One of the best things we can do to maintain a healthy body and mind is having a restful sleep each night. Good sleep hygiene (the medical term for good habits before and during sleep) has the potential to dramatically affect the way we function at work, regulate our emotions, and keep our immune systems healthy. Unfortunately, despite the importance of sleep, between 33-45% of Australian adults experience inadequate sleep on a nightly basis.
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To celebrate World Sleep Day and help you to wake up feeling rested, we have put together a list of healthy habits and our favourite products that can improve the quantity and quality of your sleep.
Important tip: While good sleep hygiene will help most people, if you are still having trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, or waking up in the morning, have a chat with your doctor to find out what could be going on.
1. Create a restful space to fall asleep and wake up in
A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful message to your brain that it’s time to wind down and go to sleep. Small changes to your environment can make a big difference in the quality of your sleep. To fall asleep easily and wake up feeling rested you should ideally make your bedroom quiet and dark with comfortable bedding and good temperature control.
Bring the term ‘beauty sleep’ to life while avoiding the harsh morning light by wearing one of Slip’s Pure Silk Sleep Masks. Made from high-grade mulberry silk, this luxurious mask protects the delicate skin around your eye area, doesn’t tug on hair and is non-absorbent so safe to place over freshly applied eye cream. $55.00
Fall asleep wrapped in Bed Threads’ breathable, 100% french linen sheets that are coloured with eco-friendly dyes and made without chemical softeners. With a range of sizes, sets and colours available, you’re sure to make falling asleep that much dreamier.
Formulated to evoke the fragrant breezes of the Australian countryside, Koala’s Eco Natural Room Spray will invigorate even the sleepiest among us each morning with the bright aroma of pink grapefruit and peppermint. $16.95
2. Remember what beds are for
Our brains and bodies love finding patterns in our behaviour (whether we consciously want them to or not). By limiting the time we spend in bed and only using it for sleep and intimacy, the association between them becomes stronger. This means no more watching tv, reading, eating or working between the sheets.
The most important thing to avoid doing in bed is looking at a phone screen. Blue light slows the production of melatonin (the hormone your body relies on to know when to sleep and wake up) and can overstimulate your brain even if you feel tired. We recommend not looking at your phone for at least thirty minutes before bed and leaving it out of reach during the night.
With all the time you’ll be spending out of bed, investing in some comfortable loungewear or pyjamas you can show off is only fair. We love the sets from Canadian brand, Kotn. Made out of soft Egyptian cotton, Kotn prides itself on making comfortable clothing while giving back to the communities that produce their materials. So far Kotn has built and funds seven schools in rural Egypt, and provides resources to the farmers and their families living there. We love their cosy 5th anniversary sweater with an embroidered front and fleecy inside that gets softer with every wash. $96.00
3. Develop a pre-sleep routine
Having a relaxing bath or shower before bed is a great habit to build for healthy sleep hygiene. The increase in body temperature will help calm any stresses of the day while the drop in body temperature afterwards will cause sleepiness. Showers and baths are also the perfect activity to plan a skin and hair care routine around. As we said before, creating a routine your brain can associate with sleep is so important in encouraging restful sleep.
