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Fusion Health’s Ultimate Guide to Getting Good Sleep

A good night’s sleep can seem out of reach in the middle of the night while you’re staring at the clock – but the good news is that there’s plenty of tips and tricks you can use to help you get good sleep. Read on to find out more.

Key Takeaways:

Sleep is as important for our health as food and water but lots of us aren’t getting enough.
What you eat affects how you sleep.
Changing your evening routine can help you get better sleep.

If you've ever had trouble sleeping, and longing for a peaceful night's sleep, you're not alone. Sleep is the unsung hero of our daily lives – it is as essential to our health and wellbeing as oxygen, food, and water but a lot of us aren’t getting enough.

The importance of sleep

Sleep is essential to every process in the body. It affects our physical and mental health, impacts our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and influences our metabolism and risk of developing chronic diseases.1 Lack of sleep is seen to increase the risk of developing heart problems, low mood, and blood sugar imbalances.²

Adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but studies have found that up to 45% of Australian adults aren’t getting enough good quality sleep.²

What affects sleep?

Sleep can be disrupted by many things. Some of the most common sleep stealers are:

Excess alcohol and caffeine
Stress
Disrupted sleep schedules
Too much light or noise in the bedroom
Age
Existing health conditions³

Food that supports sleep

What we eat affects everything in our body – including our sleep. If you want to get better quality zzz’s try including more of these foods:

Lean protein – Eat plenty of lean proteins like chicken, turkey and fish which are high in tryptophan.
Good fats – Include more unsaturated fats from things like nuts, seeds, and oily fish.
High magnesium foods – Include plenty of leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds and avocados.
Try a warm drink – Some people swear by a cup of warm milk before bed, but herbal teas such as chamomile can also support your sleep.

While on the topic of food – Here are some to avoid if you’re trying to improve your sleep:

Simple carbohydrates – Avoid simple carbohydrates and sugary foods like white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes and pastries.
High-fat foods – Avoid deep fried foods.
Caffeine – Avoid caffeine-containing drinks such as coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks^4.

Get into good sleep habits.

Creating a bedtime routine can help improved your habits, build consistency and in turn, sleep better. These simple tips can help prompt your mind and body to unwind and in turn, achieve better sleep.

Routine – Establish a consistent bedtime – your body follows a natural wake-sleep rhythm and thrives on regularity.
Relax – Engage in a calming activity during an hour before bed, such as reading a book, taking a soothing bath or shower, or sipping on a cup of herbal tea. Screen-free – Try avoiding all screens to reduce blue light exposure (such as TVs, phones, tablets and computers) 1-2 hours before bed.
Comfort - Make sure the temperature in the bedroom is comfortable and that there are no distractions.
Avoid cigarettes and alcohol before bed – both can disrupt sleep.⁵

Fusion Health’s Ultimate Guide to Getting Good Sleep

Herbs that help:

Passionflower – Traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to relieve sleeplessness – especially in cases of restlessness due to stress symptoms.
Zizyphus – Used in Traditional Chinese medicine to relieve sleeplessness. It nourishes the spirit, calms the mind, and relieves restlessness.

Fusion's suggestions for sleep support:

If you need a little extra help for sleep support, you might like to try:

Fusion Sleep- With passionflower, traditionally used for the relief of sleeplessness and to promote refreshing sleep in Western herbal medicine.
Fusion Magnesium Advanced - Contains magnesium glycinate, a more bioavailable form of magnesium, to support muscle relaxation.
Fusion Mood Support - Supports healthy mood balance, mental function, and energy levels.