Sleep Patterns
Sleep is vital to our sense of well-being. The amount of sleep we require is different for everyone. But one thing is certain: we all need adequate sleep to perform our daily tasks as well as to keep our energy levels and spirits up! Sleep deprivation can also have a significant impact on our mental and physical health overall. Sleep experts suggest that most adults require between seven and eight hours of sleep per night – but there is ‘no one size fits all’ model and anything between four to eleven hours can be considered normal. What is more important is getting the right amount of sleep to suit us individually. It is also vital to ensure we get enough deep sleep – the sleep we experience in the middle of our sleep cycle – since this can dramatically improve our quality of life.
Of course, we have all experienced times when lack of sleep is the result of circumstances beyond our control, such as during long haul flights, while travelling or being regularly woken by infants at night. However, stress, anxiety and depression can all lead to longer periods of poor sleep and during these times it can be helpful to use natural aromatics to overcome our restlessness and sleepless nights. Insomnia can even create a vicious cycle where we start to worry beforehand that we are not going to be able to get to sleep at night! Unfortunately, this is all too common a problem these days, with the use of sleeping tablets on the increase. Using botanical aromatics to help us rest and sleep provides a natural and non-addictive alternative to the use of synthetic drugs. Alcohol also works via the same receptors as sleeping tablets, so although it can help induce sleep initially, the effect usually only lasts a few hours, eventually resulting in broken sleep.
Stress & Burn-out
I recently heard a perceptive comment from a friend: ‘We are no longer human beings but human doers…’ It is therefore not surprising that insomnia and burn-out is at an all-time high in our modern society.
“Many of us are going through life thinking we have rested because we have slept, but we’re still exhausted. The result is a culture of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically tired and burned-out individuals. Many of us are suffering from a rest deficit, because we don’t understand the power of rest. What we really need is a rest revolution, where we schedule and prioritise rest in our days, but also at times of the year when we really need it.” – Dr Dalton-Smith, ‘Sacred Rest’
Signs that we need to review our daily routine, as well as the amount of rest and sleep we are getting, include the following:
- constantly feeling exhausted despite a regular sleep pattern
- feeling physically tired but have trouble quieting the mind before retiring
- sense of being overwhelmed with too great a sensory overload
- feeling unduly drained after work meetings or social interactions
- easily discouraged, tearful, irritated or quick to anger
Because there are many different types of stressful situations we can experience on a day-to-day basis, there are also many different types of rest that we might need depending on the area of over-exertion. We need to ask ourselves: am I suffering from physical, creative, social, sensory, emotional or mental overload or pressure? Then we can start to consider which new types of routines we need to introduce to encourage a greater sense of wellbeing.
How much sleep we require can also depend on our personal rhythms, as it is not only the quality and quantity of sleep that is required to wake up feeling refreshed: it is also the timing of when we go to sleep. Some people are naturally more alert in the morning and some feel more energized in the evening – some people prefer to get up very early and others later. The amount of sleep we require can also depend on the time of year as well as other factors – and this is entirely natural.
Tuning into Seasonal Cycles
In the wintertime, we naturally feel like slowing down and we tend to sleep more. This is because our bodies are affected by the light-dark cycle of the sun and the hours of daylight we experience. Like almost all animals, we are phase-locked into a ‘diurnal’ cycle – this means that we naturally sleep at night and are active throughout the day. We have evolved to function with this cycle over thousands of years, so this circadian rhythm is deeply ingrained and even detectable at a biochemical level. This is very different to those creatures that hibernate over the winter, for example, or are nocturnal by nature. Sleeping in a dark room is also essential for optimum health as even small amounts of light can disrupt having a good night’s rest. It is therefore beneficial to install blackout blinds or heavy lined curtains in the bedroom, or if this is not possible, to wear an eye mask.
Sunlight is the key cue that tells us to wake up and be active, so in any environment where we are getting less exposure to daylight, as in the Northern Hemisphere, we automatically feel less energised. So rather than pushing ourselves to try and keep up the same pace of work and activity all year round, there is a new body of evidence which indicates that it is healthier to tune into these seasonal cycles and make rest and sleep a priority over the winter months. This means taking time out to recuperate by embracing the darkness, and to consciously slow down: physically, emotionally and mentally.
The quality of light and too much exposure to artificial lighting is also an important consideration, which is why dimming the lights, or using lamps with a warm light in the evening is often recommended by sleep experts. LED bulbs which emit a form of blue light are especially damaging for healthy sleep patterns, as the light receptors in our eyes which communicate a ‘daytime signal’ to our brains for us to stay awake, are particularly sensitive to blue light. Blue light is also emitted by smartphones, laptops, tablets, e-readers and TV screens so it is important to stop looking at any type of screen at least one hour before retiring. Exposure to too much artificial blue light in the evening also suppresses the production of melatonin, the all-important ingredient for facilitating the onset of sleep.
Rest & Relaxation
Getting adequate rest and sleep is vital for our health, especially as we get older. But there’s a big difference between doing something superficially relaxing, like lying on the sofa and watching a movie, compared to allowing our entire being to cognitively, physically and emotionally switch off. The latter form of relaxation implies an escape or at least a break from our ongoing demands and busyness. This could be through meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, walking in nature, or simply by spending time doing something we enjoy – such as writing a journal, sketching, birdwatching or having a long, hot bath.
All these types of activities help to deactivate our ‘fight or flight’ instinct – the stress promoting mechanism of our nervous system – and instead promote a truly restful state of mind which is needed for genuine recovery and renewal. Having a quiet mind is also a prerequisite for sleeping well. We all have experienced how it is impossible to fall asleep if our mind is whirring with worries about the day that’s past or with concerns about tomorrow. It is therefore important to not only find ways to integrate relaxation into our daily life but to also learn methods and rituals which can encourage a healthy sleep pattern.
