Hey cats!
Recently a company called Leesa - who produce foam mattresses that are specially designed in order to give you the best quality sleep possible - got in touch with me asking if I'd like to get involved with an idea surrounding sleep goals, where you share your tips on how to get a good nights sleep. As someone who suffers with numerous health issues, all of which have affected my sleep at one time or another, I liked the whole idea and wanted to get on board! My tips are of course subjective and have built up from over 10 years of learning about what actually works for me; everyone is different and it's good to find what works for you, don't be disheartened if someone else's tips aren't quite the right fit for yourself. Hopefully you can at least find inspiration or something new to try out if you're struggling with sleep issues!
How I Get Better Sleep For A Healthier Lifestyle
- First things first you're going to need a good mattress and pillow, as someone who struggles to get comfy due to aches and pains I've made sure I have a memory foam mattress and pillow to make drifting off that much easier
- I also find it really helps to have the right number TOG quilt on, I used to have frequently disrupted sleep where I was waking up either too warm or too cold! While you're at it, treat yourself to some plush bedding to make bedtime seem more like a treat than a chore!
- I'm sure by now everyone has at least seen or heard of the word 'Hygge' which basically means getting yourself cosy, make your bedroom a safe haven and try some mood lighting or a lamp with a dimmer (I find this really useful as a frequent headache sufferer)
- Perhaps pop on a lovely scented candle whilst you read a book or have a bath, just make sure to blow it out before you sleep!
- I'm definitely a sucker for a good pillow spray, my favourites include Miaroma's Lavender Sleep Mist and Avon's Lavender & Chamomile Sleep Serenity Mist. Using an essential oil for relaxing aromatherapy before bed is also a winner for me, you can find plenty of Pinterest 'recipes' for sleep related essential oil blends
- Any kind of routine before bed is always useful, whether it's a skincare routine or the order in which you get ready for bed, the less your brain has to process then the more relaxed you'll be!
- I like to have a chamomile tea an hour or so before heading to bed to help get me relaxed, if I'm feeling under the weather I'll switch it up for a lemongrass & ginger tea with a teaspoon of manuka honey for good measure
- Often I'll take time to meditate whilst sat in bed, alternatively I'll use grounding techniques or visualisation with crystals (my favourite is cats eye for protection), I find this especially useful if my brain seems to be racing. It's truly incredible what a few long, deep breaths can do for you
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| Leesa were kind enough to send along this infographic with their own tips and tricks for good quality sleep, you can check them out here |
Sleep Tips When Dealing With Pain
All the above mentioned tips are still useful but here's a few extras I'll add in if I'm struggling with a migraine, illness or any kind of physical pain:- I try to take any evening medication at least an hour before bed as I don't want my body processing it whilst I'm trying to sleep and keeping me up in the meantime; with painkillers this also gives them time to kick in so that falling asleep is a tad bit easier
- I make sure not to eat too much close to bedtime as my stomach can get upset very easily. Lying horizontal with a full stomach isn't the key to relaxation, but then neither is going to bed hungry!
- When I'm not feeling my best I do the simple thing and listen to my body, if I'm tired I sleep, if I need to rest then I will. I also find it really important not to oversleep when I'm feeling fatigued as this can cause me to wake up feeling even more sluggish and 'headachey'
- Speaking of headaches/migraines, if I'm trying to sleep with one or the other and painkillers are doing nothing for me, I do a number of things: I take Feverfew tablets (a herbal remedy is much kinder than painkillers), I love listening to rain or nature sounds at a very low volume to soothe me, and my 4head stick becomes my best friend especially when applied to my neck
- A new product I'm a fan of is an eye pillow which, when rested across your eyes eases headache pressure, gives you total darkness and is also filled with lavender & linseed which works in an aromatherapeutic way to relax you
I hope you enjoyed reading about how I try and get the best quality sleep that I can and maybe you've picked up something useful along the way! Naturally it's not easy to keep a routine, sometimes it's just not possible and I'll flop into bed and straight to sleep but it's good to take control and do what you can; sleep is so important for both your mental and physical health. I'd love to work towards practicing bedtime yoga and waking up a little earlier but those are sleep goals to achieve in the year to come!
How do you make sure you get a good amount of sleep, or is there anything you could be doing to make more of a difference? Let's get chatting in the comments below!
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*I wasn't sent anything in exchange for this post, Leesa simply wrote to me with the idea for the post and provided a graphic for me to use within the post if I chose to, which I did. The header image and the rest of the post is my own.
*I wasn't sent anything in exchange for this post, Leesa simply wrote to me with the idea for the post and provided a graphic for me to use within the post if I chose to, which I did. The header image and the rest of the post is my own.
