Long working hours, social commitments, cooking meals, workout regimes and hobbies can all eat up the hours in our day. So it's obvious that something has to give sometimes, and often that is the amount of hours we sleep. There's nothing better than having a nice lie in on a day off! But sometimes it can be hard to fit in the recommended 8 hours of sleep, especially with our hectic lives nowadays.
Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. Your body needs to rest for it to repair, especially if you're working hard at the gym. So if you're feeling really tired, it's often best to give into your body and get a good night's rest. Even if that means missing that workout or turning down a party invitation, because it's likely that you will feel much worse if you don't.
Some people struggle to get enough sleep, or even just getting to sleep is hard because they've got so much to think about.
Here's a few tips to help you get a sleep that your body will love you for!
1. Set a regular bedtime. Go to bed at the same time every night. Try not to break this routine on weekends when it may be tempting to stay up late.
2. Wake up at the same time every day. If you’re getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm. If you need an alarm clock to wake up on time, you may need to set an earlier bedtime. As with your bedtime, try to maintain your regular wake-time even on weekends. But we do understand we need the odd lie in now and again!
3. Relax before bed. Try to leave time for unwinding before bed. Try reading, listening to music, or meditating as part of your bedtime ritual.
4. Take a hot bath before bed. And drink your Bedtime Cleanse tea too! The drop in body temperature after getting out of the bath can help you feel sleepy, and the bath can help you relax and slow down so you're more ready to sleep.
5. Don't lie in bed awake. If you find yourself still awake after staying in bed for more than 20 minutes or if you are starting to feel anxious or worried, get up and do some relaxing activity until you feel sleepy such as reading, writing down your worries, listening to music. The anxiety of not being able to sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.
6. Avoid caffeine and nicotine before bed. Try not to consume these things before bed as they are stimulants so take a while to wear off. Try to opt for decaf drinks after 4pm so that it won't affect your sleep.
7. Steer clear of alcohol before bed. Although alcohol can help you relax, it robs you of deep sleep and 'REM' sleep, keeping you in the lighter stages of sleep so that your quality of sleep isn't as good.
So make sleep a priority and we promise you will feel much better, less cranky and your body will be full of energy to work out for the body you want!
Love
The Bootea Team xx