Tips for Getting A Better Night’s Sleep

Today, I am going to be speaking to you guys all about sleep. Up until about a year ago, I had no issues when it came to sleep. Every night when I went to bed, as soon as my head hit the pillow, I would be snoozing like a baby. Then BAM. Mental health came and screwed everything up and all of a sudden sleep was a thing of the past. I was the stuck in a vicious circle.

 

 

I was tired, cranky and craving a good night’s sleep, which never came. So, I began to take steps to ensure that I was getting the best night sleep that I could given the circumstances. In this post, I am going to share with you guys how I get a better night’s sleep.

 

Get off tech before bed.

Like so many people in this day and age, I am often guilty of laying in bed on my phone. I know that it is terrible for your mind and mental health, but in this day and age it is just the norm. But when I am going through a hard time and I need a better night’s sleep, I put the phone away long before bed. My phone is set to auto-brightness and goes into dark mode as the sun goes down. I then make sure that I put my phone down a minimum of two hours before I am going to try and sleep at night.

 

I spend time mapping out my following morning.

When I can’t sleep at night, I often find that it is anxiety. I will be laid in bed thinking about everything that I need to do and what is going to consume me the following day. So sometimes I will sit in bed with my notepad and write out everything that I have spinning through my mind. Whether that is just changing the bedding, washing the dog’s dinner bowls, calling somebody for work. I unload everything that I am thinking about onto paper, and I feel so much better. I can then lay in bed (almost) anxiety free.

 

Have a nice hot shower.

I am a lover of cold showers. People think I am crazy, but I love nothing more than stepping under an icy shower. Many years ago, somebody told me that a cold shower was good for my mental health, similar to how people take ice baths. So, I implemented it into my everyday life and quickly fell in love with it. But, there is something soothing and relaxing about stepping under a warm shower before crawling into bed at night. The steam in the shower alone makes me feel cosy and all I want to do is crawl into my lovely, warm bed.

 

Cut the caffeine early.

Generally speaking, I don’t have much caffeine in my daily routine. I have been sworn off tea and coffee for the best part of 2 years now. Plus, I avoid energy drinks like the plague. However when I am struggling with a lack of sleep, I make sure that I cut all forms of caffeine from my diet. Whether that is just the odd diet Coke, chocolate or anything else that has trace amounts. I know it is pretty extreme, but I found that it really helped me and I also feel better when I do this.  

 

Have a pamper before bed.

To try and get me in the mood to relax and decompress, I love to have a pamper before bed. I will do my entire 15-step skincare routine and do some simply body massage. I tend to spend around 20 minutes in my bathroom, listening to music, looking after myself and by the time I get into bed, I feel like a new woman. I often find that it is the small things that make a difference. Plus, the soothing moves of the skincare routine help me zone out and I find it generally very therapeutic.

 

If anybody out there is also struggling with getting a good night’s sleep, please know that I sympathize. I am now sleeping so much better, and I feel better in so many different ways because of that. For me, I know that my mental health plays such a big part in it. When I am in a good place, I sleep like a baby. When I’m riding the wave, my sleep is the first thing that is thrown out of the window. But I do know that when I am struggling to sleep, these things do help me immeasurably. I would love to hear from you guys on this. Have you ever struggled to get a good night’s sleep? If so, have you got any tips and tricks for getting a better nights sleep?