How many (Good) Sleeps Until Christmas?
It is with a certain sense of irony that this blog post is written. I am a mother of a greedily hungry eight month old baby who is either teething, poorly or in the middle of a growth spurt. A ‘good night’s sleep’ seems therefore, as likely as finding a solid gold hoop in the street and frisbeeing it successfully over the horn of a passing unicorn.
However, even if you are past that delightful stage of life, or not yet mad enough to have entered it, you still may suffer and be unable stay in the land of nod for a good seven to nine hours. Well, help is at hand!
The joy of working at Ubiety is and always will be, the opportunity to find solutions to everyday problems, such as fatigue and sleep deprivation. When the team worked with our Aromatherapists and Arcania Apothecary to create our fragrances, we all agreed that we wanted products that could be used to make the process of falling sleep more indulgent and enjoyable. With 100 combined years of expertise on soothing patients and carers with sleep problems, I was confident that the fragrance designers knew what they were doing!
When the stars align and the possibility of a good night’s sleep arrives, you want to make the best of it and be better prepared for what life brings.
Hence our use of signature Cedarwood oil, not only known to influence serotonin production, but also an essential oil that has been used for thousands of years to help with sleep. This powerful oil is blended with Frankincense to aid relaxation, Spikenard from the Valerian family and of course, the popular and effective Lavender. All of our home fragrances contain cedar and are designed to promote feelings of peace and tranquillity- the Calming diffuser is a firm favourite- left on the bedside table you are guaranteed a delicious but balanced, soothing fragrance all night and day long. Our Birchwater and Neroli facial mist contains Spikenard and Lavender again, as well as Clary Sage and a quick spritz before bed is enough to pull you away from stressful thoughts and into a dreamy, quiet mindfulness.
The Frankincense and Lavender body salve, with Spikenard and Sandalwood, massaged on after a warm bath, will also leave your skin feeling soft and comforted and your mind eased.
Of course, if you want to tip the sleep scales in your favour, it makes sense to use the advice from other sleep experts, such as the Natural Sleep Foundation:
- Turn it off- the blue light from electronic devices interferes with your circadian rhythms and suppresses melatonin production (the sleep hormone). Turning off everything an hour before you want to sleep, allows your brain to power down naturally.
- For the same reason, dim all the lights 2-3 hours before bed, so that melatonin starts to be produced for that warm sleepy feeling.
- Keep naps (if you have that luxury), to less than thirty minutes. If you are feeling dozy in the afternoon, it’s better to go for a brisk walk outside benefiting from Vitamin D and endorphins from increased heart rate.
- Keep the bedroom for bedroom activities- by removing TV and work from the bedroom it remains a safe haven away from your daily stresses. Make it a sanctuary with a comfortable and supportive mattress and pillows.
- Keep your bedroom comfortable but not too hot- between 19-21 degrees celsius is ideal.
- Cut out caffeine and alcohol before bed. Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol can lead to dehydration and poor sleep after the initial sleepiness, as well as headaches and sweats.
- Set your body clock by getting up and going to bed at the same time every day.
- Finish vigorous exercise 3-4 hours before bed- those happy exercise hormones can give you energy which keeps you awake!
- Don’t eat heavily an hour before bed- anything around then should be light, as the digestive system is most active at night, leading potentially to an uncomfortable stomach.
