Good Night Sleep Tight

We’ve all been there. Sleep-deprived. Wild-eyed. Pacing around the house at 4 am, watching some truly terrible reality television in the desperate hope that listening to strangers argue about who stole whose boyfriend might actually switch off that whirring brain.

You’ve counted sheep. Thousands of them. By 5 am, you’ve counted so many you could personally name the entire woolly population of Scotland. But. Still. You. Cannot. Sleep. Then, just as your body finally decides it might be prepared to nod off, the alarm screams. Excellent. Now you’re expected to get up, go to work, make decisions, be responsible for small, precious human beings and, perhaps most alarmingly, drive a car.

I mean, really? Barely functioning on just two hours’ sleep, we should never be allowed anywhere near a motorway. Especially when those pesky lane markings start to feel less like rules and more like helpful suggestions.

My personal sleep-deprivation low point came when I was heading to an uber-important meeting. I had prepared meticulously. Presentation? Check. Documents? Check. Hair? Immaculate. Statement outfit? Very senior-executive-woman-who-absolutely-has-her-life-together. I was fast approaching that dreaded motorway before I realised I had forgotten something. 

My trousers. Yep, that’s right. My trousers. I had left the house beautifully attired from the waist up, kick-ass shoes at the bottom, but apparently considered the entire area in between optional. 

This, dear reader, is what sleep deprivation can do. But thankfully, there are some simple things we can try to give ourselves a fighting chance of a better night. For starters, think about turning your bedroom into a bit of a cave. Our bodies generally prefer somewhere dark, quiet and slightly cool. 

­Unfortunately, modern bedrooms can resemble small entertainment complexes, complete with TVs, flashing chargers, mobiles, glowing clocks and enough tiny red standby lights to guide aircraft into Heathrow. So evict a few devices, dim the lights, close the curtains and turn the temperature down. Think boutique hotel. Not nightclub.

Then there are the evening pick-me-ups. I adore coffee, wine and dark chocolate. Sadly, none has ever shown quite the same devotion to my sleep, particularly when consumed later in the day. Cutting back might be boring, but often effective. And if yours is the sort of brain that suddenly remembers seventeen things to worry about the moment your head hits the pillow, try keeping a notebook beside the bed. Writing down tomorrow’s jobs, or whatever is currently whizzing around your head, can be a surprisingly effective way of telling your brain: Thank you very much. We’ll deal with that in the morning.

A little bedtime snack can sometimes be comforting too. Foods containing L-tryptophan, such as bananas, almonds or turkey, are often suggested as evening choices. And there are, of course, nature’s traditional tranquilisers. Chamomile, lemon balm, valerian and passionflower have long been used for their calming properties, while magnesium glycinate and L-theanine supplements are popular too. Just remember to check with your pharmacist or doctor about any potential interactions with medication.

Finally, there’s something rather lovely about creating a proper wind-down ritual. Put the phone away. Read something light. Have a warm bath or shower. Listen to gentle music or a guided meditation. Essentially, make bedtime feel like somewhere you’re gently heading towards, rather than something you suddenly attempt after three hours of Netflix, two glasses of wine and a final furious scroll.

And if that doesn’t work for me tonight? 

You’ll find me watching some dreadful reality television. But, come morning, I’ll be sure to check on my trousers.

Growing Well with Lady Muck Style

By Catherine Saunders  /  Read more at www.ladymuck.style