New Year's sleep resolution for a happier and healthier you

Ethical Kind Organic Peace Silk Black Pyjamas

A New Year's resolution to take better care of yourself is one you should keep, especially in the era of COVID-19.

According to NHS UK, already 1 in 3 of adults suffer from poor sleep. A recent new study of the UK published by King's College London reported significant numbers had experienced changes to their sleep patterns since the lockdown on 23 March. Nearly two-thirds (63%) said their sleep has been worse. The disturbed sleep most often caused by stress.

Getting enough sleep is what we need for good health. Adequate and good-quality sleep is vital to maintain our physical and mental resilience. Asides from being the most natural anti-aging remedy, sleep improves your well-being, fitness, and productivity. Sleep also helps you fight off illness, maintain a healthy weight and avoid chronic diseases. Not getting enough sleep threatens our nation's health. Not only makes you feel tired, short-tempered, and lack of focus, insufficient sleep is also linked with many chronic diseases and condition, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression.

Make 2021 a year of healthy sleep; here are our top tips to improve your sleep quality and quantity.

Top tips to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep:

Get sufficient sleep - Most of us need around 7-9 hours of good-quality sleep a night to function properly, so identify a consistent bedtime that allows you to keep the proper sleep duration and develop a regular sleep routine.
Develop good sleep hygiene - Sleep hygiene refers to healthy sleep habits to set yourself for the best possible sleep, such as avoiding distracting activities before bedtime, including turning off the cell phone, removing electronics and TV a least half an hour before bedtime. Avoid stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine and tobacco they will distract sleep. Avert from eating a large meal or exercising right before bed they can signal wakefulness in the brain and interfere with your ability to fall asleep.
Block out light- Light is a strong cue in telling your body when it's time to wake up or go to sleep. When it's dark, we release melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm, which relaxes the body and allows us to drift off. Therefore, try to keep your room dark when you sleep; ideally, you shouldn't be able to see the other side of the bedroom. Even when you're sleeping, you can detect light through your eyelids. So, invest in a good pair of black out curtains and a good quality eye mask, such as our organic peace silk eye mask to further block out and stop external light filtering in.
Create a sleep sanctuary - You want your bedroom to be a safe, calm haven devoted to sleep. When you enter the bedroom, you want it to entice you in and help you relax, and if it doesn't, you need to make some changes. Read more from our previous post on how to create sleep statuary here.
Engage in daytime exercise - Exercise promotes your sleep's quantity and quality, making it more profound and refreshing. However, a few studies have shown that exercising too close to bedtime can prevent sleep, leaving a window of at least 2 hours before bedtime without exercise.
Manage stress before sleep - spending five to ten minutes doing a calming routine, such as deep breathing, gentle stretching, low impact exercises, mindfulness meditation, and journaling can help clear and calm the mind. These practices can help you destress, reduce your blood pressure and assist you in a sleep-friendly state for better sleep.
Seek help with sleep problems - If you have an ongoing sleep problem or have trouble staying awake during the day, you should speak with your doctor. Common sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea are treatable and can help you determine the proper treatment plan to get back to living your healthiest life.

Remember to be kind to yourself with any new year's resolutions and set realistic and sustainable expectations. It is by taking the small steps you will embrace healthier changes to improving your lifestyle.