I really struggle to switch off. Literally, I am the worst. Some nights Every night, I wait for my boyfriend (who is the biggest fan of the 10pm bedtime & a full nights sleep) to fall asleep and then I will roll over and get my phone out and scroll for another 2 hours – checking every single social media newsfeed and making sure to stalk my friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s cousin’s wife(?!?) and see how she is enjoying her honeymoon, before I put my phone down / until he grumpily mumbles about ‘why is there a light on’. Sometimes I get so lost in my social media stalking that I look up from my phone, into a dark room, and start reassessing my life.
However, I am really trying this year to get at LEAST 7-8 hours sleep a night and I REALLY want stop starting at screens at least 1 hours before I attempt to sleep. The screen thing is a big one for me – lapstops/phones/ipads all need to go. For so many reasons:
- It is SO bad for your eyes to look at a bright screen in a dark room – trust me – I now have the glasses prescription to prove it. My eyes have deteriorated rapidly in the past year. Scary.
- It keeps your brain stimulated and delays sleep.
- I spend my time looking at what everyone else is doing, comparing myself to them, over analysing everything and end up feeling stressed, unaccomplished and miserable – not how you want to enter into a nights sleep.
- I am completely addicted to social media and scrolling. I get anxious if I haven’t checked my phone in a bit or replied to an email or whatsapp. I need to learn to switch off. The world spins if I reply to my friend STRAIGHT away or not.
So this year I am really trying to give myself the best chance at a good night’s sleep. And this is what I have been trying to do so far to get a better nights sleep. (Yep – another bullet point list – get ready).
- 1) Turning off all electronic devices at 10pm.
That is it – phone off – no scrolling. Sometimes I do watch an episode of Friends or New Girl to unwind but then laptop away – DO NOT REFRESH INBOX. I am really struggling with this – and yes – a few times my Whatsapp with still say ‘last checked at 01:35am’ but I am getting better.
- 2) Invest in a good mattress.
Now this may seem obvious to have a comfy place to sleep but I had no idea how bad for me my mattress was until I got a new one. It was so squidgy and soft, which I thought was amazing until I realised I had no support for my back at all. So I now have a gorgeous mattress from Drift which is divine. They are made of 4 layers – a natural sleep surface, temperature regulating layer, comfort springs and supportive foam which all contribute to giving you a supportive yet soft mattress that isn’t just made out of foam. You can read more about them >> here << and they are actually really reasonable prices (£449 for a single, £599 double, king £699, super king £799). Plus you get next day delivery, 100 sleeps return policy if you end up not loving it, and they come rolled up so no more need for 8 people to carry it up a flight of stairs. I got mine up 3 flights of stairs by myself and I am a weakling.It comes in this bag : And you literally unroll and you are done.
With this mattress – you don’t need no man to help – girl power and all that.
- 3) Buy an alarm clock.
This is something everyone keeps saying for me to do – so that I can leave my phone downstairs etc and not have it next to my bed ‘because I need it for my alarm’. I will do this – but is it bad that I only trust my iPhone to wake me up? What if the little alarm clock forgets. I want to get a proper digital one (because I am such a tech addict that I only trust things that are plugged in). My mum has a lovely battery alarm clock that has woken her up for the past 20 years – but I just don’t trust it.
- 4) Have a hot bubble bath to relax and unwind.
I always think, ‘I don’t have time for a bath – I will just jump in the shower’. But actually having a bath before bed makes me so chilled. I know I can get out, put pyjamas and a dressing gown on and get into bed feeling all calm and refreshed, if not slightly singed. ALSO I am too scared to have my phone whilst I am in the bath, incase I drop it and electrocute myself – so its a good time to start stitching off.
- 4) Get a good skincare routine going on.
This is something that really helps me unwind and destress before bed – my skincare routine. I used to be a ‘just use a make up wipe’ kinda gal, nice and quick and its done. But now I get so much pleasure out of taking the time to look after my skin. I am currently obsessing over the amazing Geneu serum I have been trialling for a few weeks. I will do a proper blog post on it soon – but it is basically a serum that is designed for your skin type based on your lifestyle and DNA (!!) and it has worked wonders on my skin. I follow this serum every night with my amazingggg Kiehl’s midnight recovery oil. I love how this makes my skin feel – but also – the smell. It is basically like rubbing your skin with essential oils for all the calm. I LOVE it.
Also, when I have enough time / watching an episode of Friends in bed with my sister – I try and do a facemask whenever I can. I am OBSESSED with sheet masks at the moment – When masks are currently my favourite, they are so hydrating and make my skin feel amazing. But I am also loving the GlamGlow masks – their ThirstyMud Hydrating one is divine and also their chrome GravityMud masks are SO COOL.Skincare linked below – (Shop the rest of the post at the end)
- 6) Watch a series, read a book, listen to music.
Anything to take your mind of the day to day activities that get under our skin and stress us the hell out. I am obsessed with watching old TV series to calm me down – nothing works as well as binge watching Friends, New Girl or Sex & the City. I love it. My sister & I have also started watching Gilmore Girls from the beginning as neither of us have seen it (I know I know but we are catching up ok?).
Also – this book, ‘The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a F***’ – its amazing. Just read it. Ok. Thanks.
- 7) Live the hygge lifestyle.
Warm blankets, fuzzy socks, tea, hot chocolates, dressing gowns, trackies, anything remotely soft. I am allllll about that life. Maximum comfort dressing is my speciality. It actually makes me physically happy to put pyjamas on at the end of the day. Being warm and snug in bed makes me 100x more likely to have a good nights sleep.
I am wearing my The White Company dressing gown and cashmere socks and they are two of my most prized possessions.
Does anyone else have any tips on how to get a good nights sleep?
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xx
This post was written in collaboration with Drift
