With constantly busy schedules, it has become easier for the average Australian adult to lose out on sleep, or not get enough of it. In fact, 4 out of 10 Australian adults experience poor sleeping quality (1) and sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, circadian rhythm disorders are afflicting a large number of people (10). What’s more, poor sleeping habits can potentially result in health complications affecting the heart, sugar levels, blood pressure, and more. Poor quality of sleep can also directly affect a person's mood, motivation and judgement.

Tips on how to sleep better

How to sleep better rests on lifestyle choices, such as eating well, exercising regularly, and having a good sleeping area. Do you have trouble sleeping? Here are some sleep tips on the several ways you can catch up on your daily quota of sleep:

Find ways to relax

Stress during bedtime can cause the heart rate and blood pressure to increase (2). Try taking a warm bath or a shower in dim light an hour or two before bed.

Exercise regularly

Regular and moderate exercise improves sleep quality. Studies indicate that increased exercise leads to improvement in a person’s sleep onset or the transition from wakefulness into sleep. To ensure you’re staying asleep through the night, a good exercise routine can increase the amount of time a person can enjoy sleep.

Prep better for sleep

While exercise and diet can help in ensuring you get better sleep, it also helps to ensure that your bedroom, or sleeping area, is conducive for sleep close to bedtime. Here are some tips to ensure that your bedroom is conducive for restful sleep (3):

Set the right temperature

Body temperature goes down when you sleep. For most people, the most comfortable range is within 18 and 20 degrees Celsius, or 65 and 69 degrees Fahrenheit (6).

Block out light

It’s easier to sleep without being disturbed by external light. It helps to have quality window shades, like black-out curtains. You may also use an eye mask.

Put down your devices

Blue light from devices with screens, as well as LED light bulbs can prevent the body from producing melatonin (6). Melatonin is a hormone produced by the body that regulates night and day sleep-wake cycles. It can help if you unplug at least an hour before heading off to sleep. Include a relaxation technique in your daily sleep prep to regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

Staying away from your gadgets also trains your mind to associate bedtime with sleeping rather than using devices (7).

Having a sleep schedule

Sleep patterns can be affected by factors like age, gender, time of day or night, internal body clock, stress, temperature, light, exercise etc (9). Going to sleep at a regular time helps you achieve quality sleep. For adults aged 18 to 64 years old, at least 7 to 9 hours are recommended (8). Sleep problems at night arise when you sleep out of turn in the day (9). So avoid daytime naps. Conserve your long regular sleep hours for the night.

Improve sleep quality with supplementation

Ashwagandha is a herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to promote and enhance sleep quality. Ashwagandha root extract is a natural compound with sleep-inducing potential, and has shown to improve deep sleep and reduce the time to fall asleep (5).

Vitable’s Ashwagandha Plus only uses high quality plant extracts with gentle solvents, ensuring it resembles the composition of the natural plant. Other than improving your sleep quality, the benefits of this natural sleep medicine supplement include relieving symptoms of stress and mild anxiety.

Take your Ashwagandha tablets alongside Vitable’s Magnesium Night Powder as a delicious drink. It is made with natural Passionflower extract to maintain refreshing sleep as well as premium grade and highly absorbable form of magnesium to support muscle relaxation, which is a key factor in getting quality sleep at night.

For healthy sleep, consider signing up with Vitable. A supplement subscription with Vitable vitamins ensures that you get the specific nutrients that are right for you. Design your own daily vitamin pack with custom vitamins from Australia and pair them up with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Take advantage of our nationwide vitamin delivery to have your vitamins right at your doorstep.

Find out more about other areas that the above supplements can help you with:

Ashwagandha | Magnesium Night Powder

*Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Vitamin and/or mineral supplements should not replace a balanced diet.

References:

1. Danielle Pacheco. “Exercise and Sleep”. Sleep Foundation A OneCare Media Company. Published January 22, 2021 on https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/exercise-and-sleep. Accessed on October 13, 2021.
2. Sleep.Org. “How Sleep Works”. Sleep.Org. Published March 12, 2021 on https://www.sleep.org/how-sleep-works/. Accessed on October 13, 2021.
3. Christopher E. Kline, Ph.D. “The bidirectional relationship between exercise and sleep: Implications for exercise adherence and sleep improvement”. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Published November 1, 2015 on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341978/ . Accessed on October 13, 2021.
4. Sleep.Org. “Why Do People Snore?”. Sleep.Org. Published March 25, 2021 on https://www.sleep.org/how-sleep-works/. Accessed on October 13, 2021.
5. Vitable. "Ashwagandha". Vitable. Published n.d. on https://research.vitable.com.au/ashwagandha-plus. Accessed on October 18, 2021.
6. John Hopkins Medicine. "Preparing Your Bedroom for a Great Night's Sleep". John Hopkins Medicine. Published n.d. on https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/preparing-your-bedroom-for-a-great-nights-sleep. Accessed on October 18, 2021.
7. HealthDirect. "Sleep". HealthDirect. Published August 2020 on https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/sleep. Accessed on October 18, 2021. Queensland Health. "10 steps to better sleep".
8. Queensland Government. Last updated September 2019 at https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-events/news/10-steps-to-better-sleep. Accessed on October 18, 2021.
9. https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/science/what/sleep-patterns-rem-nrem Dec 2007
10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352721816301292 Feb 2017