Soothing Your Senses For A Better Night’s Sleep

Falling asleep can be difficult for anyone dealing with stress or simply processing the day they had. When we create a relaxing and beneficial environment for sleep, it is easier to let go and drift off. However, many bedrooms aren’t set up for effective sleep hygiene -especially those in noisy urban areas with a lot of artificial light. Thankfully there are ways that we can enhance our environment and prepare our bodies for sleep.  In recent years, broader wellness trends across Europe, including interest in cannabis light, have reflected a growing focus on more natural approaches to relaxation and rest. It involves tapping into our senses.

Why Are Our Senses So Important When Falling Asleep?

Your senses play a big part in your ability to get a good night’s sleep. We are constantly overloaded with sensory stimulation and the wrong stimuli could make us too agitated or excited to fall asleep. Therefore, if we switch to something immediately relaxing and soothing, we can get our bodies primed for sleep. If we can tap into all five senses – touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste -we have an even better chance of creating a strong sleep routine. Here are some ways you can adapt sensory stimuli at night for better sleep.

6 Steps To Soothe Your Senses For Better Sleep

1) Creating a more comfortable setting

There are 5 senses but 6 Steps because there are two things we need to talk about regarding touch. First, there is the physical touch that comes to our comfort levels in bed. There is so much to consider here, from the type of mattress you have to the materials of the clothes you wear. Mattress shopping is an expensive choice. So, it might be best to start with new nightwear or sheets. Rough, scratchy synthetic materials aren’t comfortable or breathable enough. Lighter brushed cotton or smooth silk can go a long way and offer a sense of luxury. A muslin bed blanket offers the perfect balance of warmth and breathability for a restful night’s sleep, making it a great addition.

2) Finding the right temperature

Once you have the right setting with your sheets and clothing, you can look at regulating the temperature. Ideally, you’re looking at around 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Something nice and cool so you don’t overheat and get sweaty, but something not so cold that you feel it in your extremities. This is much easier if you have a thermostat in your room. You can set the climate control before going to sleep and know you’ll have a better night. If you can’t do that, you might have to open a window or get a fan when the weather gets too warm. Or, you might need a heavier duvet or more blankets in the winter.

3) Controlling light levels

You will see plenty of experts telling you to sleep in complete darkness for better sleep. That’s easier said than done if you live in the city with street lights outside. Blackout curtains may be an option, but aren’t always possible in rental properties. That’s where it helps to get a good sleep mask. They feel great, especially in silk, and offer an effective barrier in lighter rooms. Search for anything from a cute pink sleep mask to something more muted to suit your style. The best sleep eye masks will offer full coverage without feeling too restrictive, will have a supportive band, and won’t pose a risk to your skin or hair.

4) Controlling noise levels

Once you have the light levels under control with those sleep eye masks, you can start thinking about the noise levels. It’s no good trying to sleep in a pitch-black room if you can hear everything going on around you. Whether it’s drunken revelers outside on the weekend, upstairs neighbors getting up to all sorts, or just general traffic noise, it helps to mask it. Ear plugs aren’t always the most comfortable option and aren’t great if you have an alarm. You can try covering the noise with white noise generators or natural sounds instead. Many find the sound of rain relaxing for sleep, so much so that there are video soundscapes online to watch as you fall asleep. Just make sure to have any devices on night mode first to block out negative blue light.

5) Adding scents that enhance sleep

The next sense to take care of is smell. You want to fall asleep in a soothing environment with fresh sheets and soothing scents. Aromatherapy can help, either through pillow sprays, herbal teas, or products that go on the pulse points of your wrist. A popular choice is lavender because of its psychological effects, but sandalwood and other herbs and floral scents work too. Find the one that works for you and the most effective means of inhaling it.

6) Using the right supplements and teas

Finally, an added benefit of using herbal tea at night for aromatherapy is the great taste. Smell and taste are heavily linked. Tying them together in this way can help trigger relaxation and pleasant memories before bed. Lavender is again very popular, but many people swear by chamomile. Also, if you want to engage your taste buds to relax before bed, you can try some CBD oil.

To help with the latter, ensure you use naturally soothing products for sleep and take steps to properly relax your body. Supplements, such as those from WOWMD, can also be an effective addition to your wellness regime. Taking the right supplements can treat insomnia by making you feel drowsy and relaxed, enabling you to sleep better and feel calmer. Alongside supplements, some people also explore options such as CBD Flower as part of their wider evening wind-down routine.

Creating A Sensory Bedtime Routine

It might take a little time to find the perfect options here. You need the right blend to get you in a drowsy state and support healthier sleep patterns. If you struggle with the lack of noise at night, you can play around with different white noise sounds and devices to get you in the right frame of mind. If it turns out you love the smell of lavender but hate the taste, try some different sleep teas instead.

Once you find options that work for you, you can start to incorporate them into a healthier night-time routine. A strict bedtime regime can help you fall asleep faster. This means setting the thermostat, making a cup of tea, setting up the white noise, and putting on that new sleep mask at the same time each night. However, there is room for changes along the way. If you find one tea loses its impact, switch between brands every couple of weeks. If the rain sounds aren’t relaxing because of repeated bad weather outside, try something else for some escapism.

Give Your Senses Everything They Need For Sleep

The important takeaway is to look at better sleep hygiene from different angles. The more senses you appease, the better the chance to relax and improve your mood, and the better the chance of drifting off to sleep. So, work on your comfort levels with new sheets and better climate control, block out as much light as possible with sleep eye masks, control what you can hear, and enjoy the best tastes and scents you can find.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.