If you’re a Night Owl, then you may come alive in the evening and feel more energetic than during the day, but sometimes that’s not ideal. You can feel ‘tired and wired’, finding it difficult to wind down before bed and missing out on valuable sleep as a result.
Your body is exhausted but your mind is restless. You may find yourself tossing and turning, your mind turning over repetitive thoughts. These thoughts are likely to be unhelpful and are often out of proportion with reality. It can be hard to let go and relax into sleep.
Feeling restless and wakeful at night is a common phenomenon, and most of us will experience it at some point in our lives. Whilst sleeplessness can be related to other mental health problems like anxiety and depression, it can also indicate that something in your life is temporarily out of balance.
If you find yourself tossing and turning in useless pursuit of sleep, try not to dwell on it. Here are some simple measures you can take to improve your chances of catching some Z’s:
Practise good screen hygiene two hours before bed: use a screen filter app like Twilight to dim blue light from your phone and tablet
Choose gentle or funny programmes to watch: laughter releases feel-good endorphins
Eat something nutritious before bed if you are hungry .
Taking B vitamins, magnesium and other electrolytes can support sounder sleep
Don’t check work emails or social media
Put a notepad by the bed to jot down urgent thoughts so they don’t keep you awake
Do a deep-breathing meditation before bed
Lie on your mattress and concentrate on the feeling of your body against the fabric. Every time your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your body. Focus entirely on physical sensation. Repeat until your mind gets so bored it switches off!
The organic fermented herbs in Living Nutrition’s Night Time formula are chosen specifically for their ability to sedate, unwind and soothe the mind. They include valerian, passion flower and hops fermented in a carefully controlled extended process and freeze dried.
Revered as potent, sedative herbs individually, this combination enhances their beneficial effects, making it a great choice for when you want to create space in your evening for winding down and to soothe the nerves and body before sleep.
