We’ve all been there, lying awake in the middle of the night, with the minutes slowly ticking past, feeling completely exhausted and yet still unable to sleep. There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to catch 40 winks, but luckily, there are some clever sleeping techniques that you can implement that will have you heading to the land of nod in no time at all.
We’ve compiled a handy list of tips to sleep better at night; from breathing exercises to scented eye mask and even methods of feng shui. Let the ZZZs commence.
1. Create a Wind Down Routine
One of the best things to help you sleep is creating a solid wind-down routine. While bathtime and storybooks may seem like the stuff of childhood, there’s a reason they are so popular when trying to get the little ones off. Improve sleep quality by starting your bedtime routine at least an hour before you want to sleep. Run yourself a warm (but not too hot) bath and try to do some light stretches. Once in the bedroom, it’s important to keep the lighting low and electronic devices out of reach
2. Invest in Good Quality Bedding
One of our number one tips to sleep better at night is to invest in good quality bedding. Elizabeth Scarlett’s 100% cotton sateen sheets are created with a 300 thread count, ensuring the ultimate softness. Made from natural fibres, the luxury sheets are breathable, allowing your body temperature to self-regulate – perfect for those summer heatwaves. And while it’s key to keep cool, it’s also important that you don’t get too cold in the winter; improve sleep quality by investing in a cosy quilt, which can be added as an extra layer.
3. Create a Welcoming Bedroom Environment
One of the best ways to sleep better is to spend some time creating a warm and welcoming bedroom environment. Ditch the bright colours and instead deck out your room in neutral tones that are easy on the eye. While you may be working from home, it’s important to create separation between work and rest; if possible place your desk outside of your room and make sure work-related items are packed away. Another one of our sleeping tips is to keep the space cosy by adding luxurious Elizabeth Scarlett velvet cushions; perfect for propping yourself up for reading.
4. Move your Body
One of the most obvious answers to how to sleep better is simply to get yourself moving in the daytime. It’s important to stimulate both your brain and your body, and with just one hour of exercise a day, you could halve the time it takes you to fall asleep. However, be wary when it comes to late-night movement – you don’t want to be getting ready for bed when you still have exercise-induced hormones such as adrenaline and epinephrine pumping through your body.
5. Ditch the Caffeine and Alcohol
It seems so simple, but ditching caffeine and alcohol is one of the easiest things to help you sleep. Caffeine can stay in your blood for up to eight hours, so it’s best to avoid any coffee or fizzy drinks in the afternoon. That doesn’t mean, however, you should replace that Coca-Cola with a glass of wine – alcohol can reduce nighttime melatonin production, which in turn can scupper any hope of a peaceful rest. Plus, a night of sobriety will leave you waking up refreshed, instead of foggy and reaching for the paracetamol.
6. Wear an Eye Mask
And finally, one of our favourite tips to sleep better at night is to cover those peepers with a luxury Elizabeth Scarlett Eye Mask. Block out any excess light and signal to your body that it’s time to sleep by pulling down the velvet mask. Better yet? Our collection of masks are lavender-scented, an aroma that has been proven to improve sleep quality. For the best sleeping technique, your mask should fit not too tightly and remian comfortable no matter which position you sleep in.
Hopefully, with these tips to sleep better at night, counting sheep until the early hours will soon become a thing of the past. Now you’re clued up on how to sleep better, all that’s left for us to do is wish you sweet dreams and a goodnight.
