Catch up lost sleep after New Year’s Eve

The run up to the new year with all that partying must have been hectic, leaving you tired and sleep-deprived. If you’re struggling to catch up on rest today, don’t just opt for the usual hot milk and warm bath. Try these other ways that can bring on the Zzzzs…

The 4-8-7 trick
Sleep therapists advocate this yoga trick. You simply breathe deeply through the left nostril on a count of four, hold that for seven counts and breathe out the air with a sound in eight counts. Experts call this a ‘natural tranquiliser’ for the nervous system.

Dunk your face in chilled water for 20 seconds
This isn’t the ice bucket challenge, but it’s said to be a quick-fix to bust anxiety and bring on sleep. Immersing your face in chilled water helps calm the nervous system and triggers an involuntary phenomenon called the Mammalian Dive Reflex, which lowers the heart rate and blood pressure and can bring about sleep.

Try bedtime tea

Sip on sleep-inducing brews like lavender tea, chamomile and Valerian root, which have sedative effects.

Ban the gadgets
Keep electronic gadgets away from the bed. The blue light emitted from these interferes with the body’s ability to fall asleep. Not to mention, the messages can be distracting.

Keep it cool
Lower the temperature in the bedroom. You can fall asleep faster if the room is cooler as this also in turn lowers the core body temp.