10 top tips for switching off at night for busy people

If you’re anything like us, you love a good night of sleep. And so you should. If you’re sleeping correctly, you’ll be sleeping for a whole third of your life.

But have you ever had one of those days, where you spend almost every minute from when you wake up waiting to go back to bed, only to find that when you get there you can’t? It happens to a lot of people. Even when you’re laying there feeling exhausted, it can be very difficult to fall asleep.

That’s because the world is full of stimulants, and these can work against our body even when it’s tired. If you’re busy, it can be difficult to switch off your body when it is time for shut-eye.

In this article, we’ll give you our top 10 tips for switching off at night for busy people.

• Make sure you’re comfortable for the best sleep possible

One of the key elements of life that impacts your sleep is your comfort level. The best way to sort this out is to make sure you have a comfortable mattress. Look for natural, breathable materials, so that moisture is wicked away and you’re kept cool in summer.

Ely mattresses are made from horse hair, cotton, and wool. They’re comfortable and affordable.

• Incorporate a sleep routine into your life

Humans are creatures of habit. We know when it is time to eat because we eat at the same time every day. So we should be giving out bodies an indication of when it is time to go to sleep.

Devising a series of ritualistic activities you complete before you go to bed every night can prepare your body for sleep. Consider having a bath, reading a book, meditating, or taking a shower. If you do this long enough, your body will come to recognise that these events in sequence mean it is time for bed.

• Ditch technology

The blue light that comes from televisions and telephone screens is similar to the light we get from the sun, and can trick our bodies into thinking it is still light outside. Because our bodies follow the rhythm of the sun – known as our circadian rhythm – spending too much time in front of a screen before bed can stop us from sleeping, because our brains are confused as to what time of day it is.

Ditching technology an hour or so before bed can help you fall asleep easier.

• Lower your caffeine consumption

Caffeine is a great stimulant, so long as you want to stay awake. If you drink tea, coffee or other caffeinated drinks in the afternoon or evening, you might think you are used to them, but you may not realise how badly this is affecting your sleep until you give it up.

If you’re struggling to sleep at night, consider reducing your caffeine consumption from three o’clock onwards.

• Exercise to help you sleep

Exercise is a great way to increase your energy, but it’s also a good way to make yourself tired. If you’re not active enough – especially if you are drinking a lot of caffeine – you might find you struggle to sleep at night.

Incorporating calming exercise like yoga into your daily routine could help you drift off when it’s time to go to sleep.

• Use essential oils that help you snooze

Essential oils are great for inducing sleep. You can find them in candles, or buy them in raw form and drip a few drops onto your pillow. Just make sure you don’t put raw essential oil onto your sin, as this can be an irritant.

We recommend lavender, which is known for its sleep aiding properties.

• Watch what you eat to aid better rest

When you’re busy, you might find yourself grabbing whatever is on offer, but heavy, oily foods can lay on your stomach and make you uncomfortable, which might impact your ability to fall asleep and the quality of sleep you have when you manage it.

Try to eat good, wholesome, filling and natural foods, like fruits and veggies.

• Try meditation for blissful nights

Meditation is a practice used by people all over the world, in which you switch your brain off for a period of time. It can take some getting used to – and you probably won’t manage it for very long the first few times you try it – but meditation has been proven to have a calming effect that can help with sleep.

You don’t need to do it before bed. Try ten minutes or so whenever you have time at first. There are lots of apps or videos on YouTube to help you.

• Try not to get stressed – Easier said than done, we know!

Stressing about a lack of sleep will only make the situation worse, so try to push your desperation to sleep to the back of your mind and accept that it will happen when it does.

Meditation is a good way to try to do this.

• Ditch the mid-day naps

If you fall asleep on the sofa in front of the television, your power nap might be all your body thinks it needs, so by the time bedtime rolls around, your brain is raring to go again.

As difficult as it might be to stay awake after a busy day at work, try to avoid sleep until it is actually time for bed. A proper sleep routine is vitally important, or else your body won’t know what you expect of it.

If you’re finding this difficult, try going to bed early and getting up early in the morning, then slowly alter your routine until it is practical.