Sleep, or lack thereof, is an always-on-the-health-agenda topic with Australians seeking to find a smart sleep formula that helps them achieve what their bodies need to rest.
With many of us working longer hours and faced with mounting pressures, our sleep is also sometimes affected by unhealthy habits and biological factors. [1]
Global sleep sensation, Drew Ackerman, narrator of the World’s Leading Sleep Podcast shares some of his top tips on sleep, including some more natural alternatives we can start incorporating in our daily sleep routine.
Listen to a podcast
As narrator of the global phenomenon Sleep with Me Podcast, podcasts have become an increasingly popular tool to help those with sleeping difficulties drift off. The first of its kind— ‘Sleep with Me’ helps to put listeners to sleep through pointless tangents and monotone storytelling. This style of podcast narrative is effectively putting to sleep with this form of ‘adult’ storytelling.
The Hot Ritual
Something as simple as a hot bath or shower before bed may help increase sleepiness at bed-time. [4] What was once a night time ritual for children is now encouraged amongst adults to help get to sleep.
Reduce Lengthy Naps
It’s common to sink into a 3pm slump, and some of us will succumb to that late afternoon nap. While this can give people the extra energy boost they need—anything more than 2 hours or nearing the evening can disrupt your circadian rhythm, the body’s natural cycle which helps support our sleep rhythms. [2]
If you can, avoid taking a long nap and aim to get an early and good night’s rest instead. However, if you do take a nap, try to aim for a power nap of 15-30 minutes in early afternoon, as this will leave you feeling rejuvenated and give you the energy to finish your day. [3]
Take a natural supplement
For those struggling to sleep—there are herbal alternatives. Flordis ReDormin Forte is a herbal sleep supplement containing extracts of Valerian and Hops which has been shown to help restore sleep patterns over 2 weeks to get your sleep cycle back on track [7].
Avoid caffeine
Caffeine, found in coffee, most teas, chocolate, cola and energy drinks, is a stimulant, meaning it triggers wakefulness, which can disrupt sleeping patterns. [5] Try to avoid consuming caffeine at least four hours before bedtime, or for those who have adverse effects, try to avoid caffeine all together. [6]
ABOUT DREW ACKERMAN
Drew Ackerman is a lifelong insomnia-sufferer and one of the world’s most prolific podcasters—who created the globally-renowned bedtime-storytelling podcast ‘Sleep with Me.’ Drew claimsto be the most boring sleep time stories aimed at adults, with over 3 million downloads per week. In the podcast, Drew tells rambling, drawn-out bedtime stories with just enough interest to keep you listening but not enough to keep your brain stimulated. The intentionally boring content, combined with his drawling, soporific voice, sends listeners quickly to sleep.
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[1]https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/what-causes-insomnia [2] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322928.php [3]https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/how-long-should-i-nap/ [4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2578367 [5]http://sleepeducation.org/news/2013/08/01/sleep-and-caffeine [6]https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322928.php [7] Fussel A, et al., Eur J Med Res. 2000;5:385-390.