To start winding down in the evenings we love lighting the gorgeous new Glasshouse Fragrances Ode to Women Candle. With its calming lavender, sweet honey and candied citrus scent you’ll be relaxed and ready for bed in no time. $54.95
Add some glamour to your bathroom counter and teeth brushing routine with LOVEBYT’s Botanical Mouthwash made with Australian peppermint oil, fresh mint and xylitol. Formulated to boost immune support, reduce inflammation, dry mouth and odour causing bacteria all without nasty chemicals, LOVEBYT’s Botannical Mouthwash will give you one more reason to smile each day. $24.95
Styling tools, air conditioning and changes in temperature can all wreak havoc on healthy hair which is why we’re such fans of PUMP Haircare’s Growth Mask. With a vegan and sulfate free formula that strengthens hair, encourages growth and reduces split ends, we love applying the Growth Mask through the mid-lengths to the ends of our hair before bed for an intense overnight treatment. $43.95
Recreation Beauty’s lightweight, fast-absorbing and non-greasy Glow Queen Glow serum oil for face, body and hair is a night routine game changer. Leave it in your hair overnight for some deep conditioning or apply it in the morning for instant shine. Apply it to stretch marks or scars to reduce redness and increase blood flow and collagen production, or apply it to the face for an overnight moisture boost that will plump fine lines while reducing acne and inflammation. $68.00
Smooth, firm and plump tired under-eye skin with BYBI Beauty’s Eye Plump Overnight Eye Cream. Broccoli seed oil, hyaluronic acid and bakuchiol (a natural alternative to retinol) work together in this concentrated formula to regulate and replenish moisture and reduce the appearance of fine lines and texture. All you have to do is massage it in and fall asleep. $35.00
With winter fast approaching, maintain your summer glow with St.Tropez Self Tan Purity Vitamins Bronzing Water Face Serum. Enriched with vitamins to brighten and hydrate the face while adding a healthy glow that develops over six hours, this serum will leave you looking forward to starting each day with a glowing complexion. $34.99
4. Maintain healthy habits throughout the day time
Eating well and exercising are super important for feeling our best but too much, too close to bedtime can overstimulate the brain and body leading to a restless night’s sleep. Try to avoid strenuous exercise in the four hours before sleep and limit your alcohol, caffeine and nicotine consumption. While some people find falling asleep with an empty stomach to be distracting, others find eating too close to bedtime can leave them wide awake or uncomfortable. It is important to listen to your body and know what feels best for you.
One of our favourite supplement producers, The Beauty Chef has formulated a bio-fermented, glow-boosting powder specifically to help you relax and sleep well. The Sleep Inner Beauty Essential supplement is packed with passionflower and lemon balm that has been used in herbal medicine to treat mild anxiety and encourage good sleep. It can be enjoyed cold or warm and mixed with water or your chosen milk type to promote gut health and glowing skin. Flavoured with turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, bitter cherry and cloves, the Sleep Inner Beauty Essential supplement reminds us of a soothing chai or turmeric latte. $55.00
New Zealand based health tonic label, No Ugly has recently released their much-anticipated Sleep blend to help combat the negative side effects of prolonged bad sleep like brain fog, heart disease, stress and a weakened immune system. Like Beauty Chef’s blend, No Ugly Sleep is formulated with lemon balm, bitter cherry and passionflower with the added benefits of chamomile, Vitamin D and magnesium to regulate melatonin and encourage deeper sleep. Available in lots of 12, 24 and 48 bottles, No Ugly Sleep is perfect for every night or every once in a while. $49.99, $89.00, $169.00.
Important tip: Supplements can interact negatively with some medications. If you are taking medication regularly it is a good idea to ask your prescribing doctor if the supplement you want to try is safe.
5. Try to limit naps
Working from home can make separating home life from our jobs pretty difficult. One bad habit a lot of us have fallen into during lockdown is taking naps. Not only does this confuse our brains by disrupting our circadian rhythms, it also reduces productivity and our ability to sleep at night. If you’re finding you have to nap, try to make sure they are only 20-30 minutes and happen before 3pm.
Instead of napping, doing something non-taxing you enjoy can relax and rejuvenate your mind and body without leaving that groggy post-nap feeling. Listening to a guided meditation, drinking non-caffeinated tea or giving your face a massage are great ways to rest without sleeping.
Regularly using a massage tool like La Mav’s Ayurvedic Kansa Wand or Ere Perez’s Quartz Sculpt and Lift Face Stone can encourage lymphatic drainage, reduce puffiness and stimulate collagen production for bouncy, glowing skin.
