A busy mum-of-two who has struggled with anxiety throughout her life has revealed the eight strategies that helped her to heal her sleep, and how they can help with your stress and shut-eye too.
Olivia White, 32, from Melbourne, said sleep has always been an issue for her as she regularly lies awake for hours worrying and stressing and struggling to ‘switch her brain off’.
However, in recent months, Olivia has been able to switch off a bit more easily, and so wakes feeling better-rested and more able to take on the day.
The Melbourne mum relies on eight key tips for success.
A busy mum-of-two who has struggled with anxiety throughout her life has revealed the eight strategies that helped her to heal her sleep (Olivia White pictured with her kids)
The first thing Olivia said has helped her hugely is reducing or removing caffeine completely, which she said has an immediate impact (Olivia pictured with one of her kids)
1. Reduce or completely remove caffeine
The first thing Olivia said has helped her hugely is reducing or removing caffeine completely.
‘While I love my coffee and sometimes feel like I cannot function without it, the effects of caffeine seem to be pretty brutal on me when my anxiety is heightened,’ Olivia wrote on her website.
When she goes through a period where she is struggling to get to sleep and feel well-rested, Olivia said she now reduces her coffee to just one cup per day or even cuts it out completely.
2. Write a to-do list for the next day
The second thing Olivia swears by is a daily to-do list to stop her mind from over-crowding.
‘A big part of my stress comes from an inability to focus and remember things,’ Olivia said.
She said she always feels more in control and ready to sleep and take on the next day when she writes chores down.
Olivia’s to-do list contains both household, work and family chores. She also said ticking things off the next day can help with feeling fulfilled.
Olivia (pictured) said she actively puts her phone away an hour before bed, and also swears by Rest & Quiet’s Sleep Formula
3. Avoid your phone an hour before bed
A lot of people who struggle with their sleep say ditching their phone or any blue light for at least one hour before is hugely helpful with sleep.
Olivia said she actively puts her phone away one hour before trying to go to sleep and lets herself wind down naturally.
Her wind down might be with a hot shower or bath, a book or 10 minutes of meditation.
4. Remove artificial light
In the same way, Olivia has removed artificial light from her bedroom.
Artificial light is the blue light that comes from things like chargers, power points and devices.
The mum-of-two (pictured) notices when she has the ‘odd late night’ or ‘super early morning’ outside of her routine, and this often translates as feeling lethargic come around 3pm
5. Keep a regular sleep routine
A regular sleep routine is paramount to good quality shut-eye.
‘I try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every single day,’ Olivia said.
The mum-of-two said she notices when she has the ‘odd late night’ or ‘super early morning’ outside of her routine, and this often translates as feeling lethargic come around 3pm.
On the other hand, if she gets on a roll with her schedule, she feels energised and often doesn’t need an alarm clock to wake up.
6. Have a cup of sleepy tea
A hot, non-caffeinated drink just before bed is the perfect way to tell your body it’s time to go to sleep.
In the same way that her children have a ‘wind-down routine’, so too does Olivia.
She will have a hot cup of sleep tea, either chamomile, lemon and ginger or peppermint.
Olivia also likes to use a diffuser to calm the mood.
Finally, Olivia (pictured) always uses an essential oil and a diffuser as part of her nightly ritual, which she fills with an essential oil
7. Use Rest & Quiet Sleep Formula
One part of Olivia’s sleep routine is Rest & Quiet’s Sleep Formula, which she takes religiously before bed.
The $12.99 formula boasts a unique blend of six Bach flower remedies, which help to calm the mind and ‘assists with feelings of being overwhelmed and impatient when trying to get to sleep’.
8. Use an essential oil and a diffuser
Finally, Olivia always uses an essential oil and a diffuser as part of her nightly ritual.
‘I only set it to be on for around 30-60 minutes, as the noise can be loud when you’re drifting to sleep, but it certainly helps to set a calming environment,’ Olivia said.
To find out more about Olivia White, you can visit her Instagram profile here.
Source link : https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9812439/Busy-stressed-mum-two-Olivia-White-reveals-healed-sleep.html
