Between alarmist headlines, the economy and the hours spent in front of a glowing screen, most of us are finding getting a good night sleep increasingly harder.
Life is already pretty hard, but the uncertainty that came with the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic fueled (and continues to fuel) our anxiety. One of the most important things that suffer when we experience stress is our sleep patterns. Some of us can’t sleep at all; others wake up still tired even after a full night in Morfeo’s arms.
We can’t take the stress away from you, but we can give you the tools to make your nights better. Here you’ll find a few things that will help you fall asleep and (finally) feel restored.
Listen to a soothing podcast before bed
There are a lot of podcasts created to help people sleep – like Sleep with me by Drew Ackerman, for example – but each person finds different types of voices soothing. Some swear on the effectiveness of Stephen Fry’s voice; others would listen to a Scottish accent for hours. One thing is certain: podcasts are better than white noise because they give your brain something to focus on instead of concentrating on the worries in your head but not important enough to prevent you from falling asleep.
Leave all devices out of your room
The addiction we all have to social media is real and, if you haven’t already, we suggest you check out Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma to see what those platforms do to our brains. We are not suggesting you delete your Instagram account – we didn’t, actually, follow us! – but making sure you stop looking at a screen thirty minutes to an hour before going to bed could really help your brain switch off and, consequently, have a better night sleep.
Use natural oils
It seems like an easy remedy but, if used well, natural oils can solve a lot of superficial problems that bug our everyday life. When it comes to sleep, the best thing you can start using is lavender oil: just put a few drops on your pillow before going to bed, and the aroma will do the rest. Not a fan of lavender? No problem! Chamomile, Valerian or Jasmin oils will do the trick just as well.
Create a relaxing night routine
Creating a soothing nighttime routine can be a real game-changer when it comes to improving the quality of your sleep. Make sure you finish your day doing something for you, it could be read for an hour, spend twenty minutes under a hot shower, meditating or just stare at the sky in silence for a while. If you know you can do something to relax, you should allow yourself to do it. Too often we think doing something that seems unproductive is a waste of time. Sometimes, it’s the unproductive moments in our day that keep us afloat.
Try a weighted blanket
Weighted blankets have been proven to help against anxiety and depression but also insomnia. The Journal of Sleep Medicine & Disorders studies proved that weighted blankets had a positive impact on sleep and that the participants had better and calmer nights when using one. If you have experience difficulty to sleep for a long time, you might like to give it a try.
Give Kundalini yoga a go
Kundalini is a very peculiar type of yoga and it’s not for everybody but it’s definitely worth a try. Try during the day at first to see how your body reacts to the breathing exercises and see if this could be the right solution for you. Pretty Slow editor, Alessia Armenise, swears by it but some people hate it so make sure you start with a beginners class.
Have an early dinner
Digestion is pretty hard on our body so (sorry to say it), if you want to sleep well, you might have to stop snacking in front of Queer Eye at midnight (maybe you can read Antoni in the Kitchen instead). Try to not eat after eight o’clock and limit your pre-bed snacks to a nice, hot cup of tea.
Lead image: Cottonbro
