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Sleep & relaxation
Support your sleep with tips, advice and product recommendations
Sleep & relaxation
Support your sleep with tips, advice and product recommendations
When it's dark at night, light-sensitive cells in our eyes send a message to our body clock to increase the production of the sleep promoting hormone, melatonin.
Take a slower approach in the morning and enjoy eating breakfast by the window. Getting a shot of early morning light (even if it's overcast) that can help reset your body clock. The light will make you feel more awake at the start of your day, which should help you feel sleepy at night.
Did you know that magnesium has a role in more than 300 chemical reactions around your body!? It's involved in many aspects of our wellness and is an essential mineral, which as been shown to both help people fall asleep and stay asleep longer.
Try adding calming magnesium infused bath salts or relaxing essential oils to a warm bath where you can begin your bedtime routine. Our body absorbs magnesium and works to relax muscles, perfect for winding down before a great night's sleep.
It isn't just coffee which may be ruining your sleep, caffeine of any kind can cause problems relating to sleep and relaxation. If you're having trouble nodding off, you may have to extend the caffeine curfew and avoid your teas and coffees after 4pm!
Ditch the caffeine before bed and swap to herbal tea. Instead of your regular brew - which may be hindering your sleep - try chamomile or passionflower, which are great alternatives and are widely known to help calm and aid relaxation.
Essential oils are known for their calming and relaxing properties, with lavender being a long-standing sleep remedy.
To wind down before sleep, pop some lavender oil in a diffuser, diluted into a warm bath, or even a few drops onto your pillow! If lavender isn't your thing, try chamomile oil, bergamot, cedarwood or even sage to get a good night of sleep!
The number of hours of sleep you need depends on how old you are.
So to help you figure out how much sleep you need exactly, check out this table from the National Sleep Foundation:
| Age range | Recommended hours of sleep | |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0-3 months old | 14-17 hours |
| Infant | 4-11 months old | 12-15 hours |
| Toddler | 1-2 years old | 11-14 hours |
| Preschool | 3-5 years old | 10-13 hours |
| School-age | 6-13 years old | 9-11 hours |
| Teen | 14-17 years old | 8-10 hours |
| Young adult | 18-25 years old | 7-9 hours |
| Adult | 26-64 years old | 7-9 hours |
| Older adult | 65 or more years old | 7-8 hours |
Everyone knows the importance of sleep, but we don’t always fall asleep in the best positions.
And generally, we can tell when we wake up.
Here are some of the best positions to fall asleep in and why:
- The fetal position – may help with heartburn, reduce snoring and minimise sleep disturbances
- Sleeping on your left side – may help with back pain, reduce snoring, improve your gut health, improve brain health and aid you in a healthy pregnancy
- Sleeping on your stomach – may help with conditions like sleep apnea
- Sleeping flat on your back – may cause less spinal pain, reduce facial breakouts you’re your pillows and help with acid reflux
When we sleep, we allow our bodies to rest and recuperate.
That cut on your leg from falling over? Most of the healing process will occur while we sleep.
In fact, sleep has an effect on all of our body systems and tissues, including cell repair, muscles, the immune system and the cardiovascular system.
A good nights sleep is also important when it comes to relationships with your friends and family. Bad sleep could be ruining relationships.
A 2013 study by the University of California analysed the sleep diaries of 75 people in relationships and reported that those who slept poorly were more likely to argue the next day.
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