There’s a reason why our team looks so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed - we’re major proponents of getting a good night’s sleep! Getting enough sleep is the foundation to a successful day and one’s overall health.
When was the last time you had a great sleep and woke up feeling grumpy? Exactly. When you sleep well, you start the day off on the right foot, ready to conquer the tasks ahead of you. To help you improve your sleeping habits, here are some tips and tricks our team at Kaiyan follows to get the most out of our sleeping hours.
1) No screen time 1 hr before bed
So many of us on the Kayian team learned this the hard way - but it’s not easy putting your phone away before bed! However, this small shift has made a significant change in our team’s quality of sleep. One hour before bedtime, turn off your phone – the bright blue light from your cell phone restrains melatonin production, causing your sleep cycle to be interrupted. No phones = good sleep.
2) No caffeine after 3:00 p.m.
Getting yourself ready for a good night’s sleep is all about unwinding from the day. And, as you know, caffeine does anything but calm you down. To help you improve your sleep, limit your caffeine intake up until 3:00 p.m. and stick to non-caffeinated drinks after that time - trust us, this works wonders.
3) Light therapy for 20 min.
To help regulate your sleep cycle and achieve deep sleep, expose yourself to natural light in the morning. With light therapy, you can help balance your circadian rhythm (your biological body clock) to achieve a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Red light therapy products will also alleviate other sleep deprivation symptoms, having you feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning. To learn more about how light therapy works, click here.
4) Light a candle or incense with calming essential oils
Essential oils have been around for hundreds of years and are used in many cultures for medicinal purposes, including aiding in sleeping disorders. Light up essential oils or a scented candle that contains lavender, chamomile, bergamot, or Clary sage for a good night’s sleep.
5) Meditate
Life has its challenging moments, so it’s important to take the time to slow down and breathe. Meditation, though challenging at first, helps you mentally unwind by focusing on your breathing. Activities such as meditation and yoga help put the brain into an alpha state of mind, meaning the brain experiences a light daydream which promotes relaxation and tranquillity.
6) Snuggle up with a good book
If you need to wind down and escape from the stress of your day-to-day life, grab a good book! Reading a book is an excellent way to reduce mental tension and create a peaceful environment around you. If you have children, reading a book to them can also help you feel sleepy too. When in doubt, read!
7) Sip warm, calming drinks
Sipping on a warm drink before going to bed, especially after a bath, is a great way to unwind. Heat a cup of milk or chamomile tea with honey to ease the tension in your body and mind. A warm beverage will have you sleeping like a baby. Pro tip: enjoy your warm drink while using your red light therapy device of choice.
8) Write down your thoughts
If you had a hard day and you can’t seem to shake off the events that happened, we highly recommend taking some time to write down your thoughts. Think of writing your thoughts down as a form of therapy, and a way to process and release everything that happened during the day. You can even write a to-do list for the following day to help you reduce stress and anxiety.
9) Keep your feet warm
This may sound like something your grandma would say to you, but trust us on this one! If you want to relax and unwind from your day, keep your feet warm. It may sound a little weird, but when your feet are warm, you automatically feel comforted and safe. By feeling more relaxed, you allow yourself to enter into a deeper sleep.
10) Bathe before bedtime
If you ever need an excuse to take a bath, use this one! A soothing bath is what many of our team members love to do at the end of the day. Can you blame them? Make it a part of your nightly routine by creating a relaxing environment with candles and bath salts, maybe even some easy-listening music to help you detox your body and mind.
Are you interested in learning more about how to improve your sleep-wake cycle with a red light therapy device for sleep? At Kayian, we produce MDASAP-certified and FDA-approved red light therapy devices to provide you or your clients with a regulated sleep cycle. For more information, contact our team!
