You’ve hit snooze three times already and still feel like you’ve only just dozed off. You shuffle your way to the bathroom with groggy eyes and bed hair hoping to wake yourself up with a shower, the endless skin care and makeup products on your counter and dose of caffeine. But it shouldn’t be your morning routine that wakes you up, but rather your night-time routine that should have you waking up feeling naturally refreshed and energised. Sleep expert Matthew Walker says in his book Why We Sleep that sleep enhances our experiences in the day, re-calibrates our emotions and helps our bodies better deal with stress. Here are our tips on the maximising the benefits of sleep so you don’t wake up wishing you had more sleep.
Stay consistent
Your body relies on predictability and functions better when a routine is set in place. Although it’s tricky to keep a regular sleep schedule, you need to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day (including weekends!). Don’t just take our word for it, Psychology professor J. Peterson says in his book 12 Rules for Life that in order to make your sleep more effective, it’s important to wake up at a consistent time for our mental health and well-being.
A consistent night-time skin care routine will also help prevent signs of ageing. You don’t want to go to sleep with your pore’s clogged with the day’s gunk. Put on something comfy such as Elkie & Ark’s Organic Linen Robe to help you get unready for the night. Our Nutri-Define Supreme Cleansing Foam is perfect to kick start your sleep skin repair process. It gently sweeps away makeup and impurities with natural polishing beads to help encourage healthy cell turnover and leave your skin refreshed and perfectly cleansed for bed. A combination of a natural night cream and eye cream are perfect to have you waking up with glowing skin. Our Nutri-Define Supreme Restorative Rich Cream with its buttery texture will keep your skin hydrated and firm. The best eye cream for lines and puffiness is our Nutri-Define Supreme Eye Contour Balm. Gently smooth it around your eye area to ensure bright and revitalised eyes in the morning.
Use linen sheets
You’re only as cosy as your sheets are, and nothing beats wrapping yourself in luxe fresh sheets. Beyond their softness and breathability, linen sheets are trans-seasonal and temperature-regulating so they’ll keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. The slightly abrasive nature of the fibres also increases your blood flow during sleep. Be careful when making the switch to organic linen sheets as some “organic” bedsheets have been processed with formaldehyde among other chemicals. Sleep better with sustainably made products such as Elkie & Ark’s Linen Sheets, which are free from toxic bleaches, dyes or softeners.
Get in the zone
No more late-night tech sessions, your bedroom should be a sanctuary for respite. Log out for the night and try to leave your phone and other distractions out of the room. To give your brain enough downtime, it’s best to not use anything with a screen at least an hour before bed. If you use your phone as an alarm, make sure to switch your phone to Sleep Mode or put it on silent.
With its snooze-inducing properties, Lavender is perfect to help you fall asleep faster. Mist your face and pillowcase with our Lavender Hydrating Mist to soothe and calm your senses. For an extra dose of relaxation, add a couple of drops of our Lavender Pure Essential Oil into a diffuser and as the scent wafts throughout your space, you’ll be asleep before you know it.
Caffeinate later
Coffee is an instant pick me up first thing in the morning to get you buzzing for the day. We all do it, but Naturopath/Nutritionist Tabitha at Awaken your Health says that doing this adds stress to your body. Help your body wake up and naturally reduce stress on your system by delaying caffeine until 10 am, and starting the day with a protein, low sugar meal.
Stay consistent
Your body relies on predictability and functions better when a routine is set in place. Although it’s tricky to keep a regular sleep schedule, you need to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day (including weekends!). Don’t just take our word for it, Psychology professor J. Peterson says in his book 12 Rules for Life that in order to make your sleep more effective, it’s important to wake up at a consistent time for our mental health and well-being.
A consistent night-time skin care routine will also help prevent signs of ageing. You don’t want to go to sleep with your pore’s clogged with the day’s gunk. Put on something comfy such as Elkie & Ark’s Organic Linen Robe to help you get unready for the night. Our Nutri-Define Supreme Cleansing Foam is perfect to kick start your sleep skin repair process. It gently sweeps away makeup and impurities with natural polishing beads to help encourage healthy cell turnover and leave your skin refreshed and perfectly cleansed for bed. A combination of a natural night cream and eye cream are perfect to have you waking up with glowing skin. Our Nutri-Define Supreme Restorative Rich Cream with its buttery texture will keep your skin hydrated and firm. The best eye cream for lines and puffiness is our Nutri-Define Supreme Eye Contour Balm. Gently smooth it around your eye area to ensure bright and revitalised eyes in the morning.
Use linen sheets
You’re only as cosy as your sheets are, and nothing beats wrapping yourself in luxe fresh sheets. Beyond their softness and breathability, linen sheets are trans-seasonal and temperature-regulating so they’ll keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. The slightly abrasive nature of the fibres also increases your blood flow during sleep. Be careful when making the switch to organic linen sheets as some “organic” bedsheets have been processed with formaldehyde among other chemicals. Sleep better with sustainably made products such as Elkie & Ark’s Linen Sheets, which are free from toxic bleaches, dyes or softeners.
Get in the zone
No more late-night tech sessions, your bedroom should be a sanctuary for respite. Log out for the night and try to leave your phone and other distractions out of the room. To give your brain enough downtime, it’s best to not use anything with a screen at least an hour before bed. If you use your phone as an alarm, make sure to switch your phone to Sleep Mode or put it on silent.
With its snooze-inducing properties, Lavender is perfect to help you fall asleep faster. Mist your face and pillowcase with our Lavender Hydrating Mist to soothe and calm your senses. For an extra dose of relaxation, add a couple of drops of our Lavender Pure Essential Oil into a diffuser and as the scent wafts throughout your space, you’ll be asleep before you know it.
Caffeinate later
Coffee is an instant pick me up first thing in the morning to get you buzzing for the day. We all do it, but Naturopath/Nutritionist Tabitha at Awaken your Health says that doing this adds stress to your body. Help your body wake up and naturally reduce stress on your system by delaying caffeine until 10 am, and starting the day with a protein, low sugar meal.