This blog post was created in partnership with TEMPUR®.

As always all thoughts and opinions are a genuine reflection of my personal experience. In this case, surrounding better sleep.

It wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I begun to understand or prioritise the importance of sleep. Prior to that time I was running at 100mph studying, interning, waitressing, blogging and—you guessed it—getting very few zzzs. I’d misleadingly read somewhere that many company CEOs exist on just 4 hours of sleep per night—maintaining a highly productive work output minus the hours in bed. Just reading that ‘fact’ back now makes me feel tireddd! Through my own learnt experience, and later through learning more about holistic health, I’ve come to realise just how important sleep is to every facet of our lives. Regular good quality sleep (7.5hrs+ per night please!) quite literally improves every area of our health and emotional wellbeing. Nowadays I looove me some good sleep! 

In honour of better sleep for all, today I’m partnering with TEMPUR® to share some of my favourite journaling prompts and other techniques for a more satisfying night’s snooze.

“all the zzzs please”

A little background on TEMPUR®: TEMPUR® has long been hailed as the ultimate sleep support brand when it comes to a stellar mattress and pillow. Did you know that TEMPUR® material was first developed by NASA and used onboard the Space Shuttles? The magic of TEMPUR® Material is its ability to evenly distribute weight and pressure using its unique memory foam technology, allowing for a comfortable ‘sink-into-your-snooze’ night’s sleep. 

I switched over my pillow to a TEMPUR® one a while back and have never enjoyed laying my head down to rest more. Not only am I sleeping more deeply (my dreams RN are vivid), but I also feel like my neck, shoulders and back are thanking me for it. 

Read on for my tips for achieving a better night’s sleep and let me know if they help you to achieve those delicious feel-good zzzs!

3 Tips for Achieving a Better Night’s Sleep

1. Journal your ‘worries and wishes’

Research found that those who journaled for 20 minutes per day see fewer stress-related issues, reduced blood pressure and an overall improvement in the immune system. 

I developed a journaling practice years ago and I’ve felt all of the above benefits and more. Most days I like to focus on two types of journaling: ‘worries’ and ‘wishes’. 

The ‘worry’ practice is a way to get some of my concerns down on paper. The very act of ‘expressing’ these worries feels like it lightens the load for me. More often than not I feel hugely relieved just by putting pen to paper. If you’re struggling with a feeling of overwhelm I encourage you to take to a journal and begin to work through it. My favourite practice for this is called ‘why x 5’ and it’s something I learnt from Katie O. Selvidge—you simply write down your concern and keep asking yourself ‘why’ until you get to the root cause of your worry. 

My ‘wishes’ journaling practice is more lighthearted. I like to reflect on: 

– what’s going right in my life 

– what’s challenging me 

– what I’m looking forward to 

I practice this at the end of each day with my husband Oli. It’s an easy way for us to share our ‘rose, thorn and bud’ of the day. 

Bonus tip! A simple gratitude list can be a powerful way to shift your focus. I listened to an episode of The Blonde Files podcast a couple of weeks ago with manifestation expert Roxie Nafousi and loved Roxie’s advice to collate a gratitude list any time you’re feeling low or out of sync. The theory goes that it’s not possible for the human brain to hold more than one thought at a time, so if you focus on gratitude it can quickly shift your thoughts to a more positive space.

2. Improve your sleep hygiene

No, that doesn’t mean washing your sheets! Although, clean sheets feel heavenly, don’t they?! 

Sleep hygiene refers to all the things you do surrounding your bedtime. Good sleep hygiene practices include: 

– limiting blue light exposure for at least 2 hours before bed. I wear blue light filtering glasses in the evening to help with this.

– lowering the temperature of your bedroom, this helps the body recognise that it’s ‘time to sleep’.

– installing blackout curtains or blinds to ensure that no sleep-disrupting light can enter your bedroom. A silk eye mask is a great addition too!

– using a relaxing sleep mist to calm your nervous system before bed.

– reading before bed instead of using technology.

3. Take an Epsom salt bath or relaxing shower 2hrs or more before bedtime

Epsom salt contains Magnesium and has been linked to better detoxing and deeper sleep. Give your body a helping hand by indulging in an Epsom salt bath at least 2hrs before bed. This is to allow your body time to cool down before bedtime. 

Alternatively, you can take a relaxing shower. Use calming essential oils like lavender and camomile to soothe your nervous system. 

I don’t always bathe before bedtime but when I do it feels like I’m quite literally ‘washing the day away’ and I can feel myself ‘reset’ to neutral. Perfect for a good night’s sleep! 

What’s your take?

Will you be trying these tips for better sleep?

Let me know if you do! 

Remember to check out TEMPUR®’s range of mattresses and pillows to upgrade your sleep experience and make the most of their 30 Night Pillow Trial if you order directly through the TEMPUR® UK website. 

Happy snoozing friends! 

Love, Monica x