will be happy to know that if you stick to a short and snappy 20 minute nap it has been proven to help your brain’s functionality following that ever hated 2pm slump.

4 Don’t consume caffeine late in the evening

Pexels/Fify Loewen

Coffee is great for waking you up.. yep waking you up so why would you drink it in the evening when your intention is to sleep. Caffeine has been proven to enhance your focus and improve energy but take it in the evening and you’ll leave your brain in overdrive, stopping your body from relaxing naturally – not what you want!

5 Don’t drink alcohol

Easier said than done – we all love a tipple or two when we’re out with our friends so while not 100 percent realistic it’s definitely possible to limit your alcohol intake throughout the week leading to a better sleep. With more and more people leaning towards non-alcoholic options it has never been easier to cut down on alcohol. We may be onto something with our 0% alcohol!

6 Take a warm bath or shower

A relaxing bath or shower can do wonders for you when trying to get a good night’s sleep. It has been proven that the warm water relaxes your muscles enough to make you fall into a deep sleep faster. Even just dropping your feet into a warm sudsy bath at night can calm your mind and relax your muscles enough to improve your sleep.