The night before your wedding, your mind is bound to be buzzing with thoughts, worries, excitement, preventing you from nodding off. But, a lack of sleep can mean dark circles, puffy eyes and skin dullness, not ideal for your wedding day.
Here are a few tips for getting the best night's sleep before your wedding day:
Work Out Your Optimum Sleep Time
Not all of us need 8 hours sleep, but we often think we do and punish ourselves for not getting enough. Think back over the past month, which days did you feel the most energetic? How many hours of sleep did you get the night before? Stick to those hours in the month leading up to your wedding to trigger a routine.
Make A Bedtime Ritual
In the lead-up to your wedding, start doing exactly the same thing before bed every night, like removing your eye makeup before you clean your teeth. Or, having a cup of soothing tea after slipping into your pyjamas.
Eat A Light Evening Meal
Eat easily digestible food. A light, high protein, low carb meal is perfect. Oily fish might also be a good option as it's high in Omega-3, which can help regulate the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin - brain chemicals that are directly involved in sleep regulation.
Take A Supplement
Try a supplement some weeks before your wedding. Ask your doctor for recommendation
Avoid Technology
Avoid your phone. It may be tricky to control those last minute texts with your bridesmaids or florist and so on, but switching any screen off 45 minutes before you want to fall asleep allows yourself to switch off from the stimulant of your screen's blue light.
Have A Bath
Set an hour aside for a soak. A warm bath filled with aromatherapy crystals, will help ease pre-wedding anxieties.
Control Your Room Temperature
If you're staying in a hotel room the night before your wedding, make sure that the room temperature is just right, so don't go mad with the air conditioning. Experts suggest the best sleep is achieved in a room with a temperature between 18-20C.
Scent Your Bedroom
Prepare your bedding with natural cotton bedlinen and soothing scents. Avoid synthetic materials, they will keep the heat and the moisture trapped.
Set A Deadline
Allow yourself 15 minutes to get to sleep, and if you haven't nodded off yet, get up and do something. Mindless activities like dusting or cleaning the windows don't require deep thinking or noisy, so are not too stimulating for the brain. It might be tempting to add finishing touches to favours, but anything to do with your wedding will likely trigger those pre-wedding nerves.
Ultimately, it's all about relaxation. Learn how you relax, and chances are you'll have a much more restful night and be a pro at getting to sleep.