Sleeping problems seem to affect most people at some point in life. Me and Dizzy love our sleep and usually sleep like a log! But we do get patches of worrying (we are at the moment because of new job tomorrow :/ ) which causes us to not be able to get all the sleep we need. This has led us to think about ways to help with this and come up with our favourite 7! 🙂
Why do we need sleep?
Why our bodies are programmed for long periods of sleepy time every night is still abit of a mystery but it is vital for all of us. We do know though that during sleep our brains sort out information from the previous day, growth and repair takes place throughout the body and our hormones are synthesized.
What happens if we don’t get enough sleep?
If you’re like me and Dizzy you get grumpy! But that’s a normal response to lack of sleep. Cognitive functions such as memory, problem solving and thought process is all affected. Lack of sleep can even end up causing disorientation, hallucinations and paranoia.
Dizzy’s 7 simple ways to help get a good nights sleep:
- Bedtime routine – Having a set bedtime routine every night can help our bodies to realise it is time for sleep. This can involve having set tasks that are carried out (and that help you relax) before getting into bed and then having the same bedtime and waking up time everyday. 🙂
…every night it gets to 9.30 and every night Dizzy’s not in bed…
2. No screens – Technology such as laptops and phones can affect our sleep. This is partly due to it keeping our minds feeling awake (wondering what’s happening online) but the light given out by them also suppresses our sleep hormone melatonin. Just having a screen free hour before bedtime can make all the difference. 🙂
Me and Dizzy can both be abit naughty with this one though…
3. Relaxing bath – We feel sleepy when our body temperature drops. Having a bath raises our body temperature so the drop it experiences after we leave the bath helps to make us feel sleepy! You can also make bath time extra relaxing by using your favourite type of bubble bath, bath bomb or essential oils.
4. Yoga – Doing yoga can help you to relax and calm your mind down before sleepy time. Me and Dizzy especially love this one as you can even do it in bed! We really recommend Yoga with Adriene who even has specific ones for sleepy time which you can find here and here. 🙂
Dizzy and her friends have really been getting into this one! I think Bob’s even fallen asleep during ‘Upside down donkey pose’, he’s been there a while…
5. Meditation – This helps to calm the mind before bed and helps you focus on the present moment (instead of worrying about what’s happened that day or about the next). There’s lots of meditations you can find online, we like The Honest Guys which you can even listen to as you fall asleep! You can also take time before bed to focus on an object such as Dizzy with a candle or just focus on your breathing.
6. Music – Listening to relaxing and calming music when you’re ready to fall asleep can help to calm the mind. It’s also believed that it triggers happy chemicals in the brain to be released making you more relaxed for sleepy time. 🙂
I’m not convinced the lively music these three have found is right for getting them to sleep but they seem happy enough with their choices. 🙂
7. Lavender – This is known to be a calming and relaxing herb. Just sprinkling a few drops of pure lavender oil on your pillow can help with sleep. 🙂 It’s also been found that lavender increased very deep sleep where our heartbeat slows and muscles relax.
These are the best things that work for me and Dizzy but it’s great to find what works best for you. 🙂 If you find one doesn’t work for you, scrap it! Make your own sleepy routine 🙂 We’d also love to know what is on your sleepy list. Are they the same as ours? xxx
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.” ~ Unknown
Love yoga Dizzy! I so agree with routine, no screen time and lavender. If you can grow a lavender bush it is so easy to collect the dried flowers, make your own lavender bag and then when you put it under your pillow it feels like you are sleeping in the garden. Good luck tomorrow!
Thank you, I’ll have to do that. We do have lavender bushes in our front garden but I hadn’t thought to make them into a little lavender bag. 🙂 xxx
I also use lavender, meditation, routine, and no screens. You can set your watch with my routine!
That sounds perfect for helping to get a good nights sleep. 🙂 It’s just the screen I need to be abit firmer with myself on. It’s all too easy too access now. Hope you’re having a good week. 🙂 xxx
Yes it is and I am, thanks!! Blessing to you!!
I keep thinking about starting Yoga to help me. I’ve suffered with Insomnia for years, however for the past few months I started meditating in the evening, something I used to do many years ago and just got out of the habit of. Since then I’ve been sleeping really well. I haven’t done it for a week and interestingly the past three nights I’ve woken up between 3 and 4am feeling anxious and stressing about nothing. Back to the meditation tonight. Perhaps yoga soon to compliment it. The routine is so important, I can tell the difference when I’m out of my usual routine.
It’s so easy to get out of the habit of doing them. I use to do yoga and meditation everyday but the last year just stopped doing it, not even for any reason. Am working on doing it everyday again now though. 🙂 I really could tell the difference when I was. Try yoga with Adriene, she is really good and there’s videos for all levels. 🙂 xxx
For me, there’s no such thing as too much sleep. Sometimes when I’m grouchy I say there’s no such thing as enough sleep, but I know that’s not true. 😉
I agree with you! Usually I can happily nap all afternoon and still sleep all night. 🙂 xxx
I agree with the lavender totally! I’m currently trying the Sleepy Body Lotion from Lush which has lavender water in it and is really helping me drift off even on a night where the pain is bad!
