Kirsten’s Top 5 Tips for a Better Nights Sleep

We had a chat to Medical Herbalist, Nutritionist, Naturopathic Sleep Specialist and founder of SleepDrops Kirsten Taylor about her passion for natural remedies, and her top tips for getting a good nights sleep (something I am sure almost all of us need…).

How did the idea for SleepDrops come about?

After working in my private clinic for several years, I became aware of the huge health impacts of insomnia and poor sleep. As many as 47% of the New Zealand population are not sleeping. This lack of sleep affects all aspects of how the body functions, creating major implications for people’s health and wellbeing.

What are your top 5 tips for getting a good nights sleep?

1. Manage your stress effectively – stress is the No. 1 cause of sleeplessness for the population so reducing the stress in your life can be extremely helpful!
2. Limit your interaction with screens (computers, TV’s, tablets, smartphones etc.) before bedtime as studies have shown that they can delay sleep onset by up to 1.5 hours.
3. Limit caffeine intake throughout the day. Caffeine is a major stimulant and can stay in the body for up to 9 hours after consumption.
4. Black-out Curtains and an eye-mask. Darkness helps to promote production of melatonin, the body’s sleep hormone.
5. Mineral supplementation. It can be hard to get enough nutrients through diet alone so supplementing with vitamins and minerals specific to the sleep and stress pathways in the body can be hugely beneficial for sleep.