Here’s how to get better sleep with four helpful nighttime rituals to make the most of your shut eye.
Sleep is a time for your body to recharge. If you don’t get enough of it, you strain your organs and adrenal glands and compromise overall health. But it’s a matter not only of how much sleep you are getting but also of how to get better sleep and what you do to to prepare for the largely-underestimated daily event. Before going to bed, you should be taking steps to make sure you have the most efficient and effective sleep you can possibly get, boosting both your health and your beauty. Here are 4 rituals to grab onto and never let go.
1. Stop Eating…
…Three hours before bed time. By doing so, not only will you have a better sleep but will also avoid an upset stomach, bloating and weight gain. When you sleep, your metabolism sleeps too, which means digestion is slower and less efficient. If you go to bed with a full stomach, all the food you consumed in the minutes or few hours prior will digest a lot more lazily and ultimately trouble your digestive track. That is the last thing you want to do for ultimate health! Respect your digestive clock. If you get hungry before bed, instead of loitering around an open refrigerator door in a onesie, sip on an herbal tea or drink a bit of water. You’ll be glad you did.
2. Cleanse the face
If you’re the type to crash face flat onto the mattress after a long day’s work or study, only to fall asleep without cleansing your skin, you may be compromising your beauty! Your skin cells repair and renew themselves while you sleep, so it is important to get rid of any debris, residue and bacteria on your face. Use a natural cleanser without any toxic ingredients. That way, while your skin is rejuvenating itself, it has a clean template to work with.
3. Down a shot of oil
By consuming a tablespoon of olive oil before going bed, you lubricate the throat, ultimately reducing snoring. Additionally, olive oil bears a slew of benefits for the body, and many choose to let its incredible effects take action while they sleep. These perks include better digestion, reduced inflammation, more “good” cholesterol and regulated blood pressure levels.
4. Legs against the wall
Alleviate many of your troubling symptoms by propping your legs up against a wall so that they are inverted for about 5-10 minutes each night. This practice is purported to calm the nervous system, improve circulation, relieve tension, help for minor depression, relax the adrenals, calm the mind and reduce swelling. Simply lie on a few comfy cushions on the ground, with you legs straight up, propped against a wall.
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Image: erin stoodley