Founded by Australian pathologist, Dr Tarj Mavi, La Mav is a skin care and beauty brand focused on blending science, nature and tradition for holistic wellness. The Kansa Wand draws on the ancient practice of Ayurvedic massage to heal and balance the body. It is made from luxurious teak wood and bronze that relaxes muscles and pushes oil or serum deeper into the skin. After applying your chosen serum or the nourishing oil provided with the wand, moving it in gentle circular motions across the face will revitalise tired skin and leave you feeling seriously relaxed. $80.00
With similar benefits of lymphatic drainage, boosted collagen production and sculpting the cheekbones and jawline, the Ere Perez Quartz Sculpt and Lift Face Stone has been created to follow the Chinese practice of Gua Sha. It is made from stunning clear quartz and fits the contours of the face, allowing precise massage strokes to target and de-puff wherever necessary. The sculpt and lift face stone can be used now and again for a natural, instant lift or regularly for fine line prevention, glowing skin and reduced tension. $34.00
6. Don’t stay in bed if you can’t fall asleep
Once it becomes dark our circadian rhythm notifies the body it is time for sleep, but if we stay awake into the night, the rhythm leaves and returns in cycles that take around 90 minutes. If you find yourself unable to sleep after more than 30 minutes laying in bed then it is unlikely you will fall asleep until the next wave of tiredness hits. Though it seems counter-intuitive, getting out of bed if you feel awake will encourage the association between bed and sleep, and will encourage sleep once you feel tired and get back in.
A good way to kill time is to do something calming that doesn’t require you to turn on any lights. Face masks are a great way to kill 20 or so minutes that won’t leave you feeling stressed about time spent out of bed.
We love Lanolips’ Face Base The Aussie Flyer Leave-On Recovery Mask and its deeply hydrating formula that leaves skin soft, dewy and feeling revived. After massaging it in, you can remove it after ten minutes for a quick fix or let it fully absorb for longer lasting results. $26.00
Ciatè London’s new vegan Disco Nap 2-in-1 Everyday Balm and Mask can be thinly applied throughout the day to soothe dryness or more thickly as a moisture-boosting mask. Leave it on for just 20 minutes or the whole night to revitalise chapped lips and reveal your perfect pout.
Until you have a good sleep schedule worked out you can at least look well-rested with Mecca Cosmetica’s Bright Eyed Mask. Flecked with gold and made of serum coated hydrogel, these masks hydrate, brighten and tighten your delicate under-eye skin while reducing puffiness and plumping fine lines. After just 15 minutes your eyes will feel rested and ready for sleep. $36.00 for 5 masks.
If you arent interested in timing yourself and just want to relax, The Jojoba Company’s Calming Jojoba Face and Body Oil can be applied all over the body for intense hydration that alleviates stress, soothes inflammation, and reduces redness and tension. Formulated with the company’s luxurious blend of Australian Wadi-Wadi jojoba, bisabolol, moringa, chamomile, camelia and lavender, the Calming Jojoba Face and Body oil will leave you calm, relaxed and ready for bed. $39.95
7. Monitor your sleep
Mapping out how much and how deeply we sleep is a great way to monitor any changes and can give more insight into what needs to be improved instead of making assumptions. We love Biostrap’s ultra scientific health and sleep tracking bracelet and the nightly reports on movement, snoring, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and respiratory function it delivers to the accompanying app. Products range from $65.00 to $299.00.
Other pieces of smart tracking technology we love are the Theragun Percussive Massage therapy Devices that reduce muscle tension, accelerate injury recovery, and improve daily muscle performance, while also encouraging deeper sleep and faster wake to sleep times. Each device comes with access to the Theragun app where users can follow guided relaxation and remedial massages including a sleep-specific routine, as well as creating a personalised wellness schedule and 3D model to track any changes. Devices also come with a variety of attachments to target different areas of the body. $649
Feeling, functioning and looking great can all be impacted by sleep so getting enough of it should be at the top of our agenda. We hope you can implement some of these tips and get the beauty sleep you deserve.
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General FAQS
What is World Sleep Day?
World Sleep Day celebrates the benefits of healthy and good sleep. It’s important to take society’s attention to the burden of sleep problems to promote sleep disorders prevention and management.
How do we celebrate World Sleep Day?
Obtain more information at www.worldsleepday.org and enjoy the benefits of good sleep from our 7 tips above
What are 3 benefits of sleep?
- Reduce stress and improve your mood
- Think more clearly and do better at work.
- Get along better with people.
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