By our guest - Blend Wellness’s Jane McClurg Naturopath BNatMed (member of NHMNZ)
When we sleep, our bodies are repairing tissue, detoxing and the brain is filing all those memories and information it’s gathered during the day, so it’s essential that we sleep soundly. Sleep is one of the foundational pillars of good health, but what happens when it eludes us?
Trouble falling asleep or trouble staying asleep can be a big issue for many people. Looking at your lifestyle and diet would be the number one starting point.
Here are five tips from me. It can be daunting to make too many changes at once (and our best intentions are less likely to be successful if you attempt too much), so you could pick just one of these and give it time to become a habit, before you try adding another.
1. The 3, 2, 1 Rule:
3 hours before bed you’ve had your last thing to eat. So, if you go to bed at 10pm, the last thing you ate should be at 7pm … No late-night snacks!
2 hours before bed you have stopped doing any work. Yes, I see you, just sending that last email at 9pm or working on that proposal. Put the laptop away!
1 hour before bed put the phone away. Put all devices away! If you are susceptible to poor sleep, then try wearing blue-blocking glasses if you’re watching tv.
2. A good night’s sleep starts in the morning.
When you wake up in the morning a good habit to get into is getting natural light into your eyes within 30 minutes of waking. Pull back the curtains, better yet go outside and do some gentle stretches to wake you up. Our bodies have a circadian rhythm, which means we naturally have more energy in the morning when the sun is coming up and then we naturally wind down when the sun goes down. All the artificial light that is used these days can mess with this rhythm, so we need to be intentional about getting that natural light first thing in the morning.
3. The brain dump.
Many people these days complain of having a busy mind when they try to fall asleep. Try doing a brain dump onto paper, yep handwriting it onto paper. This allows the brain to quieten down because you’ve written down your to-do list and all your worries. It’s now out of your head and you can relax.
4. Your friend magnesium.
Everyone needs magnesium. If you take a regular magnesium supplement, it’s helpful to take it at night as it helps to soothe the nervous system, calm restless muscles and support the body for sleep. You should aim for around 300-400mg of magnesium a day. And of course in addition to this, your magnesium spray by Salt & Oil is a wonderful way to top up, especially for those restless legs and tight muscles.
5. Schedule in some Me-Time.
A great routine is to schedule in some Me-Time every week to relax and unwind, giving yourself space to breathe and just be present. A lovely way to do this is a bath! Hang up that Do Not Disturb sign on the bathroom door, grab a Salt & Oil Bath Soak and have 30 minutes to yourself. It’s one of the best ways to unwind and really support your sleep.
If you’ve dialed in your sleep routine but sleep still eludes you, then contact your local naturopath for further investigation.
Thanks Jane for your tips that should be an easy addition to our daily routines.
Jane McClurg works New Zealand-wide via Zoom and has a special interest in Stress, Fatigue and Gut Health. You can book a free discovery call with her today at www.blendwellness.co.nz
We didn't ask Jane for tips that included our products, so it's lovely to know that she appreciates them and recommends them.
If you'd like to try them for yourself, for Sleep Month 2023, we have a couple of great offers for you, including:
Our Tranquil & Thankful Sleep Support Gift Set can help you feel relaxed, support a good sleep routine, build resilience and boost happiness.
Normally $48.50, it's only $36.50 during March 2023.
It contains a lavender and bergamot Epsom salt bath soak, lavender Magnesium Oil Spray, and gratitude journal from Awesome Inc.
Wishing you a great night's sleep!
Dionne x