Several factors contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. From diet to exercise, managing stress, and resting, the body requires a holistic approach to function at its best. One variable that is often overlooked is sleep.
Getting enough (and good quality) sleep is crucial when it comes to health and well-being. And there is so much more to sleep than feeling rested and energised the next day. Enough quality sleep supercharges the immune system, helps you maintain a healthy weight, reduces stress and improves mood, improves focus and mental clarity, and lowers the risk of developing long-term health problems like heart disease.
What is considered “enough” sleep? Eight hours per night is generally accepted as a good amount of sleep, but studies are indicating that nine to ten hours may be optimal, especially for women, who tend to need more sleep than men.
In reality, few of us sleep as much as we want to. Whether it’s due to stress, blue light, lifestyle, location, or a life stage (such as having a young baby), we may find ourselves getting less sleep than we need.
So what can be done? While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for better sleep, there are a few basic things that all of us can do to help prepare our minds and bodies for rest, create a serene atmosphere, and improve the quality of our sleep.
Set the mood
Setting up your bedroom for sleep is one of the most important things you can do to prepare your mind and body for a restful night, particularly if you’ve had a busy or stimulating day. Switch off devices like TVs, cellphones and wifi. Set the mood with sounds that calm and relax. The Relaxound Oceanbox is the ultimate bedtime (or any time, really!), treat. It plays gentle sounds of the ocean, allowing you to relax intuitively and drift off to sleep to the soothing sounds of the sea.
Switch off the main lights and harsh lamps, and instead, light a candle in your bedroom to set a peaceful mood and create a warm glow. The SKNLOGIC Body Candle is a great choice, as it’s free from synthetic and harmful ingredients, and doesn’t contain soy or paraffin wax. Once the soy-free wax has melted, it can be massaged into the skin like a body oil. It has a lovely fig scent that fills the room without the addition of harmful ingredients found in synthetic fragrances and petroleum-based wax.
Fill your bedroom with scent
Did you know that certain scents can help you unwind and relax? Essential oils like lavender and bergamot have sedative and relaxing properties, making them a popular choice for night-time products, such as candles, diffusers, and body products. About half an hour before you plan to go to bed, add a few drops of SOiL Sleep Blend Essential Oil to your SOiL Ultrasonic Diffuser and allow the scent to fill the room. The diffuser uses water to disperse the molecules of your chosen oil into the atmosphere via a fine mist. The Sleep Blend is perfect for night-time, as it comprises lavender, bergamot, vetiver, and sweet marjoram – the ideal sleep concoction.
Take a relaxing bath
A warm bath before bedtime can help relax your body and improve your sleep. This is because a warm bath helps lower your core body temperature, which is a natural signal for your body to prepare for sleep. To make the most of your bath time and help you completely relax, we recommend incorporating a self-care element in the form of pampering products.
A good quality, natural bubble bath like Earthsap Lavender & Juniper Berry Foam Bath helps ease tension and relax your mind, leaving your skin soft and supple, and your mind serene. Not into bubbles? Try Earthsap’s Milk & Honey Bath Soak instead. A relaxing blend of Epsom salts, soy milk, and honey, this natural bath salt is infused with gentle scents of lavender, peppermint, lemon, and orange to calm the senses and soothe a tired body.
An all-over body scrub and moisturising session might not put you to sleep, but this simple act of self-care will relax your body and help you feel more serene as you head off to bed. BodyLab’s Hyaluronic Complex + Exfoliating Salt Scrub is gentle yet effective in sloughing off dry and dead skin cells and stimulating blood flow. It has a delicate, fresh lavender scent, making it the perfect night-time treat. Gently scrub in circular motions, starting from the bottom of your body and moving up, towards the direction of your heart.
After your bath, moisturise your body with BodyLab’s Magnesium Body Lotion. Magnesium is a fantastic sleep aid, and this moisture-rich lotion has soothing, calming, and skin-softening effects.
For the little ones
If you have a baby or toddler at home, night-time rituals are a must for peaceful sleep. Much like us, babies and young children will also benefit from soft light, a warm bath and a gentle massage before bed.
Set the mood in baby’s bedroom by switching off the main light and switching on a dim night light. The Infantino Soothing Light Projector is a beautiful starry nightlight designed to soothe your little one to sleep. It comes with two modes: a starry projector and a calming night light. Each mode is accompanied by a diverse selection of lullabies. It features a built-in timer and an optional attachment for use with a crib or bedside table.
Relax baby’s body with a gentle massage after bath time. Sanosan Baby Care Lotion contains natural milk protein to soothe and care for baby’s skin. Gently massage the lotion into baby’s skin from head to toe for all-over relaxation. Prefer an oil formulation? SOiL’s Baby Massage Oil contains a gentle blend of chamomile, lavender and olive oil to keep baby’s skin moisturised and help relax colicky babies.
Once baby is ready for bed, they’ll probably need a pacifier to help soothe them to sleep. Vital Baby’s range of Soothers is super comfortable for babies and consists of 100% soft silicone for babies’ safety. The expertly designed teat is easy for babies to hold in their mouths, and it is taste and odour-free.
Quality sleep is a priority for the whole family, not just to maintain energy levels during the day, but also to keep everyone healthy and protected. These simple tips might be all you need to drift off a little bit easier, but should you struggle with your sleep for a prolonged period of time, it’s always best to consult your healthcare practitioner for advice.
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