Sleep: it’s free. And we all want more of it, so why is it so hard to get? Specifically that solid, uninterrupted, eight-hours-a-night type of sleep.<\/p>\n
Caffeine, alcohol, stress and irregular sleep schedules are just a few of the common culprits responsible for making restorative sleep so elusive and unattainable. These factors influence and interfere with our sleep hygiene \u2014 a term used to describe healthy sleep habits that improve our ability to fall, and remain, asleep.<\/p>\n
In order to function properly, we need regular rest to recharge both our body and brain. From forming and storing memories to repairing cells, regulating hormones and helping us recover from illness, sleep plays an important role in a range of mental and physical processes \u2014 which means that good sleep hygiene is crucial to improving both our mental and physical health. We know this is easier said than done, which is why we\u2019ve rounded up a few endota-approved tips to remedy a restless night.<\/p>\n
Consistency is key:<\/strong> Manipulate lighting:<\/strong> Stay cool:<\/strong> Take a breath:<\/strong> Nightstand essentials:<\/strong> Be intentional in creating a sleep sanctuary<\/strong> The plan itself can have as many or as few steps as you\u2019d like, but the key is to ensure it\u2019s tailored to your lifestyle and practised as best you can each evening. While you\u2019ll want to experiment to see what works for you, an example of a sleep plan might look like this:<\/p>\n 7:00pm – Dim the lights in the room(s) you\u2019re in Sleep: it’s free. And we all want more of it, so why is it so hard to get? Specifically that solid, uninterrupted, eight-hours-a-night type of sleep. Caffeine, alcohol, stress and irregular sleep schedules are just a few of the common culprits responsible for making restorative sleep so elusive and unattainable. These factors influence and interfere […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":37475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[169],"tags":[323],"class_list":["post-37474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-expert-advice","tag-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nA consistent sleep schedule helps to maintain our circadian rhythm (the internal body clock that provides signals for our bodies to generate hormones that tell us when to wake, sleep, eat and be active), so disrupting our sleeping patterns with late nights and sleep-ins can make it difficult to fall asleep in the future. While it\u2019s inevitable that everyday life stands in the way of sticking to the same bedtime every night, making a few small changes to light and temperature can help train the body to sleep sooner (and better).<\/p>\n
\nLight cues also affect our circadian rhythm, so aligning and reducing our light exposure with the setting of the sun helps prepare us for bed. In the evening, avoid sources of bright lights by using dim lamps or the gentle, dappled light of our Essential Oil Diffuser to illuminate your home.<\/p>\n
\nDuring sleep, our core temperature is at its lowest, which means a good way to trick your body into thinking it\u2019s ready for bed is to cool down \u2014 but not in the way you\u2019d expect. A hot bath or shower before bed cools us down internally by stimulating the body\u2019s thermoregulatory system and shifting heat from our core to our extremities, signalling the pineal gland to produce melatonin which promotes sleepiness. To dial up the relaxation, add a few drops of a lavender-based essential oil such as endota\u2019s Signature scent to your bath and notice the array of calming benefits aromatherapy evokes.<\/p>\n
\nIf you\u2019re ever stuck tossing and turning in the night, it\u2019s likely a myriad of thoughts, worries and to-do lists that are keeping you up. To remedy this, try the practice of box breathing. Breathwork helps by oxygenating our body (which lowers blood pressure and slows our heartbeat) while bringing mindfulness to our breath and quietening mental clutter.<\/p>\n
\nWhen all else fails, there are a few tangible tools you can have on hand to help soothe the senses. The endota Sleep Sound roll-on has been carefully formulated to promote sleep with the delicately balanced scents of chamomile and lavender. Aside from the obvious benefit of blocking out light, a silk sleep mask is an intentional way of signalling to yourself it\u2019s time for bed by creating a barrier between you and your phone, tablet or book.<\/p>\n
\nAs counterintuitive as it sounds, we must plan time to relax each night. Our bodies are complex and can\u2019t simply turn on and off like a light switch \u2014 which is why we should allow adequate wind-down time to detach from the day with a bedtime routine.<\/p>\n
\n7:30pm – Apply a few drops of lavender oil to your diffuser
\n8:00pm – Take a hot bath
\n9:00pm – Minimise your screen time (if you\u2019re unable to do so, try investing in some blue-light blocking glasses)
\n9:30pm – Read a book or listen to a guided meditation class
\n10:00pm – Apply an essential oil roll-on to your wrists or temples and ready yourself for bedtime by putting on your sleep mask.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"