Good luck in your new job tomorrow! Am sure you will do great!
All the best
I hadn’t heard of that. I might give it a try for nights when I feel I need abit extra help with getting to sleep. Thank you. Will pop into Lush next time I’m near one. 🙂 xxx
Fabulous post. You really made me laugh. I must try the upside down donkey pose. 🌼🌼🌼Best wishes for your job Heather.
The upside down donkey pose is the best. 🙂 It’s very simple to do too. 🙂 And thank you. Just hoping the MS behaves itself but all I need to do is sit there as it’s a training day. No students till next week. 🙂 xxx
Very good suggestions. I love Dizzy and friends in the yoga poses! I like lavender and will put some drops of the oil into a bath and then just breathe it in while I relax in the warm/hot water. All the best for the new job.
I love that aswell with the oil in the bath. It’s so relaxing. 🙂 xxx
What a great post! These are some wonderful suggestions for better sleep, and Dizzy and friends are just adorable. Congratulations on your new job – all the best to you!
Thank you Terri. 🙂 xxx
I used to do yoga at night and too often ended up falling asleep on the lounge room floor. So it does work. 🙂
That’s makes me feel better for doing it in bed at night. Wasn’t sure if it was just laziness but definitely more practical for falling asleep. 🙂 Even though I do yoga in bed sometimes in the morning too…. 🙂 xxx
Bubble bath and a book!And for extreme situations I have a little lavendar pillow
You can’t go wrong with a bubble bath and a good book! 🙂 I don’t have a little lavender pillow though, that sounds really nice. 🙂 xxx
Lavender is great. In Singapore no lavender bushes as too hot! I use lavender oils for aromatherapy. Sleep heals our cells….this what was my autoimmunologist tells me. I too, do not have enough zzzz as work and stress charges me. Please rest and don’t worry about new job tomorrow.🤗🤗All the best to you and Garfield hugs to Dizzy🤗🤗💕
I think sleep does. I can always tell the difference if I’ve slept well aswell. I had to leave work early but got through most of it! I can now sleep till Monday. 🙂 Hope you have a lovely weekend. xxx
Thanks my friend…😊
I just love that Dizzy has a routine! Lavender is wonderful!! I have finally started Yoga although I didn’t do it yesterday as I had planned just because my back and legs hurt too bad. Congratulations on your new job! I hope you have a great day today!!!!
Yayyy! Glad you’ve started it. Just do what you can with it but I have noticed a difference even if I don’t do it everyday. 🙂 Hope you have a good day too! 🙂 xxx
Lovely article 😊. I love baths and lavender too – also working on the no screen time before bed 😉! I like the Honest Guys meditations too – very relaxing xx
The no screens is hard. I get tempted when I can’t get to sleep too… I can usually fall asleep listening to then. It’s a very soothing voice. 🙂 xxx
Fab post. I love Dizzy and his friends. Did you knit him? The pictures and the video of what is MS are enchanting and educational at the same time. Greta bits of advice here too 🙂
Aww thank you. No, they’re all from the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth. Volunteers knit them and then they sell them in the little shop. All money goes to the donkeys. 🙂 And thank you for taking the time to watch our little video. 🙂 xxx
i’ve stuggled with insomnia many times. biggest help is to get a walk in mid-day and read before trying to fall asleep. i also have a CD that i’ve listened to so many times i know all the words, the familiarity is comforting and helps me fall asleep. and for those times when i’ve been up for hours, i’ll resort to meds. Love your posts. The photo captions are precious. So much color and brightness. Best to you in your new position.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you love our little posts and photos. 🙂 I have resorted to meds a few times. I never really know if they actually help me get to sleep but they definitely help make me feel very calm about life. 🙂 xxx
I absolutely love this- when I find it hard to sleep i love to listen to music too 🙂 and Dizzy is so naughty not going to bed at bedtime! xx
She never goes to bed on time! Just pretends she can’t see the little sign I made. 🙂 Music is really good. It’s just so relaxing! 🙂 We’re both looking forward to your donkey sanctuary post. xxx
I definitely get grumpy! But I normally don’t sleep well sigh! Great post! 😄
It’s always food and sleep, grumpyness starts as soon as I get hungry or sleepy. 🙂 And thank you, glad you liked it. 🙂 xxx
These are all excellent tips!!! I hope you and Dizzy are beneifiting from these great tips!!! <3
Thank you. 🙂 xxx
I like your post 😊.
Thank you! 🙂 xx
Take a look on my last post and follow me if you like it 😀.
i love these posts!
