Eight ways to sleep better tonight

Supplement brand Birch & Wilde share some of the best ways to get the most out of your eight hours

When sleep becomes illusive, your whole life can be impacted. A study conducted by Aviva in 2017 found that as many as 16 million UK adults regularly suffer from sleepless nights. Worryingly, further research since the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that this statistic has worsened since then.

Those who get fewer hours of sleep than they need can experience anything from poor memory, cognition and concentration (brain fog), to feeling physically drained and lacking in motivation, to weight, hunger, anxiety or mood issues, to just not being able to function or cope with everyday life. It can truly become life-limiting.

Whatever the cause and whether it’s an occasional or chronic sleep issue, these eight ways to help encourage and support a good night’s rest will help you to wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on your day!

Eight ways to get a good night’s sleep

Eat a healthy, balanced diet

A well-balanced diet can ease any energy burden on your digestion, as well as provide you with the optimal nutrients for a well-functioning body – this includes sleep. Foods that are processed can be leached of their goodness, so you don’t get what you need.

For example, we get tryptophan purely from our diet (our bodies don’t make it) and it is a key component in getting to sleep. Including plenty of nutrient-dense fresh fruit and reducing processed foods and refined sugars will help.

Take the right supplements

Minerals – Magnesium
Although magnesium is an essential mineral, and vital for sleep-related functions, your body cannot make it. So, it must always come from outside sources, i.e. in your diet or supplements. Magnesium helps sleep on a chemical level by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which ensures you are calm and relaxed for sleep. Usually, the most well-absorbed and helpful types of magnesium for sleep are Magnesium Citrate or Magnesium Bisglycinate.

Herbs – Valerian
Valerian is a plant that has been used by herbalists to promote sound sleep for a very long time. In fact, the University of Maryland Medical Centre states that: “Valerian has been used to ease insomnia, anxiety and nervous restlessness since the second century AD”. Despite limited research, it is very highly regarded for its positive contribution to better sleep and stress reduction. Valerian is available in many forms including liquid drops, tablets or capsules and even tea. There’s something for everyone.

Adaptogens – Organic Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a shrub used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It is used to help promote mind-body health. The Latin for ashwagandha is Withania Somnifera, which translates as “sleep inducer”.

Ashwagandha is adaptogenic and helps your body manage your stress response, supporting sleep by re-balancing any over-production of cortisol (your stress hormone) caused by worries or stress. Ashwagandha has emerged as one of the most powerful adaptogens, helping to manage your adrenal system, a relieve you of stress-related exhaustion.

Birch & Wilde’s Organic KSM-66 Ashwagandha capsules contain natural ingredients clinically proven to help with symptoms of stress and anxiety as well as promoting improved sleep quality. The experts at Birch & Wilde say taking a daily dose of ashwagandha may help you find that much-needed sense of balance and control necessary for restful sleep.

Reduce blue light

The light emitted by many devices has been shown to reduce your natural melatonin production (which you need to regulate your inner “sleep clock”). One study showed that 2 hours of using an iPad prior to bedtime reduced melatonin production by up to 22 percent. With this reduction in melatonin, getting to sleep (and staying asleep) is going to be much harder.

Nail your bedtime routine

When it comes to getting good sleep, a regular routine can really boost your efforts and start turning the tide on disrupted nights. Try these simple steps to prepare for sleep:

Keep a comfortable bedroom temperature – most people find they sleep better when it’s a bit cooler.

Reduce light and noise where possible – even if you don’t think they impact your sleep, low light and noise reduction serve as cues to trigger your sleep mechanisms. Earplugs and blackout blinds can really help!
De-clutter your bedroom – this can really help your mind to switch off and relax, ready to sleep.
Try a sleep spray for your pillow – essential oils like lavender can work wonders in this way. Alternatively, an essential oil candle creates a lovely ambience.
Enjoy a warm milky (or vegan milk) drink before bed, take a warm bath or try a sleep meditation.

Avoid alcohol

Sometimes thought of as something that can help sleep, alcohol actually has the reverse effect. Although it may initially help you feel sleepy or drop off, alcohol reduces the quality of sleep dramatically. So, even after a small amount, you are far less likely to awake feeling as refreshed as usual.

Get some exercise

It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do, any movement or exercise will help when it comes to sleep. It ensures that your body is physically tired enough to need rest. Aiming for just half an hour of gentle to moderate exercise, four-to-five days out of seven is a great start. Try to avoid anything more than gentle in the last couple of hours before bed.

Reduce caffeine

Don’t worry – no one is suggesting you cut caffeine out completely! Who doesn’t love a good coffee first thing? But for sleep quality, it can really help not to have any caffeine after lunchtime. It’s as simple as switching to decaf, opting for a soft drink or herbal tea instead.

Try a guided sleep meditation

Like Yoga, meditation has been used for thousands of years in the east and it is now becoming a very common practice in the west too. There’s an abundance of short and longer guided and non-guided meditation audios and videos available for free. Fantastic apps like Insight Timer and Headspace usually have free versions and include things like sleep timers so you can keep listening until you have completely drifted off!