The ticking of the clock is as loud as
ever. 2.00 am, 2.03 am, 2.09 am. The sheep have been counted and sent home and
there you are, making rhythms with the beats of the ticking clock.
When a major portion of your night is all
about the tossing and turning, you need some sleep rituals that will guarantee
you a good night’s sleep.
“There are no golden rules when it comes
to getting a good night’s sleep”, says Dr. Rachel Morehouse of the QEII Sleep
Disorders Clinic and Laboratory. “People are so individual that you have to
know yourself and what works for you”.
Each person has different tricks that
work for them. To start the process, here are a few tried and tested hacks on
how to have some uninterrupted kip.
Warm
milk:
Although known as an old wives’ tale,
this ritual has its own benefits. Milk contains Tryptophan, an amino acid known
to cause drowsiness and induce sleep. On a related note, the same content is
found in turkey. You choose.
Light
stretching or yoga:
There have been several studies that say
exercising vigorously before bedtime is not a good idea. But yoga enthusiasts
agree that doing their stretches at night allows them to unwind before hitting
the sack.
Avoid
soft drinks/sodas:
It might be a ritual you enjoy but you
might need to rethink it now, as it has been found that caffeinated drinks at
night is a common cause of sleep problems. If you must have a drink during or
after dinner, hit the herbal tea instead. If you must.
Forget
your troubles in bubbles:
Nothing beats the ethereal feeling of
taking a good long bubble bath or shower. A bath helps you loosen those tight
muscles and relax and gets you ready for bed, just like it did when you were a
little child.
Get
into your sanctuary:
“It seems so obvious, but it often
isn’t”, says Morehouse. “You need a room for sleeping. More like a
sanctuary”. This basically means that
you can’t cheat on your sleep with social media rounds, your pending bills or a
late night show with either of the Jimmy’s.
And the most important of all, turn that
cell phone off. Constantly thinking about the events of the day and the things
you have to say causes stress and sleeplessness.
Unwind
your mind
Find your own way to unwind. It could be
reading a book, listening to soothing music or meditating; whatever floats your
boat and rocks it enough to put you to sleep.
Choosing
the right mattress:
That’s right. If what you’re sleeping on
is an old sagging mattress with a spring digging into your back and squeaking
every time you move, it’s time to buy a new mattress. Forget economical living
and think peaceful sleeping.
Comfortable
loungewear:
Sleeping has a lot to do with comfort. If
you’re one to rotate a 360 in your sleep or curl up like a ball and travel in
bed, you should do it with comfort. Pick your comfort in loungewear. Be it PJs,
boxers or one pieces, think comfort and not just style for your shut eye time.
If you’re seeking an insane combination
of comfort and style, you can always check out Nuteez. This is a one stop
destination to find loungewear with the coolest themes and softest fabric,
which is sure to get you cozy enough to forget the sheep and ticking music
demos and sleep like a baby.