Aww, thank you. We really appreciate that. 🙂 xxx
Hi!! Fantastic tips! I hope you are well and the job is going well. I love the lavender! I use it every night. Since I have pain for my fibro, I add it to an oil and massage my joints..shoulders, hips, knees, collarbone, hands, and rub it on my chest. It seems to lessen my nighttime pain and morning stiffness if I do! I just started doing it in the past 3 weeks, mixing it with wintergreen oil if I’m really in pain and it’s really helping. And I sleeping with a diffuser with lavender oil and chamomile oil, so it’s in the room all night. The chamomile smells a bit funny but really works! I need to go back to doing yoga. I’ll try the link you gave. Screen time is a bad one since I take my laptop to bed so I can grade assignments. I downloaded a filter on my phone, tablet, and pc called Twilight. It filters the blue light of screen off once the sun goes down and then goes off when the sun comes up. I like it. It lets me read in bed or use my pc without bothering like it uses to, but I still need to watch it since I tend to stay up when I should be asleep! Hugs! Take care 🤗❤
That sounds a brilliant idea to add it to oil, also means you have the lovely smell of it. 🙂 I sometimes stay up later aswell than I should, phones and laptops are too tempting! But I am trying to get better at it. How’s your weekend been? xxx
It is great in oil! I hope it works for you if you try it! I always stay up too late, but that is a lot of times because I’m so busy or just in pain. I’m trying to get better at it too though! It’s been a busy weekend. Too much school work and not enough time relaxing and resting 🙁 Without that, it would have been perfect, lol. I’ve still got HW to do, ugh. How are you? And your new job?? <3
Theres aways so much stuff to do at home. The lesson planning and marking can take over abit. Hopefully you can have a more relaxing weekend this weekend! 🙂 I’m very sleepy, new jobs not going so well but I’m hoping it will turn around soon. Hows your Monday been? xxx
Oh yes, the teaching never ends!! And teaching college, I have 164 students this semester, so it’s never-ending. Two of my classes turned in an 8 page essay on Sunday, so I have 904 pgs to grades in 10 days, and my other class is turning in a 10 of essay this weekend, so another 510 pgs to grade. I’m tired thinking about it, lol. I hope I can find some time this weekend, but I have a lot of homework and exams of my own next week. It’s always something, but I need to find time to relax or I get stressed and that increases pain.
I can sympathize with sleepy! I had 4hrs sleep last night. 😴 I’m sorry to hear about your job! I will hope it gets better! Maybe it’s because it’s new?
Yesterday was a bit crazy. I was sleepy, so I napped but that put me behind schedule, so I need to try and catchup today although I just want to nap. It’s chilly and pouring rain, so perfect napping weather! I hope your day is going well!! ❤
That’s so much marking! And it’s only September! How are you getting on with it all? I feel lucky to just have to mark spelling tests and posters this weekend now.
It’s a hard balance but sometimes you have to nap to be able to get through the rest of the day. That’s what I’m having to do at the moment. I do also love my naps. 🙂 xxx
It’s so much! Thank goodness only 11 weeks left in the semester before 3 weeks break at Christmas! I was doing awful since I’m taking classes too and that is so much work! I have 2 exams next week and 1 essay due this weekend that is 25 pages, another due the last week of Sept that is 40 pages, so I’m just swamped with school 🙁 And I feel so overwhelmed. But I requested a grad student teaching assistant to help me out with the grading and answering all the emails that I get ALL day long from my students, so that was approved. She will begin helping me next week, so I’m very happy about that! I hope it takes so much off me!
Sometimes you definitely do have to nap; today I took one and only meant to sleep for an hour but slept for 3 hrs! I was so upset, but I guess that I needed it. Now though, I will have to play catchup. I hope you are well!! 🙂
You have so much to do! I think you need naps with all of that! How did you get on with your marking this weekend? I’ve been lucky and just had spelling tests to mark this weekend. Even though after a while I start to forget how to spell anything!
Lol, I’m counting down to Christmas too! That’s really good you’ll have a grad student to help though. Is she starting tomorrow? xxx
I’ve found that the best way to get a good night’s sleep is to hit myself over the head with a hammer. The only problem is that I wake up with a terrible headache, which makes me so grouchy that my wife calls me a sorehead. 🙁
Lol! It does sound a sure way of getting a good night’s sleep. 🙂 Its just the headache part….xxx
I loved your list! I like to read before sleep. And do guided imagery! xx
Thank you. 🙂 I haven’t done guided imagery for ages but I really enjoy that aswell. xxx
a great and impacting post! For everyone sleeps.
Thank you Peter. 🙂 xxx
You’re gladly welcome!
The upside down donkey pose – Finally a position I can do!
Some great tips – and amazing photos of Donkey as always!! 🙂
Caz x
That’s my favourite pose too! And just fall asleep in it too. 🙂
Thank you. Hope you’re doing ok. xxx
I’ve shared this on my blog, hope that’s okay! 🙂 Post is here – http://invisiblyme.com/2017/09/13/midweek-musings/
Caz x
Of course. Thank you so much for including it. That’s really lovely of you. 🙂 xxx
Thank you for sharing our post in your article. 🙂 xxx