Sleeping Tips for Sleeptember

Here at G Plan we’ve been chatting about our sleeping habits as part of ‘Sleeptember’.

Sleep is critical to health and wellbeing and a good night’s sleep is needed for rest and recuperation. It also has a huge impact on both our physical and mental health.

With approximately 1 in 3 adults reporting that they are not getting enough sleep every day, we have popped together this blog post full of tips and tricks to improve your sleep quality!

Why is sleep so important?

Sleep plays a vital role in our general health and wellbeing. We are the only mammals who intentionally postpone sleep, which seems very strange when you think about it. We may feel tired throughout the day, but might not necessarily take a nap to curb our fatigue, because realistically we don’t just have time to down tools and take a nap at 2pm on a Wednesday. That’s not how life works unfortunately.

With this in mind, getting a decent night’s sleep really helps protect our mental and physical health. Good sleep helps to promote healthy brain function and boost our immune systems. Sleeping on our fronts has also been proven to help in aiding digestion at night time. Our bodies also heal whilst we’re sleeping, meaning this is the time when things such as our heart and blood vessels repair themselves.

Short, bad quality sleep can affect our health instantly, largely impacting how we think, react to situations and our overall mood, but also how we learn and retain information. This can impact our long-term health, leading to chronic health conditions such as heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or even a stroke. In essence, we need a good length of adequate sleep to repair and refresh ourselves.

Create a bedtime routine

Having a consistent, planned bedtime routine can really help put you in a better frame of mind for sleeping. By preparing yourself for bed, you will allow your brain to separate the day from night, helping you unwind and relax into sleep.

Be consistent: Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, including weekends, will naturally help your brain feel tired at night and more awake in the morning. Start your bedtime routine between 30 minutes and 2 hours before you want to sleep, allowing your body to fully relax and settle. Setting an alarm will really help with this process; we recommend the Lumie Sunrise Alarm. It gently wakes you up with light in the morning, mimicking the rising sun, creating a more natural wake-up routine.

Photo credit: Lumie 

Get Daily Exercise

Moderate-to-vigorous exercise has been proven to increase sleep quality in adults, allowing them to fall asleep quicker and sleep more deeply. Physical activity can also help keep sleepiness at bay during the day, helping us to feel more refreshed and alert. Regular exercise has also been linked to improving symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnoea; this can be anything from a gentle 10-minute walk, to a more intense gym workout. It can take a few months for exercise to actually improve our sleep quality, but this is down to each individual, so be patient and build an exercise routine that suites you. Try to finish more vigorous workouts at least 3 hours before you want to sleep, to help reduce body temperature and allow you to relax fully.

Have an Electronics Detox

Having electronic devices in your room can delay you from going to sleep, reducing sleep duration in turn. 85% of us use our phones as alarms in the morning, so not having your phone in your bedroom isn’t necessarily the answer. However, removing devices such as TVs and laptops will eliminate distractions; pick up a good book instead of looking at a screen before bed, to help you really unwind. We also recommend putting your phone onto a ‘night mode’ an hour or so before you want to sleep. This can include putting it on silent and turning the screen to a warmer light, reducing blue light emission.

Do not watch the clock

Worrying about getting enough sleep can itself stop us sleeping. Looking at the clock will make people feel anxious about not falling back to sleep. That causes the body to release fight-or-flight hormones, which interfere with the sleep onset process. It’s important not to get worked up about one bad night’s sleep because anxiety itself makes it difficult to fall asleep. The best way to deal with that is to remind yourself that resting in bed and thinking nice thoughts is more productive than tossing and turning and looking at the clock every ten minutes. If you can’t stop checking your clock, try turning it around or putting it on the other side of the room so it’s not as easy to watch time ticking away.

Get Comfortable

Comfort is key when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Make sure your bedroom is a dark, quiet, relaxing space; the temperature of the room will also impact your sleep, so make sure it’s not overly hot or too cold. Changing your duvet from a thicker one in winter, to a thinner one in summer can greatly help with regulating your sleeping temperature. We also recommend trying a relaxing sleep spray to really immerse yourself in a tranquil environment. Our favourite spray is the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray from This Works. With notes of calming lavender, camomile and vetivert, this spray helps you fall asleep faster and wake up feeling that much more refreshed.

Photo credit: Lucy Mary

Avoid Eating Late

Eating large meals close to bed time can make it harder to fall asleep. This is because your body is working to digest food, therefore keeping you awake to function. It’s recommended that you don’t eat 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, and don’t drink caffeinated drinks at least 6 hours before wanting to sleep. We understand this isn’t always easy; a lot of us are on the go and eat when we can, and require at least 6 cups of coffee throughout the day (what caffeine addiction?). We recommend giving Snore & Peace Tea from Clipper Tea a go, instead of a normal cup of tea or coffee before bed. This is a comforting, soothing blend of chamomile and lavender, and is a great herbal tea to sip on whilst reading in bed.

Photo credit: In My Cup Today