How to Sleep Smart with This Works

World Sleep Day is an annual celebration of sleep and all of its many benefits: a chance to raise awareness of the multitude of reasons why getting a good night's sleep should be a priority for us all. Why is it so important? Poor quality sleep impacts just about every area of our life. Just one night of poor sleep has a measurable negative impact on your attention span, memory recall, and ability to learn. Poor sleep has the effect of increasing appetite, and longer term, is a major factor in obesity. If all this wasn't enough, it can play havoc with your skin and overall appearance: it's been proven that those who get better sleep are perceived by others not only to be more alert, but more attractive and youthful.

For this World Sleep Day, This Works have put together their 9 step guide to sleeping smart.

9 Steps to Sleep Smart with This Works

1. Create a Bedtime Ritual

Try to create a night time ritual, including going to bed and waking up at the same time (yes, even on weekends). This will keep your circadian rhythms in order.

2. Avoid evening indulgence

Avoid consuming alcohol after 9pm, as it can interfere with sleep patterns. The same goes for late night snacking, especially sweets, and stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine.

3. Take a bath

While a warm evening bath with our Deep Sleep Bath Soak is a great way to unwind, avoid very hot water. Your body's rhythms want cooler temperatures in the evening.

Ensure your bedroom temperature is cooler at night than in the day. Around 18-20°C is optimal.

Keep your bedroom environment dark for the best sleep. Room darkening shades and curtains or a sleep mask can prevent light from signalling your brain to wake up.

Noise can disrupt sleep, so eliminate environmental noise as much as possible at bedtime.

Put devices away at least an hour before bed. Blue light emitted by smart phones and other devices affects melatonin production, which regulates sleeping and waking patterns.

Use proven, tested aromatherapy solutions, such as Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, to help reduce sleep anxiety and create a calm tranquil night time environment.

If you don't get a full night's sleep, set aside time during the day to power up with a quick nap. This will help you compensate for any sleep you lost the night before.