9 sleep hacks you could try - By RJ JANAVI
Do you want to linger in your bed for longer at dawn after snoozing that Godforsaken alarm for the nth time? Are you getting enough shut-eye? Is the quality of your sleep good enough to leave you feeling rejuvenated? If the answer to most of these questions is a No, I am betting you are the owner of XX chromosomes, AKA, a woman.
According to the Sleep Foundation, Women are 40 percent more likely to suffer from insomnia than men and also nearly twice as likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. Blame it to the hormones! Our hormones control and impact our Circadian rhythm, the sleep-awake cycle. From puberty, pregnancy to menopause, there is never a dull or so-to-say stable moment for our dear hormones. Add to that stress, mental load, let’s just say that the hormones are not always in perfect sync with that rhythm.
Ironically, it is the women who physiologically need more sleep than their male counterparts. The reasons for this range from having busier day-time schedules (owing to the gender gap in household) to simply being wired differently. It is noteworthy that while women put in more labour in the household, they also have more mental load as they are the default managers and primary caregivers. We have like forty tabs open in their head which often comes in the way of their forty winks.
Studies suggest that getting as little as twenty extra minutes of shut-eye help women greatly in their health journey and in beauty too! That sleep impacts beauty is also not news! Was sleeping beauty beautiful only because she caught up with her beauty sleep? The term beauty sleep is, quite literally, it. The benefits of sleep for health are many and undisputed.
However, increasingly, the pink brigade is finding it difficult to succumb to slumber. From bedtime revenge procrastination (postponing sleep to indulge in activities that one couldn’t engage in because of a busy schedule) to just being flat out fatigued and in many cases, insomnia, there are many reasons keeping us girls up all night.
If, for you too, it’s yawn-yawn everywhere but not a single wink, here are 9 sleep hacks you could try:
Ambience setting: Turn down the lights, turn down the bed. Turn down these voices, inside my head. These lyrics by Bonnie Raitt hold true to one’s sleep routine too. Add to this a lower temperature setting and you should be doing a SRK pose inviting sleep!
ASMR sounds: From the classic white noise to a plethora of sleep sounds and apps promise you a more relaxed self and a quick turnaround time to inviting slumber.
Wash those feet: Ya Ya, mumma was right all along. Washing your feet, especially with warm water, ensures a night of sweet dreams.
Self-massage: Yes. here too, no one is coming. Please give yourself some TLC. Massaging one’s feet, especially the soles, are supposed to work like magic.
Oil your navel: The Nabhi Sutra for sleep will help you regulate your sleep patterns and achieve better sleep quality.
Melatonin and Magnesium supplements: Studies suggest that melatonin and magnesium supplements aid sleep. Get your doctor to okay it though.
From the kitchen: From the good old turmeric to Nutmeg and Ashwaghgandha, the kitchen pantry is full of amazing secrets that help with all things including sleep.
Disconnecting from gadgets: You already knew this one! At least an hour before the bedtime you have set for yourself (You have, havent you?), shun screen time. Airplane mode to the rescue.
Watch what you consume: If you are chugging caffeine at sundown, good sleep will only be a dream. Similarly, eating a very heavy meal right before bedtime will delay sleep.
Meditation and mindfulness: Being more relaxed and mindful through the day, helps you in more ways than one! Build and engage a healthy practice for yourself and please do not fret about doing it perfectly.
Hope these help ya! After all, no one likes dragging their feet the next day owing to a sleepless night. Here’s wishing you lots of restful, good quality sleep that makes those eyes sparkle, skin glow and body in perfect flow!