Sleep Better! My Methods for Better Sleep!

If you are familiar with insomnia or sleep problems, you feel deterioration of well-being and a decrease in immunity, this post is just for you.

 

Problems with sleep begin when: 

1. You can’t fall asleep, so it when you go to bed it takes you a few hours before you finally fall into slumber. And in the morning you wake up tired, with a headache, and you just want to sleep more…
2. You fall asleep right away, but you sleep briefly and wake up very early in the morning.
3. You fall asleep easily, but in the middle of the night you wake up and later you can’t sleep until morning.
4. You have a light, restless sleep, you are in a state of the so-called wakefulness and don’t fall into a deep sleep. You constantly feel the need to do all sorts of things, e.g. go to the toilet.
5. You can’t sleep all night and you are exhausted in the morning. Then it results in the desire to take naps during the day.

 

How to improve the quality of sleep?

Since lots of people suffer nowadays from chronic sleep problems, I would like to focus on simple, proven methods for improving it. I have written more on the subject HERE.

Many of you try to help yourself with large amounts of coffee, energy drinks, carbohydrates, or various functional foods. However, there is an easier and … cheaper option: SLEEP 🙂

Research results indicate that people who lack adequate sleep have an increase in ghrelin (the hormone responsible for hunger) as well as a lower level of leptin (the so-called satiety hormone). Such people look for high-calorie products in their diet, especially those with a high amount of simple sugars.

Another consequence of sleepless nights is an increase in the level of cortisol (stress hormone), which in turn leads to the accumulation of fat, e.g. around the waist. 

 

 

MY TIPS FOR YOU:

1. Take care of the right room temperature, ventilate the bedroom before bedtime. The optimal temperature in the bedroom during sleep is between 16 and 19 ° C, it will allow you to wake up more easily, which will directly affect a higher level of energy during the day. When room temperature is too high at night, it causes a problem with waking up, leads to lethargy and lack of energy at the beginning of your day. It all results from melatonin level disorders and an increase in cortisol levels in the body. And as you already know, an increase in cortisol boosts appetite and the occurrence of e.g. depression.

2. Get yourself a good pillow. I recommend BLACKROLL® RECOVERY PILLOW. Its ergonomic shape, high quality material and pioneering production technology will ensure you a healthy and comfortable sleep. I believe that its big advantage are the ventilation ducts, which drain moisture, regulate air flow, and this increases comfort during sleep. In addition, you can take the pillow with you on a journey, because it is lightweight and you can easily fold it into a smaller shape. Its interior is filled with memory foam with a specially shaped neck arch and a hollow for the head. Such a seemingly simple thing as a pillow can provide you with better recovery, which will in turn positively affect your hormonal balance and optimal energy levels during the day.

 

 

3. Use natural products: I recommend essential oils, e.g. lavender. We are now rediscovering its beneficial effect on health! 

It leads to:

• reduction in anxiety and emotional stress,
• better healing of burns and wounds,
• improvement in sleep quality,
• improvement in the condition of your complexion (it is considered a good antidote for acne lesions),
• slowing down the aging process thanks to antioxidants,
• relief in migraine headaches.

The Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine published the results of studies on people struggling with insomnia. The results turned out to be surprisingly good! It has been shown that lavender oil can lead to improved sleep quality by up to 60%. Including the length of sleep, the time it takes to fall asleep, rest and reduction of insomnia symptoms. If you want to improve the quality of your sleep, spray lavender oil in the bedroom just before falling asleep. You can also rub it into the neck, chest and temples. Personally, I use it in the form of an aerosol spray used on bedding (it is mandatory to ventilate the bedroom beforehand!).

If you find it difficult to fall asleep, combine lavender oil with chamomile and magnesium oil. In addition, drink a  mixture of lemon balm before bedtime! What else can you do to relax before bed? Add 15 drops of lavender oil and one cup of magnesium sulfate to your bath. It’s another great way to relax your body 🙂

4. Consider using pine oil. It has warming properties, improves immunity and is especially recommended for people suffering from recurrent sinusitis. Inhaling or adding a few drops of this oil to air humidifiers, can help you enjoy a good sleep.

