I never had problems with falling sleep until I started secondary school. I go to bed early, I listen to some music, and then try to fall asleep. There are some nights I don't fall asleep until well after midnight, resulting in being tired and unable to focus properly in school the next day. I have come up with a few tips and tricks that help me fall asleep, and I want to share them with you, as hopefully they may help you in getting your beauty sleep each night :)
Tea
If you're Irish, the ole 'tae' is probably a big part of your life already- some of my friends drink up to 3 or 4 cups a day (madness). Whether you like yours milky, extra sweet or black, make sure to make your favourite tea an hour before you go to bed. I like mine with a slice of lemon and half a teaspoon of honey, in my gorge Van Gogh: Irises mug from Amsterdam. I drink the Twinning's English Breakfast tea, it tastes unreal. Tea really calms and soothes all the anxieties of the day away- herbal teas also help to clear your skin and your system, but I'm not too keen on the taste sadly :(
Fresh Sheets
Fresh sheets are what keeps me going during the cold seasons- I always bring an extra duvet in and sleep with two, as I am forever cold. Having fresh, crisp sheets to snuggle in, especially if you have a teddy (or Brooklyn Beckham, whatever your taste) to cuddle, can make falling asleep so much easier. Falling asleep amidst warm heavy sheets and blankets is definitely one of my favourite things of the winter.
Sleep Remedies
Sleep remedies are products used to help you to fall asleep, or to sleep better. Some people don't use them and they may not work for others, however I find that mine do work in calming me down. I use Avon's Sleeptherapy, and I've had these two for ever. The first is a scented pillow spray, which you spray on your pillow or sheets before going to bed, and the smell is supposed to calm you down and help you fall asleep. I also have the Sleeptherapy Balm- and this actually works- which you rub a little bit on your wrists and temples before going to bed. The balm ensures you sleep soundly and peacefully the whole night, without waking up, and find it really helpful.
Reading
Reading is one of the easiest and well known ways to make you ease into sleep. Obviously, if you're reading a mind-gripping crime novel, it won't leave you too much at peace, but a drama novel does no harm. If you're not too keen on books, reading a magazine, usually filled with a lot of visual content, de-stresses you and makes falling asleep much easier. I love thumbing through Vogue or the novel I'm currently reading, The Help by Kathryn Stockett before bed.
Shower/Bath
Having a bath is one of the best ways to relax and calm down after a long day. I love always adding something into the water, like bubbles, salts or bath bombs. Lush is obviously amazing for this, as they do unreal bath melts, bath bombs and body treats. I don't really have time to take baths that often, so I shower before bed using a gorge smelling and moisturizing body wash, like this one, and make sure to use lotion afterwards. Using a body moisturizer is extremely important during the cold months, to keep skin supple and avoid dry patches. I've had a tough time with my skin this year, between allergies and itchiness, so I keep it basic with this Dove Purely Pampering Nourishing Lotion.
Music
Listening to music as you're trying to fall asleep is something I'm never too sure of- I can never figure out whether its a good thing to do or not. Some people say that listening to music distracts you from falling asleep, but for me, it's the last thing I do at night and the first thing I do as soon as I wake up- I listen to my iPod. Currently, I'm loving Lorde's Pure Heroine album- all of the songs are so different, and so good to listen to.
The Worry People
I really am not a very superstitious person, and I don't believe in four leaf clovers or walking under ladders- however this isn't really based on any kind of magic. The Guatemalan Worry People are available to buy in health shops, and their concept is really interesting- they're based on how Guatemalan people used to make tiny little people, and before bed each night, tell the people all their worries and anxieties. When put under your pillow for the night, your worries would dissapear as the worry people would do the worrying for you. Hence, the load would be lifted off your mind and you would fall asleep carefree, and wake up carefree. I do have my own Worry People, and I can't say that this geniunely works, but the concept is very true- as soon as you actually voice your problems, they seem minor and maybe even a little silly at times. The Worry People become like a therapist of sorts, that listen to your problems- and hopefully take them away. They are inexpensive and definitely something to try out.
Clean and Tidy Surroundings
In order to achieve a good night's sleep, the bedroom you sleep in should be in order and de-cluttered, so make sure to find some time every day to do a rough tidy up and cleaning sesh in your room- and save the hoovering for the weekends. Tidy room, tidy mind.
Getting Stuff Done
Being an anxious person, I need to get all my homework and whatever work I need to do done in advance, as I hate leaving things till the last minute. When you go to bed, it's natural to lie there and think about all the things you still have to do, so ensure to get them all done during the day, or plan ahead, by writing them all down and ticking them off. This will ensure that when you do get to bed, you're not being anxious about how much you have to do. Keeping a diary, whether to write down feelings or plan ahead, is also a good idea.
Writing Down Thoughts
Writing down thoughts and feelings, like getting stuff done, is a good way of getting things out of your way. Much like the Worry People, this is probably a more effective way of clearing your head and helping anxieties go away. One of the most effective ways of dealing with mental issues is by writing them down, as often as you like.
Sleep Schedule
Being a teenager, I looove staying up late watching Breaking Bad and drooling over Joey Essex's face (can we not pls) but this means that on the weekends, I end up going to bed at 1 or 2 am, and then on Mondays I'm trying to fall asleep at 11pm or so. Unfortunately, this doesn't work and I don't fall asleep until 1 am. Having a proper sleep schedule is one of the most easiest ways to fall asleep- eventually you will, if you go to bed before midnight every night and get up for school or even at the weekends, you get enough sleep every night. That's my new rule- I have to be in bed by 1 am, weekend or not. Obviously some exceptions to apply (nights out and stuff) but this ensures I get enough sleep, always.
I really should listen to myself as I have just gotten back to school from mid term, and now I'm suffering with serrrriouss cases of lost sleep haha :). Please remember that if you have real trouble with falling asleep/getting any sleep due to unknown reasons, do contact a professional.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you sweeties had a good Halloween! Trick or treaters are officially my new favourite thing in the world.
Gaby x
