20 Ways To Get Better Beauty Sleep

Ways To Get Better Beauty Sleep

Find yourself waking up looking tired, too often? Here are 20 ways to get better beauty sleep!

By Diane Small

We’ve all done it. Gone out really late, returned in the wee hours of the morning, slept around 5 hours and woken up looking like a totally different person. I mean, puffy eyed, grey skinned and dried out.

But we don’t need to have a late night out to look like heck in the morning. Some bad habits can add up, making us look temporarily older than we are. And in the long run, accelerating the ageing process, leading to premature wrinkles and sagging skin.

The main reason for that? A lack of growth hormone that improves our cellular health.

Sleep and HGH

20 Ways To Get Better Beauty Sleep

Human growth hormone (often abbreviated HGH, or GH for growth hormone, or hGH) is an important part of the body’s endocrine system and is released by the brain into the bloodstream during sleep. One of its major functions is the repair and restoration of all our cells.

In healthy people, the most important period of HGH release is in the first period of Stage 3 sleep during the night. If you pull an all nighter, there is no surge in growth hormone release, and you look like crap, with no cellular turnover.

But guess what? Not sleeping not only makes you more knackered looking, but it can also make you fatter! We also tend to overeat when we are tired. The body craves carbs when it’s high in the stress hormone cortisol, and a lack of sleep increases levels of this in our system. A vicious circle then begins: we overeat because we are tired, but can’t hit the gym to work it off because we lack the energy.

Better Beauty Sleep = Better Health

A lack of sleep isn’t just a beauty problem. Doctors and researchers always say that in order to live a healthy and happy life, getting a good night’s sleep is absolutely essential. Regularly sleeping less than 7 hours a night can lead to not only exhaustion, but depression, moodiness, overeating, higher blood pressure, heart attacks, cancer, and overall earlier death. So yeah – sleep is important! Not just for beauty, but for your health, too.

But forget expensive creams and treatments. The best thing you can do to improve your beauty (and health) is just…sleep well!

Here are 20 ways to get better beauty sleep.

20 Ways To Get Better Beauty Sleep

14 ways to get better beauty sleep

1. Sleep alone

It may be romantic, but sleeping with a partner can ruin your sleeping patterns. Often it’s difficult to agree on the right room temperature (women are colder faster), blanket heaviness and mattress firmness, so already one of you is compromising. But it your partner snores or moves around a lot at night, you may be waking up frequently without even realising it.

2. No caffeine – or food – after 6pm

Another guaranteed way to improve your sleeping habits is to avoid caffeine for at least 2-4 hours before your bedtime. It may be tempting to have that last espresso after dinner, but caffeine is a stimulant than can keep you buzzing for up to six hours after ingestion. It also helps to eat early – many people find it difficult to sleep with food in their bellies.

3. Kick the habit

Nicotine is another stimulant that keeps you awake and alert hours after consumption, so smoking before bedtime is bound to interfere with the quality of your sleep. Not only that, but smokers tend to snore…even waking themselves up unknowingly in the middle of the night. For the best sleep, just quit smoking. There are plenty of sites that can help you, such as this.

4. Avoid napping

Napping disrupts your body’s natural sleeping patterns. If you find it absolutely necessary to nap during the course of the day, then ensure that you take your nap before 5pm. There are many people who find it impossible to stay asleep through the night or even find it difficult falling asleep, and so often they compensate their lack of sleep with a nap–which makes the problem worse.

5. No late night cocoa or tea?

Taking in the right amount of fluids before bedtime is essential in order to improve your sleeping habits. If you consume a lot of fluids before you sleep, you are bound to wake up every few hours to relieve your bladder. But then, if you go to bed thirsty, you may well wake up wanting water. Each person is different. Find out the right amount of pre-bedtime fluid for yourself.

But of course, even if you feel you do need to drink something before bed, avoid caffeine. While you might think that’s just coffee, nope. It’s all about black and green tea and cocoa, too.

6. Hit the gym earlier rather than later

In order to improve your sleeping habits, it is absolutely necessary to ensure that you complete your daily exercise routine at least 3 hours before your bedtime. Exercise is known to stimulate the body to secrete cortisol, the stress hormone. This activates the alerting mechanism in the brain, which will result in making you energetic and awake.

Thus, in order to maintain good sleeping habits, make sure you hit the gym well before your bedtime. But whatever you do, don’t stop working out! Just as sleep does, exercise also induces the release of human growth hormone, which is one reason why fit people look younger longer.

7. Try a sleeping device

Ever heard of the Schumann resonance? It’s the Earth’s frequency, which corresponds with our own circadian rhythm, which dictates our cycles of waking and sleeping.

Normally, that is. Unfortunately, modern life – wifi frequencies, blue screen devices like digital TVs, smartphones and computers, as well as electric lights – interfere with this resonance. Thus, interrupting our sleep.

Philip Stein makes super soft, chic sleep bracelets that can help you get better beauty sleep. These are often used by jetsetters whose circadian rhythms are messed up from constantly travelling over different time zones. They work via advanced technologies attuned to the Earth’s natural frequencies, which can help you sleep better and deeper, with zero nasty side effects.

