6 Ways To Spring Clean Your Sleep Routine

While it may be tempting to lay-in on the weekends, waking and falling asleep at the same time each day is key to getting good quantity and quality of sleep! A consistent sleep schedule helps maintain the timing of your body’s internal clock, otherwise known as our circadian rhythm, which helps us wake and fall asleep more easily. It can be tricky keeping consistent with our sleep in this modern world of unusual working hours, alarms and technology, but trying to catch up on lost sleep at the weekends can actually throw your body clock out of sync! Just like our ancestors synchronised their body clock to the natural rising and setting of the sun, Lumie wake-up lights help keep your sleep/wake schedule on track; sending you to sleep with a fading sunset and rousing you with a gentle sunrise, helping your brain to distinguish day and night while regulating your circadian rhythm. 

Did you know light is the most powerful synchroniser of our circadian rhythm? It keeps the body in-sync with the 24-hour day, helping us feel awake during the day and sleepy at bedtime. That's why having strong light cues in the morning can help us sleep better at night! Bright light first thing prompts a decrease in melatonin production (the hormone that makes us sleepy), so we feel awake and ready for the day. This morning light also helps your body’s inner clock recognise when it’s time to go to bed, helping you drift off easier. So, whether you get outside for a morning walk, eat breakfast outside, or sit in front of a light therapy lamp when daylight is limited, make sure you get adequate light exposure to start your day right!

We know that coffee has a negative effect on our sleep, but research has shown that caffeine can significantly disrupt sleep, even when consumed 6 hours before bedtime! This is because of its effect on our central nervous system, raising alertness and increasing cortisol levels (our stress hormone). And while your morning cup of coffee may help you feel more alert, its stimulating effects can last up to 10 hours. To help you get your best night’s sleep, we recommend having your last coffee before midday to keep its effect on your sleep to a minimum!

Do you find yourself feeling sleepy in the afternoons? This is better known as the post-lunch dip and is rooted in human biology. In fact, 54% of our Workplace Wellbeing Study participants said they struggle with the afternoon slump, feeling lethargic and lacking motivation. It can be tempting to combat this dip with an afternoon coffee, which we know can be detrimental to our quality of sleep. So, why not tackle this slump naturally with 30 minutes of bright light therapy after lunch? As well as helping you feel more alert and productive for the rest of the day, these strong light cues confirm it’s still daytime to your body’s inner clock, which will better prepare you for sleep at bedtime.

Evening routines are incredibly important in helping our brains and bodies distinguish day from night! Just like strong morning light cues help us feel energised and ready for the day, dimming the lights and keeping alerting blue light to a minimum in the evening prepares you for bed. Research has also shown that smell can directly affect our sleep, so incorporating the soothing scents of lavender, chamomile & patchouli found in Neom's Perfect Night's Sleep range can help you relax ready for a peaceful night's slumber. Building an evening routine around Neom's calming bath and body products is the perfect way to switch off after a long day; so take the time to run a warm bath, light a candle and spray a relaxing pillow mist to get you in the mood for sleep.

We firmly believe your bedroom should be your sanctuary, your place to escape. To create this feeling of peace, you need to remove all distractions from your space, whether that’s your laptop, phone or TV (check out our top tips on how to ban your phone from your bedroom!). Your digital devices not only make it difficult for you to switch off, they also emit alerting blue light which confuses your sleep/wake cycle by decreasing the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone), making you feel wide awake. Instead, get lost in a good book, meditate or practice gratitude journaling and remember to set your Lumie sunset to help you drift off to sleep.

Want to discover our perfect routine for a great night's sleep? You can watch our 6 Ways To Spring Clean Your Sleep Routine with Neom on Instagram.