How To Get The Best Nights Sleep

When you know you have to get up early tomorrow, or you’ve had a really, really long day, there’s nothing worse than snuggling up beneath your duvet only to find yourself tossing and turning into the early hours of the morning. To help you get a peaceful night’s sleep, we’ve asked some of our brands to share their top tips for relaxing your body and mind so that you wake up feeling energised without the need to reach for that morning cup of coffee.

1. The easiest way to stay relaxed during the day

It might sound a little silly, but if you want to make sure you get a good night’s sleep, you can actually start getting ready for bed throughout the day. Not quite getting into your pyjamas ready, but getting in the right mindset ready.  We’re so good at keeping ourselves busy ‘doing’ throughout the day that by the time we settle into bed our minds are still figuring out what we should do next. To let your mind relax, the best thing we can do is simply be for a few minutes each day.

“Listening to your body and choosing products that meet your needs at that time can add to the sensory, nurturing experience. Whether you ease your mind and body with relaxing lavender, or revitalise yourself with Sicilian lemons, make time for yourself and step out of ‘doing’ into ‘being’ for a few minutes each day.”

– Dr Nina Watson (Clinical Psychologist, Massage Therapist, Mindfulness Meditation teacher and Wellbeing Advisor at Weleda)

2. How to relax when you get home

The temptation to kick off your shoes and slouch down in front of the telly when you get home is a hard one to resist.  If you can’t motivate yourself to head to the gym or catch a yoga class – exercise is a great way to improve your sleep! – there are better alternatives to help you unwind that are much more likely to help you drift off at bedtime.  Instead of tuning out to your favourite box set, try creating your own simple foot bath or applying a face mask to get that spa-like feel in the comfort of your own home.

“When you come in from work or following a busy day, take 20 minutes and bathe your feet in a grounding bath essence – all you need is a capful in your foot basin.  This is a total ‘balancer’ for body and mind. In busy life, we are encouraged to breath more into the belly and not to hold so much tension in the upper body, this therapeutic home treatment will do just that, so take a breath!

– Tara O’Rourke (Skincare Trainer at Dr. Hauschka)

“The best way to relax includes my favourite face mask, a big cup of tea and a captivating book!”

– Isaure Fanton (Senior Digital Marketing Executive at NUXE)

3. Getting ready for bed

If it’s getting closer to the witching hour and you haven’t managed to catch those few precious moments of quiet during the day, there are still ways you can get a better night’s sleep.  One is much harder than it sounds, but we really recommend you try it!  If you can, turn off your computer, phone, television etc. at least an hour before you go to bed and leave electronic devises in a different room. This will help you properly switch off, as you’re not constantly on call!

“Always make sure that you have some peaceful time for at least an hour before sleep and remove all electronic devices from your bedroom. The sales of old fashioned alarm clocks are on the increase as people realise that keeping your phone by your bed can often be distracting and reduce the quality of sleep.”

– Louise Riby (Managing Director at Elemental Herbology)

But what to do with that extra device-free hour? We recommend using it to take a long, relaxing bath and use those indulgent essential oils you’ve been saving for a special occasion or embracing your inner child by following a simple routine, like tucking yourself into bed with a good book.

“Studies have shown a bath before bed is proven to help promote a good night’s sleep. Your body temperature naturally dips at night, as a signal to fall asleep. Raising it with a soak in a hot bath, infused with a calming, aromatherapy bath oil, accelerates the cool-down period, relaxing you and sending you off to sleep more quickly.”

– Charlotte Parker (Digital Marketing Manager at Tisserand)

4. Create the perfect atmosphere

Getting the atmosphere right in your bedroom is one of the best ways to get a good night’s sleep.  Temperature is incredibly important – if you’re too hot, you’ll feel irritable but equally you don’t want to be shivering beneath the sheets! Once you’re comfortable (warm body, cool head), take the time to scan your body, relaxing each part as you get to it, until you gently drift away.

“Leave your window slightly open to let air circulate the room, keep central heating off in bedroom and if feeling the cold, best to layer up on the bed covers.”

– Tara O’Rourke (Skincare Trainer at Dr. Hauschka)

“I’m really interested in the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. My evening routine often includes a 30 minute ‘full body scan’ before bed. This really centres you and was taught to me by the amazing Tessa Watt.”

– Jessica Jones (Founder at Birch & Brook)

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