Sleep, it seems we are all chasing the perfect nights sleep or at least we are beginning to understand the deep rejuvenated benefits of getting the right amount of sleep, so that our body and mind feel ready to take on each day!
I have been one of the many who has always thrived (or thought I did) on being a 'midnight owl' sleeping 6 or 7 hours which is deemed enough hours of sleep and still being able to jump out of bed in the morning and feel great! Most days I would hit a wall at around 3pm and I would simply fix that with a 15 minute power nap, this then enabled me to work much later and head to bed around midnight. It was only in my mid 40's that I discovered that this was a terrible habit to be in and I began to really concentrate on getting the Right sleep pattern in place, which is so much harder then I thought it would be.
Understanding my Circadian Rhythm was the first step, which if disrupted effects our hormones, appetite, memory and our decision making skills, for me discovering this was like tick, tick, tick. A couple of my favourite podcasts on this you will find here at Diary of a CEO, like every aspect of life, pathways that are beneficial are often hard to stick to but the outcome of good health is the ultimate goal!
So to break down my research, just to save you on a long waffling read, you know the ones, that get you to click on the headline and read through a whole bunch of stuff, when all you really want is the facts, right?
So here they are,
1. Limit Caffeine to 10 hours before you go to sleep.
2. No food 6 hours before bed, if you do eat later, your body will continue to process food, therefore still working while you’re trying to sleep.
3. Limit Alcohol or for optimal benefits, no alcohol at all, while Alcohol may make you feel sleepy, as it wears off, it will cause disruptions to your sleep, making you sluggish first thing in the morning.
4. Hop into bed by 9 or 9.30pm and aim to be asleep before 10pm to hit your optimal circadian rhythm for sleep!
The first few facts can sometimes be a bit hard to navigate if caffeine, late dinners and alcohol are part of your daily habits but they are super important steps! But here are another three that maybe a little easier to implement.
1. No blue light, screens or bright lights an hour from when you want to fall asleep
2. The ritual of a Herbal Sleep tea, this is a great way to signal your mind and body that you are getting ready for bed.
3. Giving your hands or feet a massage with a magnesium oil is another healing signal to let the body know that its time to rest and relax.
Since starting Athella, I have been able to try quite a few different sleep aids in my quest for the perfect nights sleep and while I am still in the discovery phase, I have found a few products that have definitely become a staple in my household, you will find them below along with there benefits and of course my number one sleep aid which is an absolute ritual for me, having a sleep tea before bed. Now there are many sleep teas on the market, so if your not drinking an Athella Tea, then make sure your tea does have the following herbs in it for a restful nights sleep, valerian, passion flower and hops.
My Top Sleep Aids
1. Sleep Patches just pop on 30 minutes before sleep
2. Athella Sleep Tea, get your mind relaxed and thinking about sleep
3. Magnesium Oils, magnesium is often found to be lacking in people struggling with sleep.
Still want to learn more or just share your thoughts on all things sleep? You can drop us an email at hello@athellatea.com.au or pop into our retail store at 28A Margaret St. Mount Gambier SA
Sleep Well
Aleathia 💚