This won’t be the first time that you have heard that one of the largest contributors to your overall health is sleep. While you know it’s important, it can still be incredibly difficult to get to sleep, stay asleep and wake up rested. So, we’ve listed our top five tips for a better night's sleep.

Create a schedule

This can be tough, but to strengthen your circadian rhythm or natural sleep-wake cycle, you need to go to bed the same time every day… that includes weekends. Then, set your alarm, so you wake up at the same time, too. Set gentle alarms of reminders to prompt you to go to bed, and write your routine down as a rule to live by for at least 80% of the time, particularly while you are establishing the schedule.

Avoid stimulants

Caffeine, no matter how tasty, is interrupting your ability to get to sleep. The effects of caffeine in tea, coffee and soda can take up to six hours to wear off. Stop all intake after 12pm as a general rule to give your body time to wind down. Smoking can also harm your sleep in case you need another reason to quit!

Find your ritual

Eat your dinner about three hours before you go to sleep to give your body time to digest your food but don’t go to bed hungry, as that can be just as harmful on your ability to sleep. Avoid your devices at least two hours before bedtime as the blue light from these depresses the secretion of melatonin which is a hormone that helps you fall and stay asleep. Instead, dim the lights, have a relaxing bath and incorporate some meditation into the hour before you sleep. Experiment with what works best for you and try to stick to this ritual while your body establishes the new habits.

Sweat it out

Exercise has a direct impact on your quality of sleep. Studies have shown that doing it means you will have a better night's sleep, and not exercising leads to a more inferior quality of sleep. Consider it another reason to get into the habit of finding 30 minutes to exercise most days of the week. However, try and schedule your workouts earlier rather than later as high-intensity training too close to your bedtime could overstimulate you. Light walks or regular yoga practices are particularly beneficial for increasing your sleep quality as it also has the benefit of calming the mind.

Focus on your environment

The space in which you are trying to sleep has a severe impact on your ability to relax. Keep your bedroom clutter-free and have your pets sleep outside as they can also disturb your sleep. Cut down bright lights and shut out harsh noises as best as you can – adding white noise using earplugs can be helpful to some people. Ensure the room temperature is also comfortable – too hot or warm, and your body will struggle to rest. Finally, think about the air you are breathing as a critical element to your environment. Our new Air Detoxifying Mists have powerful blends to help you sleep better. Toowoomba Carnival 4350 has the powerful addition of lavender, whose essence has been used for centuries to entice sleep as a result of its calming effect on the brain. With warm and grounding ginger oil abstract from ginger roots, Wiruna Night 2850 has the benefit of improving sleep quality.

Sleep tight.