Many Aussies struggle with dozing off at night, or if you do manage to fall asleep, it's staying asleep that can be the problem - particularly if you’re a parent to young children.
So much so that only 45% of Australians are satisfied with their sleep, and as few as 20% sleep through the night uninterrupted. That’s according to The Philips 2020 Global Sleep Survey.
Sleeping less than seven hours every 24-hour cycle can lead to some poor health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and, for some, weight gain.
A survey conducted by The Body Shop revealed a third of Aussies are sleeping less than six hours a night – despite needing at least seven each night – with one in five anxious about the amount of sleep they are having.
So what can we do apart from taking medication that will improve our sleep?
Sleep expert Olivia Arezzolo suggests the obvious - reduce caffeine and screentime before bed.
But coupled with those obvious tips, she suggests taking a long, warm shower before bed.
According to Arezzolo, it promotes the release of melatonin - a hormone that helps with sleep - when the water brings your body temperature down.
She recommends, if possible, “integrating calming scents in your body wash, such as lavender and vetiver, as both reduce the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which can otherwise make you feel tense,” she said.
“Once you move back into the bedroom, creating a perfect sleep sanctuary with no screens, a spritz of these calming scents in a pillow spray and dabbing your pulse points with the oils too is a great place to start.”
She said once in bed, it’s good to meditate or read a book for 20 minutes, leaving your phone on the other side of the room (if you have no self-control, just ignore it!).
The blue light from screens on our phones, TVs and laptops interferes with your body’s ability to sleep. So try to leave them alone!
Of course, a good sleep routine really relies on a person's ability to have the time to execute it. So if lavender oil and meditation aren’t able to fit into your routine, maybe try switching your morning shower to a nightly shower at least.
