Always Tired? Here Are Some Natural Ways To Get A Better Sleep

Struggling to get to sleep? You’re not alone. In fact, according to a sleep survey, 2 out of 5 Australians struggle with sleep on a regular basis and around 40 per cent aren’t getting the recommended 7-9 hours. So if you’ve tried counting sheep to no avail, we’ve delved into the reasons why, plus some natural sleep remedies that may help.

After all, sleeping badly can have a domino effect on mood, productivity and even physical appearance. It’s an important part of our wellbeing, which is why there’s a whole week dedicated to it. So, why aren’t we sleeping well and what are some natural ways to sleep better? We decided to find out…

Why aren’t we sleeping well?

According to most sleep experts, there are four common factors affecting our sleep:

• Ongoing stress can impact how soundly you sleep. Stress causes a surge in adrenal hormones (like cortisol and adrenaline) that increase alertness and make falling and staying asleep difficult.
• Stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and alcohol can cause you to toss and turn throughout the night and have a restless sleep.
• Too much light at night (from using computer and TV screens and smartphones) can shift our internal clock and alter the production of melatonin which is responsible for regulating sleep, making restful and restorative sleep difficult to achieve.
• The sleep pattern of your partner or bedmate can have a significant effect on sleep, especially when your partner’s sleep and wake times vary to yours, or if they suffer from snoring or restless sleep themselves.

Natural ways to get a better sleep

When it comes to strategies for getting a better sleep, it comes down to prioritising your routine. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule, but generally these are some of the strategies you can adopt:

• Prioritise time to wind down and relax at night.
• Avoid food stimulants like caffeine, sugar and alcohol at least four hours before bed.
• Avoid all stimulants four hours before bed, including white light from electronics.
• Try a guided meditation. There are lots of great free apps available that help guide you through a meditation and relax your body and mind for a deeper, more restorative sleep.
• Stick to a sleep schedule and prioritise sleep. Go to bed at the same time and aim for 7-8 hours sleep a night. It’s easy to postpone bedtime for more ‘me time’ during the week, but it comes at an overall cost to your functioning and wellness the next day.

Strategies we’ve tried and recommend include:

• Drinking a nighttime specific tea such as T2 Sleep Tight ($17 for 25 pack at t2tea.com) before bed.
• Not a hot drink person? Try a sleep supplement instead. We love the INTU Sleep & Skin Renewal ($89 at intuwellness.com), which combines the benefits of magnesium with stress-reducing herbal ingredients to promote restful sleep.
• Having a bath half an hour before bed and using a lavender bath soak (one of our faves is the Dr Teal’s Foaming Bath – Soothe & Sleep With Lavender, $17.99 at drteals.com.au) or essential oils.
• Using a silk face mask like the Shhh Silk ones ($55 at shhhsilk.com.au) to block out any light (plus they help skin maintain moisture – bonus!).
• Burning essential oils like the Buckley & Phillips Chill Out Essential Oil Blend ($17.95 for 10ml at buckleyandphillips.com.au) in your bedroom for the hour before bedtime.

As for our members, here are a few products they’ve used and loved for a more restful sleep:

In Essence Lavender Pure Essential Oil

“My husband really finds it hard to relax and fall asleep and we’ve tried a few different things. So he was skeptical when we bought this Lavender Pure essential oil. But this was clearly dashed after he put drops on his pillow and some on his temples. He was in dreamland so quickly for the first time in ages. This is really a truly soothing scent that works.” –Joburkey

$22.95 at Myer

Read more In Essence Lavender Pure Essential Oil reviews

Swisse Ultiboost Sleep

“Bought these thinking that they wouldn’t really do much but needed to try something as with two kids and stressed with work and other things was really struggling to sleep. I take them nearly every night about 20 min before I go to bed and they really do help. I notice the difference on the nights I don’t take them that I toss and turn and struggle to fall asleep.” – Nicole422

$19.99 at Chemist Warehouse

Read more Swisse Ultiboost Sleep reviews

Buckley & Phillips Aromatics Pulse Point Roller – Sleep Soundly

“I found the lavender scent to put me in a calmer mood before bed, which has been great because it means I will get to sleep quicker. I do think it has helped me sleep better in that respect. Some nights my sleep is much better than others but it’s due to stress. Overall, I like that the lavender scent helps me relax before bed.” – Jessica712

$19.95 at buckleyandphillips.com.au

Read more Buckley & Phillips Aromatics Pulse Point Roller – Sleep Soundly reviews

Bodecare Calming Bath Soak

“I love this calming bath soak so much. [It comes to] my rescue whenever I get really tired and my body needs some relaxation and I cannot go for a massage. I use this every once a month and it calms me down and calms my muscles and my nervous system. And I sleep really well after usage.” – Pinkalicious

$8.95 (70g sachet) at bodecare.com

Read more Bodecare Calming Bath Soak reviews

*This article has been updated since its original publication.

What’s your number one strategy for getting a better sleep?