From supplements to skincare products, there are lots of different ways we can support our sleep, but according to one expert, there’s one thing that matters most. Dr Anna Persaud, CEO of This Works, shared her top recommendation for optimising sleep quality with HELLO!, and it is refreshingly simple to do. "Routine is everything: going to bed and waking up at the same time each day - even on weekends - can help stabilise your internal clock and improve sleep quality over time," Dr Anna says.
If you’re not sure what the best bedtime is for you, consider what times you naturally feel sleepy and wake up each day, and try to go along with that to support your circadian rhythm. "The best bedtime routine is one that works with your own natural sleep cycle or circadian rhythm. Try and understand if you are a lark or an owl and, if possible, align your sleep and wake times to when your body naturally produces the sleep hormone melatonin and cortisol, which stimulates morning wake-up," the biochemist explains.
Improve sleep quality with sunlight
Meanwhile, your exposure to daylight - and the timings of it - can also play a powerful role in your sleep. "Daytime consumption of light is key to your nighttime sleep, taking light early within two hours of waking is key to anchoring the circadian rhythm, and getting light in the early evening can help to protect your melatonin levels at night," Dr Anna says.
"Light is a key regulator of the circadian rhythm, influencing the release of hormones like melatonin that prepare the body for sleep. Exposure to bright natural light during the day - particularly in the morning and late afternoon - has been shown to improve sleep quality, while reducing exposure to artificial light in the evening helps maintain healthy melatonin levels."
Create the perfect evening routine
Your evening routine is another factor that can help you to wind down and get to sleep more quickly and deeply. Dr Anna recommends beginning by dimming lights around 60-90 minutes before bed to help your brain naturally prepare for sleep.
"The natural onset for sleep is ultimately governed by the autonomic nervous system, requiring inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) by the parasympathetic nervous system (rest or digest). We often miss the natural cues for this transition because of artificial light, overconnectivity and a sense of needing to be 'always on,'" she says.
"Preparing for sleep, therefore, requires a conscious switch from physical and mental activity to more restorative and calming behaviours. For example, choosing to reduce stimulation in your environment, including lighting levels, disengaging from technology and instead prioritising restorative and interpersonal needs such as eating, intimacy and relaxation, will improve heart rate variability (HRV - a measure of your parasympathetic vs sympathetic activity - the higher your HRV, the better), and this will lead to a more restorative night’s sleep."
Activate the rest-and-digest system
Next up, it’s time to signal to your body to wind down for sleep. Certain activities can activate the parasympathetic nervous system - also known as the rest-and-digest system - taking you out of a stressed or active state and helping you to feel ready for rest. "Follow this with calming activities that reduce cognitive stimulation. That could be journaling, reading a book, or gentle breathwork. A warm shower or bath can also help by triggering a drop in core body temperature - one of the key signals that initiates sleep," Dr Anna says.
"Ways to activate the rest and digest system include gentle breathwork, yoga and meditation. If this is not something you find appealing, using Functional Fragrance as found in our Deep Sleep range - scientifically tested and shown to activate areas of the brain associated with relaxation and reward - will help the onset and quality of sleep and, over time, become a psychological and sensory cue that helps the brain associate the scent with sleep."