How to sleep: Meghan Markle shares her three top tips for getting a good night’s kip
Meghan Markle and Harry ‘charting their own territory’ says expert
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Tending to her three-month baby, Lilibet, and two-year-old Archie, Meghan must make the most of her shuteye when she can. Thankfully, old habits die hard, and Prince Harry’s wife has three very healthy ones that she can fall back on. “Yoga is my thing,” Meghan told Best Health. “There are so many benefits that come with the practice of yoga.” The Duchess of Sussex then listed all the great things that stretching your limbs can do for you.
Yoga is said to increase flexibility and strength, lead to greater happiness, increase mental focus, and lead to a greater ability to relax.
Moreover, Meghan stated that yoga can decrease feelings of anxiety and lead to better sleep.
The former Suits actress also told Today that she avoids caffeine after 4pm.
“It’s easy to fall into rushing for a coffee when you hit that 4pm slump,” she admitted.
However, Hello! magazine stated that Meghan opts for a green juice when she needs an energy boost.
Speaking to Women’s Health – before she had children – Meghan revealed that she makes time to unwind before bedtime.
“I give myself the luxury of downtime,” she said. “We are all so incredibly busy and juggling so many things, but I always take an hour to just decompress.”
Meghan said that she would “watch mindless TV, snuggle with [her] dogs and enjoy a glass of wine”.
“That’s all part of the investment. It’s a balance,” Meghan added.
Meghan Markle’s top three tips on how to fall asleep
- Practise yoga
- Avoid caffeine after 4pm
- Unwind before bedtime.
Her tips mirror ones put forward by the Sleep Foundation who give expert advice on sleep hygiene.
Medically reviewed (and approved) by Dr Nilong Vyas, sleep hygiene is touted as “one of the most straightforward ways that you can set yourself up for better sleep”.
Good sleep hygiene consists of:
- Keeping a stable sleep schedule
- Making your bed comfortable
- Following a relaxing pre-bed routine (akin to Meghan’s tip)
- Building health habits.
Sleep hygiene
It is very powerful when you can set a fixed wake-up time, which can be helped by going to bed around the same time every night.
Avoiding naps is also a good idea, unless they are relatively short and are limited to the early afternoon.
When it comes to a bedtime, following a consistent routine can be very helpful.
This can include putting on your pyjamas, brushing your teeth, and spending at least 30 minutes for winding down.
Whatever you choose to do in this period of time needs to put you in a state of calm, such as doing some light stretching, akin to yoga.
It will also help to dim the lights during this period, as bright lights can hinder the production of melatonin – a hormone that promotes sleep.
This is also why it is useful to stay away from electronic devices while in bed.
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