5. Use air humidifiers. Air humidity in your home should be between 40% and 60%. To maintain it at an optimal level, especially in the autumn and winter (heating) period, it is a good idea to use humidifiers. Otherwise, you may suffer from problems with sinuses or breathing. You will also notice increased thirst and a decrease in immunity.

 

 

6. If these tips do not work, you may also consider using adaptogens, such as Ashwaghanda (which you can buy in my store Foods by Ann).

7. Recently, orange glasses have been gaining popularity. They’re also called blue blocker due to the filter they contain which absorbs blue light. Together with my husband, we use such glasses for about 1-2 hours before bedtime. It was not easy to get used to them, but the proven positive effect on sleep and regeneration won, and once we’ve overcome the initial difficulties, we can now enjoy a much better quality of sleep. How does blue light affect eye health? Blue light tires your eyes. You can feel it after a few hours of using the computer. Scientific studies show that excessive exposure to blue light can lead to dryness, retinal damage, and cataract development. Therefore, its limitation (e.g. using glasses blocking this light) will protect your eyes.

 

 

8. Acupressure mat and wooden foot acupressure mats. 

Acupressure does have a positive effect on all aspects and stages of preparation to sleep and its course. You will fall asleep faster and enter into a deep phase. It will eliminate anxiety and provide better regeneration. You will get up refreshed and full of energy for the whole day ahead 🙂

 

 

9. There is one more way! Nasal insert which improves breathing. Sleeping with an overlay is not easy and, unfortunately, I couldn’t get used to it, unlike my husband who tries it and experienced positive changes. However, I must admit that it is uncomfortable. This solution is recommended primarily for people who snore or have shallow breathing.

10. Try to go to sleep and get up at fixed times. The body regenerates best physically between 20:00 and 2:00 at night, and mentally between 2:00 and 6:00 in the morning – so it’s best to go to sleep around 22.00. According to numerous studies, we should slow down from 18:00 until 19:00. It is time to prepare for sleep…

11. Read a book before bed and drink lemon balm. A moment just for yourself, a moment of relaxation and quietness, can help you sleep better.

12. Make sure the bedroom is dark (blinds, curtains) and cool – do not overheat the room.

 

 

13. Pay attention to the bedding you have in your bedroom, whether it is made of cotton or artificial materials. Some people refresh their bedding too rarely and it’s a good idea to change it once a week.

14. Get rid of the TV and computer from the bedroom. These types of equipment generate an electromagnetic field, which affects, among others for insomnia, headaches and hormone levels in our body. The light that reaches your eyes from the TV screen or laptop is a signal for the brain to inhibit the release of melatonin which regulates the daily sleep cycle and you may wake up at night. Such shallow, intermittent sleep contributes to a weaker mental and physical condition the next day.

15. Cover all LEDs (e.g. from light switch). Turn off your phone at night.

16. Do not use a telephone or a computer half an hour before bedtime, turn off the TV.

 

 

17. Make sure you have a good mattress (we have one that adapts to the body position).

18. It is worth considering pillows with grains, husks, herbs or sea salt. Natural pillows will help you to draw on all the richness of nature, they are safe, they provide excellent support for the head and neck, and thanks to that we feel relaxed in the morning. They are sewn using the highest quality natural and certified materials such as linen and cotton. This unusual composition perfectly soothes the nerves, provides thermoregulation and blends well with the body to provide the best possible sleep. In natural cushions you can find organic husks from Polish crops that are free from pesticides and chemicals. Falling asleep you will hear a delicate rustling of moving scales that will soothe your nerves, help you fall asleep and make you feel at ease with nature.

 

 

19. Do not forget that your diet also affects the quality of sleep. It is worth using products rich in tryptophan. It participates, among others, in the production of melatonin which is responsible for regulating the circadian rhythm of the body. It is a good idea to include, for example, wholesome lean meat and fish protein in your last meal. This amino acid can also be found in dairy products as well as in spirulina, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, and eggs. You can e.g. prepare porridge with kiwi and cherries.

As you can see, your sleep is influenced by many factors! I hope that thanks to those tips you will find your way to improve its quality. Good sleep means proper regeneration which strengthens your immunity. if you are a physically active person, you will also feel the positive effect of the right amount of sleep because it will result in better sports performance. And have you heard that your face says it all? Take care of your sleep and your body will thank you with a beautiful, radiant complexion 🙂

Good night 🙂