Ideally we should be getting between 7 – 9 hours a night although some people cope with a lot less!
However for the majority of us, lack of sleep affects our daily lives.
During the night whilst we sleep our bodies take this time to rest and repair.
If we are waking up tired through lack of sleep this can play havoc with our hormones which can then lead to weight gain!
We crave the wrong kind of foods when we are tired and grumpy and are much more likely to overindulge and reach for the biscuit tin! This then makes us feel miserable so we eat more to feel better temporarily and so the cycle goes on!
If you wake up feeling refreshed after a good nights sleep then you are more likely to make healthier choices in the kitchen.
Here are some top tips to help get a good nights sleep but if you try all of the below and still struggle I will be investigating supplements that can help!
If you are currently taking something to help you sleep then I would be interested to hear what it is and if it’s working for you!
1) Sleep in a completely dark room with mobile phones switched off and TV’s completely off and not on standby as your brain will know that there is light coming from somewhere and will have trouble switching off.
2) Don’t eat too soon before going to bed. Leave 3/4 hours for your digestive system to work before retiring for the night.
3) If you can’t get your brain to switch off then read fiction before settling down (this is a must for me!)
4) Eliminate screen time (computers and mobile phones) an hour before bed (this is hard for me!) to allow your brain to start to slow down and relax.
5) Eat well as having a good diet will definitely help you get a good nights sleep!
6) Take a warm bath to help your muscles relax.
7) Don;t do vigorous exercise too close to bedtime.
Laura x