Aromatic Evening Rituals
Natural aromatics have been used for thousands of years to promote the process of relaxation and sleep. This is one of the reasons why the ritual use of incense can be found in cultures right across the world to this day. Frankincense, myrrh, amyris, cypress, juniper and sandalwood are just a few of the many natural aromatics which have been used since antiquity to enhance our consciousness, relax our breathing and induce a calm state of mind. Botanical aromatics are also unique therapeutic agents because they can exert a physical, physiological and psychological influence simultaneously! By simply breathing in their fragrance, they also influence us on an emotional or energetic level via our so-called ‘primitive brain’, which controls mood and memory. This means that essential oils and other natural aromatics are ideally suited in helping us to slow down: physically, emotionally and mentally. Here are a few ideas for some aromatic evening rituals:
Aromatic Bathing: Take a warm bath an hour or so before bed. This naturally raises the body temperature while relaxing the muscles. Adding a handful of Epsom salts to the bath water will help soothe any aches or pains. In addition, putting a few drops of an essential oil, such as lavender, chamomile, vetivert or clary sage into the bath water once it is full, then breathing in their aromatic vapours, helps soothe our entire nervous system, reducing stress and encouraging deep sleep. The simple process of cooling down after a hot bath also stimulates the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin. It is also important to rehydrate after soaking in a hot bath by drinking a relaxing herbal tea, such as chamomile or hops, before bedtime.
Hippocrates recommended a daily hot bath followed by an aromatic massage as the key to a long and healthy life!
Scented Body Oils: Straight after taking a hot bath or shower is a good time to apply a body oil to the skin, such as ‘Tranquillity’, ‘Unwind’ or ‘After Dark’. When the skin is warm and our pores are open, these soothing body oils are quickly absorbed into our bloodstream, which will further alleviate any feelings of agitation or mental stress whilst helping to promote a good night’s sleep. When combined with the relaxing effects of self-massage, or massage between partners, this process is especially nourishing. Applying a warming body oil to the skin is also a well-known therapy for joint pain, tired or knotted muscles and our ‘Aches & Pain’ body oil is specially formulated for this purpose.
Inhalation: Just before retiring for the night, it can be helpful to sit with the back straight and quietly focus on our breathing for a few minutes. Our mind naturally follows the pattern of our breath, so if we slow down the rhythm of our breathing then our mind naturally calms down. A simple breathing exercise is to inhale through the nose for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of six then exhale through pursed lips for a count of eight. It is always good to pause on the out breath for a moment too. Repeat this process a few times without strain. Oils like frankincense and sandalwood are traditional aromatics used in meditation rituals which also help slow down our breathing when inhaled.
Room Vaporisation: Many of our Diffusion Blends including ‘Sacred Space’, ‘Mountain Air’, ‘Serenity’ and ‘Brighten’ are all formulated to have a multi-levelled effect where their physiological, emotional and psychological effects support each other in calming and clearing the mind. ‘Deep Sleep’ can also help overcome insomnia, being based on valarian root, renowned for its sedative effects, together with vetivert, known as the ‘Oil of Tranquillity’ in India. It is always best to use an electric room vaporiser in the bedroom – at night it is better not to use an oil burner with a candle to avoid falling asleep while it is still lit – and regularly use a specific aroma so it becomes associated with falling sleep. Choose a scent which helps create a soothing, pleasant environment that is conducive to sleep and that works – then make this ritual a regular way of winding down at the end of the day.
Pillow Mist: Bed clothes and pillows can also be sprayed with lavender water immediately before retiring or a few drops of lavender essential oil can be dropped on a tissue placed directly under the pillow. If I have difficulty falling asleep, I find that a few drops of lavender on my pillow sends me off to sleep quite quickly, aided I’m sure by the fact it has a ritual association for me, since I’ve used it in this way for many years. Another gentle sleeping aid is rubbing a few drops of lavender oil into the soles of the feet. This acts as an effective natural sedative as it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, applied in this way,
Expert Sleep Tips
Better sleep is about helping our body to become familiar with everyday rituals.
Practising yoga or meditation and making some basic lifestyle changes to promote a greater sense of relaxation can help de-stress our mind and body generally. Common sense factors such as following a healthy diet and ensuring we don’t eat a heavy meal within three hours of retiring can also help ensure a better night’s rest. Avoiding stimulants like alcohol, nicotine and caffeine throughout the day, and especially just before bedtime, is also a valuable tip for ensuring restful sleep.
- Establish a regular sleep routine and a fixed wake-up time every day.
- Keep the bedroom at an optimal temperature – cool but not too cold.
- Avoid drink much a lot before retiring, especially excessive alcohol.
- Eat early in the evening: ideally at least three hours before going to bed.
- Avoid going to bed hungry as this can cause sleeplessness.
- If your sleep is disrupted by noise, consider wearing earplugs.
- Make your bedroom a tech-free zone & avoid using a phone in the bedroom.
- Avoid exposure to blue light for at least an hour before bed.
- Keep the bedroom solely as a place for relaxation.
- Invest in a big, comfortable bed.
- Always have a pen & paper beside the bed to write down your dreams.
- If you are feeling worried, write your concerns down to tackle next day.
- Don’t take long naps throughout the day.
- Find a form of regular exercise that you enjoy.
- Do at least 30 minutes of movement each day, but not directly before bed.
- Go to bed when you are sleepy, not before.
- If you can’t sleep, don’t lie awake: read a book or listen to music for a while.
- Avoid high caffeine consumption and also high sugar intake later in the day.
- Make sure you have a mattress, duvet and pillows that suit your preference.
- Some people are allergic to feathers, which can affect sleep patterns.
- Switch off mobile phones at least an hour before retiring