Your body temperature is fundamentally connected to the overall quality of your sleep.

Jet lag can ruin your holiday if you’re not prepared

When flying across time zones, it affects our ‘Circadian Rhythm’ which is our internal clock. As a result of jet lag your holiday can be ruined.

Our Circadian Rhythm keeps us in rhythm with nature and in particular works with the rise and fall of the sun, or in light and dark.

Expert-backed strategies to overcome insomnia and reclaim your peaceful nights

Are you lying awake at night, struggling to fall asleep? You’re not alone. Insomnia affects millions of people worldwide, but there are natural ways to improve your sleep quality. Here’s your comprehensive guide to creating an evening routine that promotes better sleep.

1. Master Your Evening Meal

Eating a heavy dinner can disrupt your sleep cycle. Your body needs to focus on rest, not digestion. Opt for a light, balanced meal at least 3 hours before bedtime. Choose foods rich in sleep-promoting nutrients like tryptophan, magnesium, and complex carbohydrates.

2. Break Up with Caffeine

For those battling insomnia, caffeine can be particularly problematic. While completely eliminating coffee might seem daunting, try setting a firm cutoff time – ideally before 2 PM. Remember, caffeine lurks in unexpected places: tea, chocolate, and even some medications can contain this sleep-disrupting stimulant.

3. Embrace Sleep-Promoting Teas

Natural herbal teas can become powerful allies in your fight against insomnia. Chamomile is a classic choice, but consider exploring other calming options like:
– Valerian root tea
– Lavender tea
– Passionflower tea
– Lemon balm tea
Choose organic varieties to ensure the purest, most beneficial effects.

4. Create a Digital Sunset

The blue light emitted by screens interferes with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Make 7 PM your digital sunset time. This means stepping away from phones, tablets, and computers. Instead, transition to relaxing, screen-free activities that help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.

5. Implement a TV Curfew

Television can be particularly stimulating, especially news programs that trigger stress responses. Make 8 PM your TV cutoff time. This creates a crucial buffer zone between active entertainment and sleep time.

6. Choose Sleep-Friendly Reading Material

While reading before bed is excellent for sleep, your choice of material matters. Skip the heart-pounding thrillers and opt for:
– Light fiction
– Nature writing
– Poetry
– Mindfulness books
These genres can help quiet your mind rather than stimulate it.

7. Create a Conversation Cutoff

Heavy discussions stimulate your mind and can trigger stress hormones. Set boundaries around evening conversations. Consider implementing a “peaceful evening” policy after 8 PM, focusing on gentle, positive interactions or comfortable silence.

8. Design Your Sleep Sanctuary

Your bedroom environment plays a crucial role in sleep quality. Transform your space by:

– Removing clutter
– Installing blackout curtains
– Maintaining a cool temperature (65-68°F/18-20°C)
– Using calming essential oils like lavender
– Keeping work materials out of sight

9. Master Your Lighting

Light exposure significantly impacts your circadian rhythm. Create a gradual transition to darkness by:
– Using dimmer switches
– Switching to warm, soft lighting
– Incorporating flameless candles for ambiance
– Removing blue light sources

10. Practice Mindful Breathing

Deep breathing exercises can trigger your body’s relaxation response. Try this simple technique:
– Lie comfortably on your back
– Place one hand on your belly
– Breathe deeply, feeling your belly rise and fall
– Continue for 10-15 minutes before sleep

Check out my Ignite your Breath online Training here

Remember, consistency is key when implementing these changes. Start with one or two habits and gradually incorporate others. Most people notice improvements within two weeks of maintaining these practices.

Want to take your sleep transformation to the next level?

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More Information – Art of Restorate Sleep

Find out more about my Sleepology Methodology here

Check the NHS description of Insomnia here

Check the Mayo Clinic for insomnia information

I stumbled across this article the other day; apparently, prolonged lack of sleep and insomnia can cause the death of brain cells… The “apparent good” news is that scientists think they can probably create a drug to help protect brain cells. Rather than, I hasten to add, help people to sleep better in the first place…..oh well, I guess that is my job!

Is this really the route we’re going down now? Rather than try and work holistically to resolve sleep problems, we’re just going to say, “oh well, we’ll make a drug to fix it.”

I suppose for shift workers, the idea of a drug to protect their brains against the damage caused by that sort of pattern would be a good thing… but for the rest of us why don’t we all just work on getting better sleep instead?

Society in general seems to be heading in this worrying direction whereby we will happily pop a pill to solve a problem, rather than do something constructive to avoid the problem occurring in the first place. We all seem so keen to just find a quick fix, even if it will only solve the problem for there and then and not for tomorrow, next week, next month, next year.

We’ve known for a long time that shift work and working nights was bad for people; the sun sets for a reason, and we are all better off when we aim to stick to natural rhythms of night and day. People who work nights long term confuse their natural circadian clock, potentially causing sleep disorders (surprise!), digestive problems, obesity and heart disease.

There are natural things you can do to help with sleep issues, though. Even if you’re a shift worker and have to be up all night and sleep all day, there are a lot of things you can do to try and restore that balance. Certain yoga postures before bed can help to relax you, and sun salutations when you get up can help to wake you up. If you’ve had a restless sleep, there are things you can do to try and recover, ready for your day. There are also simple things you can do before you go to bed, to try and ensure a restful night. Things like avoiding caffeine and sugar before bed, and switching off the TV (or laptop) a good few hours before bed really do make a difference.

I am a firm believer in exhausting all natural, holistic avenues before reaching for chemicals to resolve a problem. I know what it’s like to be sleep deprived and fed up, but I really believe that you can make simple changes to your lifestyle to resolve an issue.

Love

Anandi