Build A Better Beauty Sleep; 4 Ways to Hack Your Pre-bed Time
1. De-stimulate your Subconscious
It’s safe to say our brains are more stimulated with information than ever before; if you’re not flicking between multiple tabs on your computer and working on three things at once, then you’re probably scrolling through social media, texting or taking photos on your phone. Add in Netflix and, well, there’s a reason more and more of us are struggling with eyestrain induced headaches and not being able to relax…
The number one way to prepare yourself for a solid sleep is to create softer and dimmer lighting in your bedroom and if possible, your whole home. Warm toned lamps and multiple lower light sources will immediately reduce the stimulation on your brain, signaling your subconscious to feel less alert and calmer. You want to be telling your brain and nervous system that it no longer needs to be ‘ON’. Plus, who doesn’t love a good excuse to light their favourite candle and turn on the fairy lights! No need to save them for special occasions.
Additionally, try to avoid phones, laptops, and TV’s at least half an hour before you want to be asleep. We like to pop on a quiet podcast, read a real-life book, do some gentle yoga or even journal to reflect on the day. You’ll notice it doesn’t too long before the yawns kick in and your eyes start to feel heavy.
2. Clear Away the Day
This is the skincare bit. It’s really important, but we’ll keep it brief because you’ve probably read hundreds of ‘nighttime skincare routine’ posts and it’s all getting a bit repetitive. However, science mixed with common sense tells us that not removing dirt, built up oils and makeup at the end of each day is a recipe for premature ageing, break outs and skin problems. Go figure!
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of junk on the market that strips the skin barrier and leaves it screaming for salvation, so be selective with what you choose to use. We’ve formulated our cleansers using a mix of five different coconut and glucose based natural cleansing agents, which is less harsh and irritating than using just one. They’re also free from synthetics like SLS, Pthalates, Parabens and Phenoxyethanol to avoid unnecessary trauma.
Once cleansed, supercharge your sleeping time with one of our active serums to target specific skin concerns like dehydration, sun damage, blemishes and pigmentation. Follow with a Night Cream to lock in all the goodness and amplify hydration. Wake up feeling fresh and ready to face a new day.
See; short, sweet and simple skincare. You’re welcome!
3. Stop with the late-night snacks
We love a good snack as much as the next human (hello, cheese flavoured popcorn…) but it’s better to keep the munching and crunching to daylight hours. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but eating after 8pm means your body needs more time to digest – which leaves less time for it to rest. Ideally, once you’re asleep and dinner has been taken care of, your mind and body enter a deep ‘repair’ phase where it cleans up any confused cells, organizes your day into neat and tidy memory boxes and gets to work on healing any injuries. Sounds pretty essential, right?
Eating late throws off this schedule; and if you throw off the schedule too many times in a row, things are bound to begin unravelling.
4. Do Not Disturb
This is a bit of an obvious one, but if you live with room mates (family included) you’ll know firsthand that common sense does not always prevail. If you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep, but others are making noise at all hours (seriously, who does laundry at midnight!?) then you’ll need to clearly communicate some set time periods where lights and noise need to be avoided as much as possible. The same goes if you have a clingy boss; communicate the times between which you will not be answering the phone (i.e between 7pm and 7am) and then switch on your airplane mode and drift away into dreamland.
PS: Did you know that you need four nights of good sleep to make up for one night of sleep loss? So don’t mess with our beauty sleep, seriously.
