The relentless toss and turn of a troubled night’s sleep can be a real day ruiner . Here are three ingredients to guide you to a better slumber.
Repeat after us: Sleep Is So Important. It’s our bodies’ own in-built recovery system and will eradicate those pesky under-eye bags better than any expensive concealer.
Its benefits span the full breadth of our wellbeing, and could even keep us switched on as we age. A study by Michael Scullin, director of Baylor University’s Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory in Texas found ‘banking’ good zzz’s throughout middle age was associated with our sharper mental functioning 28 years later.
To help you drift off quicker, nurse and author of I Want to Sleep: How To Get A Good Night’s Sleep, Harriet Griffey shares the three natural sedatives she swears by.
1. Chamomile
‘Two types of chamomile are used for health purposes, renowned for their soothing and sleep-inducing effect – German chamomile and Roman (also known as English). The dried flower heads can be infused in water to make a tisane or tea, and commercial teabags are readily available in supermarkets.’
2. Lavender
‘Its lovely scent, redolent of sunny summer afternoons, comes from the flowers and the leaves. The dried flowers can be used in lavender bags and the oil can be added to massage oil or a warm bath.’
3. Tryptophan
‘This is an essential amino acid that can be found in various foods. Tryptophan combines with vitamin B6, transforming into serotonin and niacin in the liver and, once in circulation, the pineal gland uses it to make melatonin – that sleep-inducing hormone we know and love.’
Do you have any more tips for getting a sounder slumber? Share them with us @healthymag
Extracted from I Want to Sleep: How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep by Harriet Griffey (Hardie Grant, £8.99)