How to Sleep Better

1. Optimise Your Sleep Environment

Create an optimal sleep environment by controlling external factors that may disrupt your slumber. Invest in blackout curtains to block out unwanted light, or use a sleep mask (we recommend a silk version, such as a Slip Pure Silk Sleep Mask, which helps delay wrinkles too). Some other changes you might consider making are using earplugs or white noise machines or apps to mask disruptive sounds, and to regulate the room temperature to your preference for warm or cold.

2. Explore Supplements & Soothing Tea

For those seeking additional support in their quest for quality sleep, consider incorporating supplements known for their sleep-enhancing properties. Melatonin and magnesium supplements can help with the timing of your circadian rhythm, promoting relaxation and stress reduction. Teas with ingredients such as chamomile, osmanthus and caffeine-free jasmine blends can also help promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.

3. Still Your Mind

Incorporate mindfulness practices into your bedtime routine to quiet the chatter of the mind and promote inner calm. This could be deep breathing exercises, a guided meditation session, or listening to sleep stories, music or soundscapes. For the latter options, an app like Calm has plenty of options, from the rain pattering on a tin roof to Matthew McConaughey telling a story that goes nowhere in his soothing Texan drawl. All these practices and tools can be a useful way of quieting your thoughts in preparation for slumber.

4. Harness the Power of Scent

Infuse your bedtime routine with calming aromas, whether that be through essential oils, room sprays, candles or body products. Pure lavender oil, such as Primavera Lavender Extra Essential Oil is a simple mainstay known for its sleep-inducing properties and reduction of stress and anxiety. We also love handy sprays, such as This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray and The Works Baby Sleep Pillow Spray. A few simple spritzes at bedtime are clinically proven to help you, and your littlest family members, fall asleep faster thanks to ingredients such as lavender and chamomile (and as any parent will tell you, if your baby sleeps better, you’ll sleep better too!)

5. Embrace Sleep-Tracking Gadgets

Consider incorporating sleep tracking gadgets into your routine to offer a helping hand in optimising your sleep habits. Along with third-party apps for your phone, many smartwatches have sleep-related features too. For example, the Sleep app on an Apple Watch Ultra 2 GPS and others go beyond just tracking your time asleep — they can estimate the time you spend in REM, core or deep sleep, as well as when you might have woken up, which is useful in prompting wearers to be more mindful of making bedtime a priority.