A Guide to Transforming your Sleeping Habits

They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing. Your skin can reveal the effects of peaceful or disrupted slumber even after a single night. More importantly, quality of sleep can significantly impact your health, wellbeing and every segment of your life. So how do Australians rate when it comes to bedtime behaviour? According to the Sleep Health Foundation: not so well. In fact, 1 in 3 Australians regularly struggle with their sleep, which is why we have compiled simple ideas and recommendations that will help transform your sleep cycle.

The Importance of Sleep

Giving your body adequate time to rest and restore can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life and safety¹. Sleep is closely linked with hormonal health and this is a two-way street - quality sleep benefits hormonal balance and hormonal balance regulates our sleep cycles.

Bedtime Biology

When it comes to sleep, there are two key hormonal players: cortisol and melatonin. Cortisol is the body’s built-in alarm clock and it generally peaks at around 8am, steadily decreasing throughout the day. Melatonin on the other hand, increases later in the day as a response to decreased light exposure. Melatonin helps regulate our sleeping and waking patterns and if we don’t get enough of it, we can have trouble sleeping².

Six ways to transform your Sleep Cycles

1. It's all about lighting

Giving your hormones a helping hand can be as simple as following the sun’s natural rhythm and aligning your light exposure with the movement of the sun. Begin by rising with the sun and aim to get as much natural light as possible throughout the day. As the sun sets, use dim lamps or candles to illuminate your home and avoid sources of bright light³.

2. Shutdown and Settle Down

Electronic devices and screens shine blue light directly into your eyes as this can directly impact the production of melatonin and therefore our ability to sleep⁴. So turn off your device well before bedtime and opt for a good book instead.

3. Soaking for Sweet Slumber

Evening rituals are a fantastic way to relax your body and prepare for sleep. Taking a warm bath can help loosen any tight muscles and ease your body into a more relaxed state, signalling that it is time for bed. A product such as the endota Mint & Macadamia Recovery Bath can also be a great addition to your evening routine, as it can help you de-stress and relax after a hectic day.

4. Caffeine-Free Content

Make sure to avoid caffeine and late night snacks that can keep your body working overtime. Instead of reaching for the snack jar to satisfy your late night tummy grumbles, try opting for a warm cup of herbal tea. The endota Rest & Restore Sleep Tea is 100% caffeine-free and has been specially blended to enjoy while winding down.

5. Bedtime Blackout

Light can disturb your sleep cycle and confuse your brain into thinking it is time to wake up. Sleep masks, such as the endota silk sleep mask, are a great way to block sources of light when you’re ready to rest, signalling to your brain that it’s time to sleep. This can be particularly helpful for those who travel frequently or work night-shifts.

6. The Evening Essentials

Essential oils such as lavender are known for their relaxing properties and are a popular choice when establishing bedtime rituals. Use a diffuser or keep an essential oil roller ball next to your bed and apply to your wrists and temples as part of your relaxation ritual. The endota sleep sound roll on contains carefully blended essential oils that have been combined to soothe the senses before bed.

Sleep is a time to relax, but it's also a time during which the body is hard at work repairing itself. If you find yourself struggling to get a good nights rest, try implementing some of the above suggestions for 30 days and see if you notice the difference in your complexion, energy levels and general mood. Sweet dreams!

References:

1. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency
2. Potter GDM, Skene DJ, Arendt J, Cade JE, Grant PJ, Hardie LJ (2016) Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Disruption: Causes, Metabolic Consequences, and Countermeasures. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/27763782
3. Dickinson H, Finding your rhythm. Blogs by Dr Hayley. endota spa. September 2018
4. Tähkämö L, Partonen T, Pesonen AK (2019) Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30311830