Expert Health Tips for Quality Sleep
Key takeaways from our Sleep Awareness series expert panel
“Sleep is not just about getting through tomorrow, it’s about protecting your long game.”- Dr Alka Patel
Sleep has the most profound effect on our overall health; supporting cognitive function, energy levels, mood and even sexual libido, and yet often this is an area that needs the most improvement. Sleep has become a modern wellbeing concern, with The Sleep Charity (UK) reporting that nine in ten people are now experiencing sleep issues. This widespread challenge underscores just how essential it is to prioritise rest as a foundational pillar of health and longevity.
For World Sleep Awareness, we invited an expert panel that included wellness experts and advocates to share their insights on the importance of sleep and rest. From tapping into circadian rhythm through targeted light exposure, to setting up the body for deep rest through the ancient sound frequency techniques and humming, the series explored expert and accessible methods for getting a quality amount of sleep.
Sick and tired of being tired? Here’s our key expert takeaways for a good night’s rest:
1- DEVICE SHUTDOWN
Create a clear, screen-free wind-down window before bed to gently signal to your body that it’s time to rest. “Aim for eight hours in bed and give yourself eighty minutes screen-free before sleep,” says longevity and lifestyle medicine doctor Dr Alka Patel of her ‘8-80’ rule. This simple yet powerful ritual supports deeper, more restorative sleep. Placing your phone in another room can remove temptation and allow your mind to fully switch off.
2- SONIC FREQUENCIES
Connecting with your voice can make it easier to relax into deeper, more restorative sleep. Intuitive wellness guide and sound healer Jasmin Harsono recommends humming softly with your hands on your heart or body for a few minutes before bed. “The vibrations seep into the unconscious and signal to the nervous system that it is safe to slow down,” says Jasmin.
3- NATURAL LIGHT EXPOSURE
Anchor your sleep by getting outside for natural light within 30 minutes of waking. This is an accessible and highly effective way to set your circadian rhythm and improve how easily you fall asleep at night. Wellness expert and biohacker Marcello Ferri notes that this is particularly impactful when travelling “When I land, the first thing I do is get outside for light exposure so my body knows what time it is.”
Need some extra support to get into deep rest? Here’s a roundup of our favourite items to compliment a healthy sleep routine.
HigherDOSE Full body red light mat
Red light therapy operates light frequencies that target the body on a cellular level. The combination of red and near infrared is designed to calm the nervous system, the perfect partner to a pre-bedtime ritual. By supporting natural melatonin production and reducing stimulation, it helps signal to your body that it’s time to wind down, making it easier to drift into more restorative sleep.
Sensate
Activate instant calm with the infrasonic waves of Sensate and indulge in some self care before sleep. These vibrations activate the vagus nerve, signalling safety and easing you out of stress. As your nervous system down-regulates, your body naturally prepares for deeper, more restful sleep, plus the app’s soundscapes sync with the device to quiet the mind and reduce night-time wakefulness.
Superoom Reishi
Move over powder supplements, meet liquid mushrooms. The Reishi mushroom is known to promote deeper sleep by acting as a natural, non-drowsy sedative that calms the nervous system. Superoom is wild-grown in Finland and nurtured by the cleanest air and water on Earth, mushroom in liquid form delivers the most bioavailability (absorption rate) to ensure a potent dose for better sleep.
Dryft Sleep Tape
Nighttime mouth breathing might be the culprit of a bad night’s sleep. These medical-grade strips from Dryft Sleep gently encourage nasal breathing during the night. Latex-free and soft on skin, they’re an effortless addition for deeper, more restorative sleep.
© Higher Self Experience
