Better Beauty Sleep – #AlphaTanniaTuesday

Puffy Eyes, Deep Wrinkles, Bad Memory, Irritable Mood…

Whether it’s inner or outer beauty (or both) that you are trying to improve, better sleep is the key to your success. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to get better sleep (which would also help me achieve my other resolution of waking up earlier). Below are 5 tips that have worked best for me so far:

1. Stick to a Schedule

I feel like a child throwing a tantrum, kicking and screaming because I want to watch “one more” episode of NCIS or because I “need” to check my emails again before going to bed. Stick to a daily schedule, and schedule your sleep. You wouldn’t dare be late for a meeting because you got sucked into another season of Downton Abbey, so treat your bed time like a meeting or an appointment that cannot be rescheduled.

2. Keep Your Room Dark

Close, turn off, silence, dim… do whatever you need to do to create a peaceful, dark sleeping space. If you can’t create a dark environment where you sleep, consider wearing an eye mask or kick it old school like I do and use a pillow or extra sheet to shield your eyes.

3. Exercise

If you are reading this article on a smart phone or computer, chances are you have access to internet at home. Since I like to jog outside, I could always count on the weather to be my best excuse. But let’s be honest, even if your gym is “too far away” and the “torrential downpour” (aka light drizzle) outside shows no signs of letting up any time soon, the internet offers a plethora of guides, videos and other awesome resources to satisfy your at-home workout needs.

4. Avoid Eating Just Before Bed

Eating, drinking, snacking… all of the above. For me, I get hit with an insatiable thirst right before I go to bed. I decided to give myself a water cut-off time a few hours before I know I will be in bed. For you it may be water, wine, or left-over chocolate cake. Whatever your late-night vice may be, it will take discipline, will power and time, but it can be done!

5. Reduce Noise

I am still bitter about this one. The other night, I did all my proactive steps to create a good sleep environment (early bed time, no television, book, melatonin, soothing music, covered eyes) and actually fell asleep at a decent time. Then my lovely neighbor decides to have a midnight jam session… for an hour! I was livid, but had to learn how to deal with the unexpected and try to go back to sleep. My point is, do what you can to reduce nighttime noise, but don’t let an “artistic” neighbor, screaming baby, or barking dog completely ruin your night. Take a deep breath, start over and maybe consider investing in some ear plugs.

More Resources
My #1 Skin Tip: Beauty Sleep – health.com
7 Tips for Best Sleep Ever – doctoroz.com
The Simple, No-Equipment Workout You Can Do at Home – oprah.com

A good night’s rest can help us all be better workers, parents, friends, and overall better human beings. I hope some of these tips can help you achieve better sleep as well as help you become a better version of yourself, inside and out!

If you would like any more tips, or if you want to share some relaxation techniques that help you sleep better, email me at tannia@crescentcityconcierge.com.