So if you are struggling to reach the land of nod easily or find yourself waking during the night, here are some of our top tips to get a better night’s rest.
1. Go to bed tired
It may seem obvious but if you scroll through your phone or watch Netflix straight before you sleep, your body is ready to rest but your mind hasn’t had enough time to switch off. Doing light exercise and getting fresh air towards the end of the day can really make a difference to falling and staying asleep.
At Parihoa we encourage guests to take an evening stroll across the cliff tops, onto the beach or around the farm to enjoy some fresh air before bed. This calming pre-bedtime outdoor activity can help to settle the mind and prepare it for rest.
2. Make sure your bed is comfortable
From your choice of mattress and sheets, being comfy during the night is crucial. Both the mattress and the bed linens matter. However, the higher the sheet thread count doesn’t necessarily correlate to a better product.
According to Sleep Number, a “300 thread count is a great starting point for well-balanced sheets – anything higher than this can be too heavy”. Parihoa’s bedding ticks the boxes for both comfort and sustainability.
3. Check your environment
Did you know the top reasons for nocturnal awakenings are noises, disturbances by children, co-sleepers and pain? Sound, light and heat can all cause us to stir from slumber.
Whilst it’s hard to avoid partners and kids, you can control other key causes of disturbances with blackout curtains, temperature systems and noise reduction tools.
When you rent a property at Parihoa, it’s exclusively yours, our remote location means the only noise likely to wake you is the sound of soft bleating from the sheep grazing, which are more likely to lull you to sleep (especially if you are into counting sheep to help you doze off). All our bedrooms have large windows facing the sea for the ultimate comfort.
4. Save the bed for night time
Whilst it is very tempting to lie on the bed throughout the day, it’s a good idea to only use the bed at night. This programmes the brain to understand the routine of getting in bed means it’s time to sleep.
Chaise longues, sofas, sunbeds and recliners are all great alternatives to have in your living areas. Here at Parihoa all our living areas are designed with comfort in mind – from sofas to chairs indoors and out there are plenty of fabulous spaces to chillout in and avoid nipping into the bedroom.
5. Eat well
We all know the saying: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well, eating nutritious food can also keep insomnia away. When the body gets enough nutrients, the brain is able to produce the neurotransmitters that it needs to maintain adequate sleep.
Our friends at Good From Scratch just down the road offer amazing Farm to Fork cookery classes teaching you great healthy food habits and tips which you get to savour at the end of the class.
We recently had Buffy from Good Food Organics at Parihoa, and learnt some valuable tips!
Image: Be Good Organics
6. De-stress
Your well-being has a big effect on how well you sleep. Calming techniques, such as meditation and journal writing, can help calm your mind. If sleep is really an issue, you can consider joining EnRich Breathwork for a session.
Their conscious practice of circulatory breathing enables you to reset yourself from being on autopilot of 'fight or flight' mode to 'rest and digest'. Which in turn helps you to focus on better sleep.
Image: EnRich Breathwork
Join us at Parihoa to see how a trip to our “friendly cliffs” can help to improve your sleep, happiness and overall health.