How to Get Better Sleep, Naturally

It’s no secret that having adequate sleep at night influences your daily mood and has multiple health benefits including better heart health, less stress, and improved memory. According to a Stats Canada report on sleep, results showed that “short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are prevalent among Canadian adults. About one-third sleep fewer hours per night than recommended for optimal physical and mental health.” And we’re not surprised that women have more trouble sleeping than men (55% women compared to 43% men).

There are natural ways to improve and support restful sleep, that don’t involve pharmaceuticals.

Here our top tips for better, deeper Zzzs:

Lavender is traditionally used as a remedy for a range of ailments from insomnia and anxiety to depression. That's because lavender slows down the overly active mind and produces a calming, peaceful, and sedative effect when its scent is inhaled.

There are a number of ways to use lavender:

• Use it topically. The Deep Sleep wellness balm is formulated for just what the name says. Apply a pump to your palm, dab on your temples, the back of your neck, behind the ears, wrists and ankles. Rub the remainder into your hands and cup around your nose to lock in the calming scent. Breathe deep then sleep deep.
• Add a few drops of lavender essential oilto your pillow
• Diffuse lavender essential oilin your bedroom 1 hour before bed

2. Take a warm bath or shower before bed

Taking a warm bath before bed can do wonders to empty your mind, loosen tension and relax your body. Don’t hold back - dim the lights, listen to calming music, use your favourite bubble bathor bath bomb (pssst! We have both in…you guessed it, lavender).

Don’t have time? A warm shower can also help. Infuse lavender into your shower by using ourlavender sugar scrubthat gives you the calming scent and leaves your body feeling lusciously hydrated.

3. Drink a bedtime smoothie

Smoothies are not just for mornings. Using healthy ingredients that contain the amino-acid, tryptophan, which the body synthesizes into melatonin, can create an elixir that naturally promotes sleep. Here’s a great bedtime smoothie recipe by Hello Glow that uses kale, banana, yogurt, flax seed and more. Try it and let us know in the comments below how it worked for you.

4. Detox your bedroom

Our bodies can handle a lot. So much so, that we adapt to our environments without realizing the toll it takes on us. There’s a concept called body burden, the toxic load in your body at any given time. What we eat, drink, breathe all contributes to this load that can accumulate in our tissues and potentially cause problems later in life. While there is no simple way to detect your body burden, there are simple ways to reduce it. Identify toxins and synthetics in your home and especially in your bedroom then remove them from the space. Examples might be candles or liquid soaps that contain parfums or synthetic fragrance, toxic bathroom cleaners, non-BPA-free plastic storage bins or cheap plastic clothes hangers.

Also, cluttered spaces are not conducive to a relaxed mind. So make your room as zen as possible by decluttering your belongings and storing them in another area.

5. Play with the temperature

Troubleshoot your sleep by adjusting the thermostat. Many sources suggest that sleeping in cooler temperatures promote a longer, deeper sleep. While a colder room may mean you’re shivering to warm up your bedsheets when you tuck in, it’s a short term sacrifice for longer sleep. Everyone has their own preferences so take note what temperature helps you to roll around less and see what works for you.