Many of us have been left tossing and turning when it comes to trying to fall asleep during the monotony of being stuck in lockdown.
Thankfully, a sleep expert has now provided her top tip for putting an end to sleepless nights, as well as a 10-step guide to follow each evening to help you get a better quality of sleep for longer.
Olivia Arezzolo has been helping people improve their sleep for more than a decade, and has racked up thousands of fans on social media by providing advise from sleeping techniques to how it can effect your mental health.
In a video posted on Instagram, Olivia revealed her number one tip to help you get an extra hour’s sleep every single night is to ensure you’re getting plenty of omega 3.
(Image: oliviaarezzolo/Instagram)
She said: “A recent study found that omega 3 supplementation without any other changes can support an individual in sleeping an extra hour.
“How this works is essentially a deficiency in omegas can contribute to a deficiency in melatonin, the sleepiness hormone.
“On the flip side, the supplementation of omega 3s can support your melatonin levels, and remember, melatonin gives the hormone to make you sleep.”
Foods rich in omega 3 include fish and other seafood such as salmon and tuna, as well as nuts and seeds such as flaxseed and walnuts. It’s also found in plant oils such as soybean oil, and fortified foods including some juices and yogurts.
(Image: oliviaarezzolo/Instagram)
Olivia’s 10-step guide for better sleep
- Do not use electronic devices that emit blue light for two hours before bedtime
- Make the bedroom a ‘sanctuary’ for sleeping and avoid taking phones and other devices to bed
- Set a bedtime alarm on your phone and don’t touch it again afterwards
- Have a bath or shower about an hour before bed to promote relaxation
- Drink chamomile tea in the evenings to make you calm
- Diffuse lavender either onto your pillow or around the room to promote relaxation
- Start taking magnesium supplements to help your muscles relax
- Think about things you are grateful for as you try to sleep
- Try practising meditation
- Take deeper breaths as you try to fall asleep
Many of us are guilty of scrolling through our phones before bed, and Olivia has said it’s a habit we need to avoid if we’re going to improve our sleep, Daily Mail reports.
She added: “Know that blue light, the spectrum of light suppressing melatonin and contributing to sleep difficulties, is emitted from your bathroom’s ceiling lights as well as the bedroom and your phone.”
Will you be trying any of Olivia’s tips? Let us know in the comments.