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We all want to wake up each morning refreshed and energised, rested and ready to tackle whatever comes our way.
But in reality, many of us are all too familiar with, well … the exact opposite. We wake less fresh-faced and more snooze-the-alarm-seven-times-before-begrudgingly-falling-out-of-bed-late-for-work.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone! In fact, the Sleep Health Foundation suggests that up to 45% of Australian adults across all age groups experience inadequate sleep that impacts their daytime activity.
In a world where more and more is demanded of us, we’re running on less and less (quality) sleep. Yikes.
It’s well known that the impacts of a poor sleep over time lead to more than just tiredness and dark circles, though. Mental performance, concentration (even behind the wheel) and mental health can all be affected. It’s even thought that sleep is the liver of the brain. (Wait, what?) Studies suggest that our brain detoxes overnight when we sleep. Ergo, sleep is super important.
If you’re in struggle town, we’re here to tell you - it doesn’t need to be this way. Yes, the elusive good night’s sleep is, truly, within your reach.
And the best part? It involves doing less, not more. (If you know us, you’ll know that this is music to our ears, #slowdown)
Ready to finally sleep well? Georgia, one half of the Tea Thief gang, is a qualified Naturopath, writer and educator on all things holistic wellbeing. Here she shares her best tips for a restful, good night’s sleep.
Thief tip: We recommend you take what vibes and leave what doesn’t - sleep routines aren’t a one-size-fits-all, so you do you.
#1 Consistency is key
Whatever you do to wind down before bed, do it consistently. That means more or less the same things, at the same times, each night. Our bodies tend to love routine, and this includes around 7-9 hours of sleep per night for adults. We know life can get a bit messy sometimes, so do your best with what you have.
Just like plants and animals, humans respond innately to changes in nature. Our brains wake up with the sunlight and slow down with nightfall. This is because light is a key factor in telling our bodies to release melatonin, a useful hormone that regulates our sleep/wake cycle (among other things).
Our bodies are also talking to us all the time! They let us know when they need more rest or more exercise, more food or more water, more quiet time or more stimulation. Learning to listen to our individual signs can be a game-changer in learning our body’s nuanced language, especially for sleep and rest.
We’ve all heard it before - caffeine, a stimulant for many people, doesn’t mix with sleep. We recommend avoiding it altogether from early afternoon onwards, as it can stay in your system for many hours (up to 10!). While this includes your typical offenders - cola, energy drinks and coffee - look out for the sneaky beverages that don’t always feel like they’re caffeinated, like green and black tea, black tea-based chai and some chocolate/cacao drinks. These are wonderful choices, but we recommend them in the morning for a good night’s sleep!
That being said, a cuppa in the evening to inspire calm and rest can be wonderful. In fact, it’s one of our favourite things in the world (duh!). We at Tea Thief stock a range of organic loose leaf teas, including herbal and caffeine-free tea, made right here on Victoria’s Surf Coast! Our number one pals for a good night’s sleep include Dalai Calma, Rooibos Caffeine-free Chai blend, and This Tea is Mint.
In this digital age, this is a biggie. Blue light, commonly found in the LED backlights of our phones and devices (and also emitted by the sun), impacts our bodies greatly. Remember that hormone melatonin? It’s partly regulated by blue light exposure. We’re more likely to have disturbed sleep and wake less rested with late night screen use, so reduce or put away devices a couple of hours before sleeping, and definitely before 10pm. Thief tip: keep your charger outside your bedroom and plug your phone in overnight, keeping it outside your sleep zone.
It’s well known that just a few minutes of reading before bed is a great way to wind down for the day. Those of us that aren’t big fans of books can readily turn to audiobooks these days, too! (A bit of Harry Potter read by Stephen Fry goes a long way, we reckon).
Thief tip: If you prefer the latter, be sure to keep volume low and avoid unnecessary screen distractions as you set up/turn off your audiobook on your device.
Our final tip is to be specific and intentional with your sleeping space. Your bedroom shouldn’t also be your office, your daytime reading nook or pilates room (if possible). We want our brains to associate our bedroom with calm, cool, quiet and dark - preparing for sleep each evening. This can also look like using effective block-out screens, opening windows for fresh airflow during the day, and keeping the space tidy and fresh. All things that help our body to calm, quiet and get comfortable each evening for a good night’s sleep.
Which of these tips stands out to you? Could you take one or more and apply them to your sleep routine? Has your sleep quality improved using these ideas? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget, you can find our herbal and blended loose leaf teas for calm, sleep and more at our online store.
Health note: Of course, there can be many different factors contributing to poor sleep - caring for young children, medication side-effects, mental health challenges, pain and more. If your sleep is regularly having a negative impact on your ability to get through the day, we recommend chatting to your GP or qualified health professional for a personalised approach.
All this talk of sleep got you ready to wind down with a cuppa? Shop our range of organic loose leaf teas HERE! You can also follow us on Instagram for more tea-licious tips and recipes.
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