Get 10% off yours here.

8. No pets!

It’s adorable, but sleeping with pets comes with several caveats. We all know that cats are famous for waking owners at the crack of dawn, begging to be fed, and that some breeds of dogs are notorious snorers. All of these ‘cute’ habits, unfortunately, interfere with our own sleeping habits in the long run and can hurt our health. Best to give Fluffy and Fido a bed of their own, preferably in the next room!

9. Meditate

One of the easiest ways to get better beauty sleep is to learn meditation. People often believe you need to be some kind of swami to meditate, but the truth is, it’s dead easy. All you really need to do is calm your mind, and observe your thoughts. Not convinced? Try meditation videos like this one to help clear your mind and relax before bedtime. Yoga and breathwork exercises are also useful.

10. Try a pillow spray

Aromatherapy has a powerful effect for many people. Lavender oil is particularly known for lulling insomniacs asleep, and maintaining sound sleep for those who have no issues falling into dreamland. There are plenty of great pillow spray brands in the market and one we love is Pure Lakes Sleep & Room Spray. Alternatively, you could also just use pure lavender oil.

11. Experience the power of Ayurveda

Indians have long known that herbs and plants have power over our bodies. And the ancient practice of Ayurveda can help get your beauty sleep! For example? Nasya!

This is the Ayurvedic application of oil into the nasal passages, and it’s been used for centuries. Subtle Energies makes a nose spray with 20 herbs that are known to assist with sleep, sinus congestion, snoring and calming the senses. The bio-availability of these herbs is far more potent through the nose than through the mouth. It’s worth a try – especially for those who snore!

12. Ensure you’re comfortable

The ideal temperature for sleep is between 60-67 degrees F, and your bedroom should be in that range. It should also have some fresh air and no light. Consider using blackout curtains, an eye mask, earplugs or a white noise machine (like a fan or humidifier) to ensure your room is as dark, quiet and comfortable as possible.

13. Stick to a routine

Another of the ways to get better beauty sleep is to have a pre-sleep routine.

As anyone who’s travelled far east or west knows, messing up our sleeping habits leads to jet lag. But you don’t need to be on holidays to suffer interrupted sleeping habits. In fact, just a few later than usual nights out or even the change of clock time from summer to winter hours can mess you up.

Create a sleep routine so your body knows it’s time to chill out. Your body needs time to shift into sleep mode, so spend the last hour or so before bed doing a calming activity such as reading a book or taking a hot bath.

14. Avoid laptops and phones before bed

This is one of the most important ways to get better beauty sleep!

Using an electronic device such as a laptop, smartphone or even digital TV can make it hard to fall asleep. That’s because the particular type of blue light emanating from the screens of these devices is activating to the brain, making it think it’s daytime, and stopping you from really winding down.

In fact, these devices prevent your brain from making that natural ‘sleepy’ hormone, melatonin. This not only impairs sleep, but it can have very serious long-term health implications, too.

If you have trouble sleeping, avoid electronics around 90 minutes before bed or in the middle of the night. It’s as simple as that!

Not possible? Try wearing glasses that filter out blue light if you must use your devices before sleeping.

15. Take a bath

At night, our body temperature naturally drops. So, how does a warm bath help, you ask? Well, it raises your body temperature at first. But when you emerge from the bath, your body temperature cools rapidly, making you more tired. That cooling down is a signal that tells us we’re supposed to go to sleep. Add some lavender oil to the bath, and you’ll be drifting off in no time!

16. Try herbs

Some herbs are really powerful when it comes to getting better beauty sleep. For example? Calcium and magnesium are slumber-boosters. Valerian, chamomile, CBD oil, wild lettuce and hops are all also mild sedatives.

17. The darker, the better

Keep the bedroom dark. This regulates sleep cues, including decreased body temperature, slowed metabolism and increased melatonin production. Use a sleeping mask if your blinds are inefficient.

18. Get hormonal

One of the best ways to get better beauty sleep is to take melatonin supplements. As this is a natural hormonal supplement, but it’s wise to consult with a doctor first to know the right dosage. But these little pills can help with insomnia, jet lag and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Plus, they’ve been associated with lower rates of cancer, and can even treat some forms of the disease!

19. Listen to Solfeggio frequencies

If you’re looking for some healing sleep music to help you drift off, Solfeggio frequencies are worth checking out. These relate to specific sounds that promote mind and body health and incorporate tones that date back centuries and include sacred music and chants. They are even thought to stimulate the conscious and subconscious mind, helping to promote vitality and heal the mind, body, and spirit.

Learn more here.

20. Just chill

I know it’s easier said than done, but sometimes, if you can’t sleep, stressing about not sleeping makes things worse. Check out number 9 above. Doing some meditation or listening to calming music might just help!

Improving your sleeping habits will result in a healthier, happier and prettier you. You will find that a good night’s sleep makes you feel more energetic, alert and active during the day. As you’ve learned, getting better beauty sleep is simple and only involves a few basic and healthy lifestyle changes. And most of them are free! So, what are you waiting for?

Chere Di Boscio
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