Preparing for darker evenings and sleeping better in the colder season

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When Autumn / Winter rolls around and the nights get colder and it’s dark before you even leave work, it can be hard to adjust to such a huge change in routine compared to the summer months. Especially if, like me, you really suffer with seasonal change and are affected by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and your body finds it hard to cope with the dramatic change in weather. I’m working with Bed Guru to share my top tips on how to cope with the darker evenings and how to get a better nights sleep in the colder seasons.

1 – Get Cosy

First and foremost, as soon as you get in from work in the evening, get cosy! I like to have a warm shower or a relaxing bubble bath (using bath products with ingredients and scents to aid relaxation) and get into my pyjamas and cosy socks*, get the heated blanket on and relax on the sofa.

2 – Take the time to relax

Light some candles, put a Christmas film on or read a book (escapism is the best way to help get a clear head for me) and make a nice hot drink. There are hot drinks that are designed to help you relax before bed – Twinings Pure Camomile Tea* is perfect for this, as it has a delicate floral infusion that is traditionally used to help you relax.

3 – Have the right bedding

I have a “summer duvet” and a “winter duvet” – my winter duvet has a much higher tog than the summer, to make sure I keep super cosy and warm during the colder months. I also find that having a heavier and more weighted duvet helps to reduce my anxiety and helps me feel more relaxed and switched off, making me have a better nights sleep. Bed Guru have higher tog duvets for winter that look super cosy and comfy, as well as handy ottoman beds to store the summer bedding away until next year.

4 – Prep your bedroom

Getting into a cold bed is the worst for a good nights sleep, so I like to take a hot water bottle* upstairs about half an hour before I go to bed, and put it in the top of my bed under the duvet to warm it up before I get in. Then when I get into my nice warm bed, I move the hot water bottle down to my feet for maximum warmth and it’s a fact that keeping your feet warm ensures the rest of your body stays warm too.

5 – Get relaxed in bed

When you get into bed, spray a relaxing sleep spray on your pillow, use an eye mask* to block out the world, (you can get heated ones which are super relaxing, Optrex or Space Masks do them) keep ear plugs near by in your bed side table, should there by unwanted noise keeping you awake (my neighbours can be loud at any given time!) and you could even get a microwaveable hottie teddy like my Larry the llama.

6 – Switch off

This means no phones, no scrolling through social media! If your head won’t calm down, use a short mindfulness programme app like Headspace to help quieten your thoughts and really switch off.

So those are my top tips for getting a good nights sleep in the colder months. Do you have any other tips for getting cosy and having a good nights sleep in the Winter?

Related: Latest in Beauty Balance The Night Time Edit

*Gifted items.