Hi all,

It is a common problem today that many people have trouble sleeping. Sleep is so important to feel energized, be healthy and even look your best. Read on to get your best night sleep and feel great.

1. Sleep Mask 

Sleeping in complete darkness will help you sleep longer and won’t allow the early morning light to wake you up. Sleeping in complete darkness has been linked to decreasing the risk of breast cancer. Silk sleep masks are great as they won’t leave lines on your face which can lead to wrinkles.

2. Ear plugs 

Roommates, garbage trucks, lawn mowers, neighbours upstairs – you may not realize it but your sleep can be disturbed by every day sounds. Ear plugs are an absolute godsend in improving your sleep.

3. Go to bed at the same time

Your body will get in the habit of sleeping at that time, so it won’t be such a struggle to fall asleep. Figure out how much sleep between 7-9 hours makes you feel your best. Anymore sleep than that can leave you feeling groggy.

4. Physical activity

Many people in this day and age live such sedentary lives then wonder why they have trouble sleeping. We need to get tired! Get out to the gym or even for a nice, long walk to help you fall asleep faster, sleep longer and more continuously.

5. Don’t skip taking off makeup or brushing your teeth

Even if you’re really tired, the feeling of crusty makeup or a gross-tasting mouth can make you uncomfortable when you wake up or even not as relaxed at night, making it harder to fall asleep. Not taking off your makeup can also make you breakout, dry out your skin, increase redness, uneven skin tone, the list goes on.

6. Write down what’s on your mind

“Brain dump” by jotting down what’s bouncing around your head so you can get it off your mind. What you need to do tomorrow, things you might forget, ideas, people you would like to hang out with in the coming week, etc. Get it out of your head and recorded so you know it’s there and you can stop thinking about it while trying to sleep.

7. Manage stress

If you have a lot on your mind or a lot to do the next day, sleep has been shown to suffer. Think of ways to manage your stress including getting organized, prioritizing what needs to get done, hanging out with a friend, taking a break – get some exercise or do something productive like drawing (no, not just another episode on Netflix.)

8. Avoid alcohol

This may seem to make you tired but it has been shown to disrupt your sleep later in the night. Replace your glass of wine before bed with some caffeine-free tea, like chamomile, to get relaxed.

9. Don’t eat 3 hours before bed

The discomfort of sleeping after a big meal has been linked to disrupted sleep and even bad dreams or nightmares. Following this tip has also been widely touted to help with weight loss.

10. Make your bed

Having a fresh, clean sheets that aren’t all twisted up can make you extra comfortable and help improve your sleep.

Let me know your best sleep tips in the comments below!

Happy dreams 🙂

Photo credit: juicemigourmet, BBC