My evening routine is something I’ve been working on recently. I’m naturally a night owl, but because I have a job that often involves early starts (5.30am alarm is the norm), getting to bed early and a good night’s sleep can be vital to my health and ability to function at my best during the day. I’m not good on less than 8 hours sleep!
This is easier said than done, surely I’m not the only one who is guilty of staying up into the early hours in a YouTube wormhole (worlds most terrifying train journeys and dumpster diving videos are a current 2am favourite of mine) or indulging in a sneaky look on RightMove to see what the neighbours two doors down’ decor is like. (Kitchen envy, but that’s ok because their wallpaper looks like it’s arguing with the curtains).
With a busy work stint approaching I’m making a conscious effort to get myself back into a proper sleep pattern, so I thought I’d share with you some of my tips and go-to products to aid a relaxing bedtime routine and a better nights sleep.
I find a bath is one of the best ways to unwind in the evening, especially if I’ve been to the gym and am aching from a workout. I’ve been using Twilight shower gel by Lush which contains Ylang Ylang & Lavender oil that both have calming properties.
Candles play a big part in setting the mood for a relaxing evening and currently I’m burning this Mahogany one from H&M home. You can see see what other homeware pieces I’ve picked up recently over on my YouTube channel.
Considering the amount of time we spend in bed, (it’s basically 1/3rd of our lives, so by the time we’ve hit 30 that’s 10 years in the land of nod) it’s worth investing in some decent bedding and nightwear.
I was recently sent this top from Homebody Luxury Pyjamas to try out which is perfect for chilling in. It’s handmade in the UK (thank you Angie!) from a quality fabric called modal which feels incredibly soft and silky on the skin. It’s cool to the touch and breathable, so I’ve found it nice to sleep in as it seemed to regulate my body temperature really well. I’d describe this as a luxury investment piece as the price tag is pretty high, but you are going to get plenty of wear out of it, and honestly it does feel amazing. They also do some nice PJ sets which include shorts which I like to wear in bed.
The other bonus with this piece is it transitions nicely into daytime, so if you are caught by surprise by that 8am Skype conference call you’d forgotten about, you will still look presentable!
Now I am aware that every sleep article we read tells us that phones need to be put away after 9.30pm and not switched on again until the morning, but realistically who is going to stick to that? Instead I’m just going to get back into reading and hopefully if I get hooked by a good book I’ll forget about the phone and reading will become a bedtime habit again. I was given the Dreamopedia book by a friend for Christmas and some of the meanings of dreams are hilarious. Who knew that dreaming of Cacti meant you feel suffocated by the constraints placed on your life. There was me thinking I’m just plant obsessed!
Talking of Cacti, you may notice I’ve got a one next to my bed, and that is because they absorb carbon dioxide at night to release oxygen so they are a fantastic plant for the bedroom! If you love plants as much as I do make sure you check out my YouTube channel as plant hauls have become a regular occurrence over there.
In terms of food and drink in the evening, again this is something that I need to work on! I’m definitely guilty of late night snacking or a glass of wine, so I’m making a conscious effort to swap these out for a herbal tea. I’ve been trying this Super Green sleepy tea from Clipper which is ideal for night time with calming chamomile, lavender and lemon balm.
Before my head hits the pillow I give it a spritz with the Scent to Sleep pillow mist from Neom Organics London. This stuff is a wonder product that really does make you feel incredibly drowsy and relaxed as soon as you inhale it, and I even take it on my travels to use in hotels.
I hope you found these sleep tips useful, and feel free to tell me off if you see any twitter or Instagram activity in the early hours – but I promise I am going to try my best to nail this sleep routine!
Finally if you are on the look out for a new mattress or bed, you might want to check out my mattress review video and how to buy a bed guide, so I’ll leave them for you below. I know that I found both of these a headache to choose, so hopefully these will give you some helpful advice before you invest so you can sleep at night (sorry) knowing you’ve made the right decision!
Homebody kindly gifted me the Pyjama top in exchange for my honest review.