Are you tired of tossing and turning in bed without being able to sleep? Here are 5 habits we recommend to getting a good night's sleep.
1. Invest in great bedwear
Yes, great bedding can absolutely help you sleep. Some things that have been shown to promote better sleep are weighted blankets, lumbar pillows or even certain sheets.
Weighted blankets are not only cuddly and delicious, but have also been proven to promote a good night's sleep. This is one of the reasons why their popularity has been on the rise. By putting weight on top of you, your body feels safe and secure and you may be able to sleep deeper and longer.
Weighted blankets also encourage your body to produce oxytocin, which relieves pain, stress, and depression while giving a boost to your immune system. This is why weighted blankets are known to help with insomnia. Weighted blankets may also help limit movement, thereby helping you sleep longer.
Weighted blankets come in many different weights. Most experts recommend picking one that weighs 10% of your body’s weight. For example, if you weigh 200lb, a 20lb blanket should be perfect for you. Our Crystal Weighted Blankets currently come in 10, 15, 20, and 35lbs.
A great pillow may also help you feel more relaxed, have a better spine posture and achieve a better sleep. Whether you use it on your spine or between your legs, a lumbar pillow will help you relax and relieve pressure off your joints. Ours are filled with plush memory foam with a soft cover that feels amazing on your body.
Finally don’t forget to get a breathable duvet cover, soft and thermoregulating sheets and soft, comfy pajamas. All these accessories will contribute to a more relaxing state of mind and deeper, more restful sleep.
2. Turn off your phone
This may seem as an obvious one but the truth is that most of us simply don’t follow this. The National Sleep Foundation recommends disconnecting and leaving all electronic devices at least 30 minutes before going to sleep. Artificial blue lights, found in most screens, may trick our brain into not producing melatonin and thus disrupting our precious sleep cycle.
Besides, leaving electronic devices turned on at night can disrupt our sleep cycle by sounding or vibrating, or with those pesky notifications on the screen. Not to mention all the unnecessary anxiety that these pop-ups may produce.
So, if better sleep is the goal, don’t keep your cell phone on and on the nightstand. Turn it off and/or keep it in another room.
Photo Credit: picjumbo.com
3. Reduce caffeine intake after noon
We love coffee, but we have to be careful when we drink it. It’s been proven that consuming caffeine in the afternoon, especially later in the afternoon, may keep you from sleeping at night.
Also, try not to depend on melatonin or other sleep aids as these too may disrupt your sleep cycle. It’s common to drink various cups of coffee during the day only to toss and turn at night and have to resort to melatonin or other sleep aids. This creates an unnatural cycle and it doesn’t yield the true rest that your body needs.
Photo Credit: Porapak Apichodilok
4. Create a bedtime routine
A bedtime routine is key to getting a good night’s sleep. Start by being consistent: try to sleep and wake around the same time everyday to help your body know when is time to relax. You can also do a relaxing task (or tasks) that help you unwind. These may include a nighttime beauty routine, drinking a cup of herbal tea, listening to slow-tempo music, meditating, reading or even journaling.
Last, put on the right gear for bed. This may be some soft loungewear such as a relaxed pullover, a lazy jogger, or lounge leggings. Or, if you want to feel extra fancy, you can opt for a washable silk dress or cami with a kimono. And top it off with a sleep mask. Darkness has been proven to provide better sleep.
5. Meditation and mindfulness
Practicing meditation and mindfulness throughout the day is proven to help you achieve a good night’s sleep. Using a comfy but sturdy meditation pillow can help deepen your practice. Meditating once a day, even if just for 10 minutes, has been proven to not only help your sleep but also other aspects in your brain function and life. If sitting meditation is hard for you, try meditating under a weighted blanket or lying on top of a bolster pillow.
Happy sleeping!