Monthly Inspiration
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With our busy lives, lines can blur between day and night, rest and tech time. I have found it increasingly important to set boundaries and routines.
For our mental and physical health we need between 7 and nine hours of sleep and it’s important that we get this rest night after night.
By following a schedule and cultivating healthy sleep habits, our minds and bodies become accustomed to a routine of plenty of high-quality sleep.
Unfortunately, many factors can throw our sleep routines out of balance. Having a deeply established sleep routine allows you to reset quickly, it becomes a blueprint for optimising our sleep even when life is throwing us curve balls.
By creating habits and cues that promote sleep, falling asleep quickly and staying asleep through the night becomes the norm. With repetition, the routine gets reinforced, facilitating stable sleep patterns that will serve you well.
Here are some of my rules for a better nights sleep and a consistent sleep routine.
Step 1
Make Your Bed Inviting
At the beginning of a 7 day sleep reset, I like to have clean sheets on my bed. I take time to ensure that my bed is beautifully made up with the sheets pulled straight and the pillows plumped up. Your bed should look inviting, no one likes to face a crumpled mess at the end of a long day, when all you want to do is wind down for the night.
Step 2
Fresh Air
I make sure my bedroom is properly aired, even when it’s chilly, leaving the window open for an hour, fills the room with fresh air, vital for the night aheads sleep.
More oxygen results in an increase in serotonin, which makes one feel calm and aids deeper sleep, you want to avoid recycling too much oxygen into carbon dioxide, because of poor ventilation throughout the night.
Step 3
Evening Routine
I take note of the time I intend to be in bed and then work backwards, so I know what time to have dinner ready. I always make sure it is a light nutritious meal, nothing too heavy. I eat a smaller portions in the evening, and avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar after 6:00 pm.
‘checking tech like a phone keeps your mind active and can prolong the time it takes to fall asleep’
Step 4
Switch Off For The Day
I like to stop looking at any screens 30 minutes before bed, even sooner if I can manage, as looking at screens keeps ones mind psychologically engaged, and checking tech like a phone keeps your mind active and can prolong the time it takes to fall asleep.
I prefer to wind down with a good book that helps my mind gently wander, this keeps me away from phones, my laptop and the dreaded TV.
Step 5
Spa Evening
Turning my bathroom into a spa always helps me relax after a long day – a soak in the tub with Epsom salts or lavender oil, or a long soothing hot shower. Add in a hydrating face mask or hair treatment. Take time to replenish your skins moisture with your favourite oil or body lotion afterwards. Taking this precious time for yourself will help you feel relaxed and ready for bed.
‘Invest in yourself and transform
your sleep and energy levels’
Step 6
Ashwagandha
Making myself a cup of creamy, soothing ashwagandha tonic has become a step I can’t live without. The aromatics of the nutmeg and cinnamon are so calming as you sip on this warming heavenly concoction. The mild sweetness of this drink makes it the perfect treat for after dinner. Rewarding ourselves can be an important act of self care.
See recipe below
Ingredients:
Makes 2 servings
– 2.5 cups boiling water
– 1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked
– 1/4 cup coconut cream
– 1 tablespoon raw cacao
– 1 teaspoon Harmonize
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
– 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
– 2 dates
Optional: top with edible dried flowers, cinnamon, chia seeds, or hemp hearts.
Directions
Add all ingredients to a blender.
Blend on high until creamy and smooth.
For an extra creamy drink, soak your cashews in hot water for 15-30 minutes, then drain and rinse before adding to the blender. Serve immediately.
Recipe and photography by Kaitlyn Noble
Step 7
Meditation
Meditation grounds me and helps keep me less in my own head and more aware of the present moment. Meditation also assists in lowering your heart rate by igniting the parasympathetic nervous system and encouraging slower breathing, which increases the prospect of a quality night’s sleep.
I use the Calm app 30 minutes before bed for my meditation.
Sleep Tips & Techniques
Massage
Our feet have pressure points that are energetically connected to the rest of our body and massaging them with soothing oils & lotions can be a grounding form of self care before bed.
Apply gentle pressure, knead in slow circles and take a moment to thank your body for getting you through the day.
Take Magnesium
Getting enough magnesium is key to your overall health and ability to set a consistent sleep schedule, especially if you’re having trouble sleeping consistently. Restore your system with a good magnesium supplement.
Natural Calm is my go to for calming my body and nervous system.
Sleep Position
It is recommended by sleep experts to sleep on your side with your knees bent slightly up towards your chest. If you have a bad back, try putting a pillow in between your legs to alleviate pressure on your hips and lower back.
The key to mastering a sleep schedule, that you won’t find written in many articles or prescribed by experts is “self love”. Prioritising good sleep requires taking time for yourself. Despite the noise of life and endless commitments, if you can stick to a schedule for just 14 days, it will become habitual and second nature.
Invest in yourself and transform your sleep and energy levels.
