Wellness trends can be completely baffling and hard to get a grasp of. From cannabis in our cuisine to the collagen craze, we’re constantly trying to keep up the pace when it comes to the latest fads on the wellness scene. Lately the term ‘clean sleeping’ has been on our radar- but what exactly does it mean, why is it suddenly so relevant to our self-care routine and is this an idea to follow or one to ditch?
The term ‘clean sleeping” initially piqued our interest in an article by GOOP founder, Gwyneth Paltrow. Based around her book, GOOP Clean Beauty, the term is a component of the ‘clean’ lifestyle which also extends to healthier, improved sleeping habits. According to Paltrow and her team of experts, ‘My nutrition expert Dr Frank Lipman has explained to me that poor-quality sleep can be unsettling for the metabolism and hormones, which can lead to weight gain, bad moods, impaired memory and brain fog, as well as serious health concerns such as inflammation and reduced immunity (which can increase your risk of chronic disease). And it goes without saying that poor sleep is terrible from a beauty perspective.’
We can’t argue with Paltrow and her experts- sleep is a crucial part of any beauty routine and it’s important to your overall wellbeing. There’s no denying the fact that adequate, restful sleep can play a huge role in your health. If you’re looking to implement clean sleeping into your wellness routine, Paltrow’s experts recommend these ways to introduce clean sleeping into your life:
Eliminate Nightly Snacking: Allow your body to rest from its digestive functions and create a 12 hour fasting window. If you finish dinner at 7:30pm you should eat breakfast at 7:30am. If you sneak a snack late at night, choose something without sugar. Sugar interrupts your precious sleep while your body processes the alcohol.
Bedtime Massage: Set aside a little bit of time before bed to massage your head and feet before turning in. Massaging your feet for 3 minutes will help you relax and unwind. Locating and massaging trigger points on the back of your skull can ease tension headaches, soothe sinuses and stimulate blood flow.
Yoga Nidra: Translated from sanskrit, ‘yoga nidra’, or ‘psychic sleep’, is a form of meditation that creates a state of being and consciousness that promotes a deep feeling of wholeness and fulfilment. Practicing yoga nidra before bed or while you’re awake can have therapeutic benefits similar to that of sleep. There are a number of guided yoga nidra practices to help you get started.
Buy A Copper Pillow: Research shows that pillows containing copper threads can prevent the formation of wrinkles while you sleep.
While we realize that the advice from the GOOP crew can sometimes be unattainable, we firmly believe that even making one small change from this list can help you achieve your clean sleeping goals!
