Sleep Tips to Help You Look Better and Feel Great

Guest blogger, Sheila Olsen, is offering us sleep tips. I totally value my sleep, and I was so curious to read what Sheila had to offer us. I was positive I was going to learn something. I love the hot tea or hot shower! Thanks so much Sheila. Keep reading for some healthy sleep tips below

You can buy every beauty product on the shelves, but if you’re not getting sufficient sleep at night, you will not look as great as you can during the day.

The body goes through several important processes at night while you rest that directly affect everything from your cognitive abilities to how your skin will look.

If you aren’t clocking in enough hours at night, the ensuing problems will manifest in the forms of a lackluster complexion, dark circles under your eyes, and puffiness due to dehydration, among many others. Furthermore, sleep deprivation will make you feel terrible — and when you don’t feel good, you don’t look good either.

If you have a habit of putting off sleep to do more work or you toss and turn at night, barely getting the rest you need, it’s time to correct that.

To get better sleep, it helps to make the most comfortable bedroom environment possible that invites you to slumber.

Go through your room and clear out clutter while relocating anything that may disrupt your ability to fall asleep — for example, your bedroom television.

Invest in comfortable and breathable bedding that you can’t wait to slip into. If you live in an urban area, keep light pollution at bay with blackout curtains. If pitch black isn’t your thing, add some ambiance with candles or an essential oil diffuser that emits soft light while tapping into the power of aromatherapy.

Beyond creating a comfortable bedroom, it’s just as important to commit to a bedtime routine that disconnects you from outside stimulants and stressors so you can lull yourself into dreamland. 

Curating a bedtime routine depends on your schedule and preferences, but try incorporating a few of the following practices to make yours more enjoyable and effective

Turn Them Off

Your devices, that is.

Smartphones, televisions, tablets, laptops, and any other LED light-emitting electronics you own all give off blue lightwaves that disrupt your body’s production of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that helps your circadian rhythm stay on the right track and prompts your body to fall asleep.

The best way to start any sleep routine is by shutting down these electronics and staying away from screens until the morning. Even better, if you have dimmers installed on your lighting fixtures, use them to turn down the illumination and create a dark, cozy atmosphere that is conducive to sleep.

Stretch it Out

A lot of us carry our stresses and anxieties in our muscles. If you don’t find some way to release them before bed, the discomfort will only make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Furthermore, you’ll carry all that tension into tomorrow, which isn’t exactly starting off a new day on the right foot.

Doing some light stretches or a bedtime yoga routine before hitting the sheets helps release all that energy stored up in your muscles so you go to bed ready and relaxed. Furthermore, when you pair your bedtime stretches with mindful breathing, you’ll help reframe your mindset so you’re less distracted by incoming thoughts and ready to fall asleep.

Sip Something Hot

Your body temperature naturally lowers when you fall asleep as your metabolism slows and everything goes into rest mode.

When you sip a hot mug of herbal tea before bed, you give your body temperature a little spike. Once you’re done with your tea, your body temperature dips rapidly, accelerating the process and making you feel drowsy and ready for bed.

Make even more of the process by sipping an herbal tea that induces sleepiness. Of course, if you don’t like tea, you can simulate the same experience with another type of hot beverage— just make sure it’s caffeine- and alcohol-free. Or, you can mimic the effect by taking a hot shower.

Overall

A good night’s sleep is one of the best beauty products you have at your disposal.

While a comfortable bedroom environment helps improve sleep, you also need a soothing bedtime routine that signals to your brain and body that it’s time to rest. Try starting by turning off electronics and dimming the lights.

Release worries in your body and mind with a bedtime yoga routine that incorporates mindful breathing. Finally, trick your body into feeling sleepy by using a hot beverage or shower to manipulate your body temperature.

Sheila Olson has been a personal trainer for five years. She believes the best way to achieve physical fitness and good health is to set and tackle small goals. Her goal with her clients is to stay positive, incorporates mindfulness and reducing negative talk. She created FitSheila.com to spread the word about her fitness philosophy.