Tired of being tired? NEOM is here for you

Last week we asked you how you’ve been sleeping, and a shocking 82 of you out of 100 said bad. And, research from our charity partner the Mental Health Foundation said six in 10 people say their sleep suffers when they are stressed. When I hear numbers like that it just makes me more driven than ever to change it, because NOTHING affects how we look and feel overall more than the quality of our sleep. 

There are loads of factors at the moment playing total havoc with our sleep, like a little thing called lockdown 3. When you’ve had a stressful day or been out of the house since sunrise, it’s easier to recognise that you need to prioritise sleep, or if you’ve had a glass of wine (or two) of an evening, normally you’ll know you need to recharge before you can perform your best. BUT, when we’re rolling from bed to home office, and Friday wine has turned into Thirsty Thursday (and Merlot Monday?) it can be easy to just accept and adapt to that permanent state of tiredness, curled up with a blanket and feeling sluggish. It makes me wonder, have we just accepted the feeling of being tired all the time, because we’re not really doing anything? Whatever the reason you’re sleeping badly, this world sleep day we want to help you whatever way we can get it back on track – or at least make it a bit better for you.

Great days start with a great night’s sleep, and it’s all too easy at the moment for slow days to just roll into restless nights. In case you needed to hear it today, sleep is IMPORTANT, it’s NECESSARY and it will make a BIG difference to how you’re feeling, yes, even in a lockdown. The best way to do this is to create a sleep routine that works for you (I am religious about mine). It doesn’t have to be an hour-long ritual, just a few things that work for you at bedtime, that signal to your body and mind that it’s time to switch OFF.

And those signals? Powerful, natural essential oils are so easy to swap in and out of your life. You can have a candle releasing sleepy scent into your bedroom while you finish up your day (it takes seconds to light), or you can easily swap something in your skincare in the evening for products that gently guide you towards sleep. Powerful oils like lavender, basil and jasmine in our Perfect Night’s Sleep scent and chamomile, cedarwood and ylang ylang in our Bedtime Hero scent are actually natural sedatives that send you to sleep, with soothing properties that reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, to help you switch off. It really is that simple to make a start on a routine, and every little REALLY helps.

Here’s my five-point sleep toolkit for inspiration...

1. Empty your mind

Even when we feel like we’ve done nothing, a mind that’s going 100mph isn’t the best for dropping off to sleep. Writing just a few lines in a journal before you go to bed can have the same effect mentally as sharing a problem with a friend/loved one/therapist. Get it out there.

2. Bathe in the evening

Having a bath or shower an hour before bed has been shown to really help your circadian rhythm, as it helps your body release heat and wind wind down for sleep. So if you usually have a shower in the evening, moving the timing slightly could make all the difference.

3. Inhale

Creating a sleepy zone in your home couldn’t be easier, a well-placed diffuser, candle or essential oil (with those sleepy ingredients) takes no time, and you’ll be breathing all that sleepy scent as you get ready.

4. Absorb

Whether you’re dedicated to your skincare and body routine (or a little haphazard) it’s so easy to make this work for better sleep, too. Try a Magnesium Body Butter after that bath or shower which gives you a boost of sleepy scent, AND a dose of magnesium through your skin, that helps you sleep.

5. Boost

If you do one thing for your sleep, keep a Pillow Mist on your nightstand. Every spritz helps lull you to sleep.

There are loads more tips and tools for great sleep on our blog, and as always I love hearing from you @neomorganics.