The Importance of a Good Night's Sleep

Sleep is a substantial and essential part of our 24 hour day. It is a fundamental pillar of our health which is all too often overlooked or deprioritised. Sleep is refreshing and restorative, but there is so much more going in our body while our eyes are closed. 

An ideal sleep, and sleep cycle, enables a great many benefits within our body and mind. It provides an opportunity for our body to grow, slow down the ageing process, consolidate information and declutter our memories, synthesise the proteins necessary for the upkeep and regeneration of our cells, eliminate toxins, repair DNA, reorganise neural connections, boost our immune system, fuel creativity, maintain well-being and preserve our equilibrium.

In our modern, hyper-connected day, it is now, more than ever, that we are finding we need to truly disconnect and prepare our ‘master body clock’ for a quality sleep session, once, if not twice a day. Our body clock – or our circadian rhythm – is responsible for the shifts between our sleep and wake cycles, also balancing our body temperature, our hormone releases, our respiratory and heart rate, blood pressure, digestive functions and our overall nutrient and energy metabolism. Exposure to body clock disruptors are prevalent in our 24 hour day – especially the blue light of electronic devices and exposure to EMF.

There is a lot of advice available to help us improve the quality of our sleep. Here are our Top 5 favourite tips for better sleep:

1. Banish screens before bed to reduce blue light exposure

Blue light from the TV, phone, laptop and all other screens and devices can trick our body into thinking it is still daytime and inhibits the production of the sleep hormone melatonin which we need to prepare ourselves to sleep. Consider swapping TV time for reading time.

2. Use more natural lighting in the evening

Since the introduction of electric lighting, we have lost touch with the natural rise and setting of the sun which helps to control our circadian rhythm. While blue and green light during the day is natural and good for us, as part of the full light spectrum, artificial blue light during the evening can adversely affect our ability to prepare for sleep and fall asleep quickly. Incorporate more natural amber and red lighting into your evening by using candle light or a blue and green light-free lighting alternative.

3. Make your bedroom a digital-free sanctuary

Try and create a digital-free sanctuary in your bedroom. Not only will this remove the scrolling temptation before bed, it will also help to reduce your exposure to electromagnetic frequencies while you sleep. Swap out using your phone’s alarm clock for an old-fashioned analogue alarm clock.

4. Boost your sleep with grounding

Discover the many benefits that grounding (also known as earthing) can bring, not only to your sleep but to your overall health, by adding grounding into your bedtime routine. Add an earthing sheet or pillow case to your bed to help improve the quality of your sleep.

5. Establish a regular sleep schedule

Sleep experts always recommend prioritising sleep and establishing a regular sleep schedule, i.e.: going to bed at the same time each night and waking at the same time each morning, to ensure that your body gets the right amount of sleep it needs on a consistent basis. 

Many of the products available from Grounded Wellness have been specifically developed with better sleep in mind. Shop our Sleep Collection, including Earthing and Blue Light protection.