Bath & Unwind share their top tips for a good night’s sleep

Finding it hard to get a fulfilling night of sleep? You’re not alone (just take a look at the results from the most recent Great British Sleep Survey). The team at Bath & Unwind are here to help with a roundup of little things they find make a big difference.

Anna

I always have time to recommend sleep! If I’ve had a particularly busy or stressful day I’ll do 10 – 20 minutes of yoga to wind down as soon as I get home. I always find time for a relaxing bath every evening with Kneipp Deep Sleep Bath Salts or Tisserand aromatherapy oils. When I get into bed I’ll either rub Badger Balm Sleep Balm onto my temples and pulse points, or spray This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray onto my pillow to send me quickly to sleep. They’re all also good to use in the middle of the night for those times when you wake up and can’t get back to sleep again.

Charlotte

Mine is all about having a routine (I’m a creature of habit!). So every night, I take all my make up off, cleanse, hop in a nice hot shower (or bath if it’s not too late!) with some oils, such as Aromatherapy Associates De-stress Body Wash. Then I moisturise my face and body, climb in to bed all cosy and warm, and top it all off with some Badger Balm Sleep Balm. I rarely have nights where I can’t sleep and I think it’s because, after I’ve done this every night, my mind and body knows what time it is.

Laura

I suffer from nightmare disorder but find getting into a routine before I go to bed helps calm them a little. I turn off everything electrical (TV, phone, laptop etc) by 10:30 pm at the latest and get into bed where my boyfriend and I spend time talking about our days, or reading short stories to each other. If I do wake up, I find getting up for water brings me back to reality. I also tend to use lavender oil on my pillow (or This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray) to help me get back to sleep again.

Mel

So my fail-safe sleep tips are:

• Ear plugs! (Great if you’re on a plane or camping in a busy field at a festival – I can’t relax with any background noise!)
• This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray – one word: amazing!
• Dr. Hauschka Moor Lavender Calming Bath Essence – great in a hot steaming bath, or if I don’t have time for a bath I put some in a sink full of hot water and use a muslin cloth to soothe my face and take a few deep breaths!
• Reading in bed – a good romance fiction novel always sends me off to the land of nod.

Francesca

As unglamorous as it sounds, ear plugs are my absolute go to. After extensive testing I’ve settled on Boots Muffle Wax Ear Plugs, they really do block out all but the most intensive snoring! I also keep a pot of Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath Oil next to my bed and just enjoy breathing it in as I’m settling down. As my mind can race in the middle of the night, I keep a pad and pen on my bedside table. That way if I wake up with what I think is a brilliant idea, I can jot it down and not stay awake worrying I will forget it. Finally, when my alarm goes off, the first thing I do is open the curtains and get as much natural light in as possible. Trying to wake up in a dark room is impossible for me and I start off really groggy!

Lizzie

Daily exercise (I often cycle to work), turning my laptop off early, warm shower or bath, drinking herbal tea and reading a novel.

When you’re getting baby to sleep…

Olivia

My biggest tip is definitely to be patient. You can try all the tricks in the book but sometimes nothing will seem to work.

Exhaustion and stress can make you do weird things and your baby can sense that you’re wound up so just take a step back, make a cuppa, and try again in ten minutes. Don’t try and rush putting baby to sleep because more than likely you’ll put them down before they’re ready and they’ll wake up straight away which means you have to start all over again.

Its trial and error but you’ll soon learn what your baby likes and how theycan be soothed to sleep. No quick fixes I’m afraid! But I’ll definitely be trying This Works Baby Sleep Pillow Spray for my son, Oscar.

I can also recommend getting a white noise app on your phone. Background noise can help create that womby feeling babies crave. The added bonus is the noise helps drown out some of the bizarre and LOUD noises babies make, meaning you can get a decent night’s sleep too. (Don’t worry, you’ll wake up if your baby is hungry – your senses are super heightened to respond to your baby when they need you. I fell asleep watching a really loud film and the explosions didn’t wake me but the sound of Oscar quietly whimpering for food did!)

We’d love to hear your tricks for getting to sleep, so please do share them with us!