23 Nov 2016
Our Hereford spa and health club is a relaxing retreat from the stresses of modern life. Juggling family time and work commitments isn’t easy, and we often don’t get the recommended eight hours of sleep we need to reset and heal our bodies.
How often are you woken by your alarm and feel as though you haven’t even slept? Do you drag yourself out of bed still feeling tired, rather than re-energised? Lack of sleep can have a huge impact on us all, from how you feel and look to how you think and communicate.
Sleep benefits our skin in a couple of ways. One way is that we sweat when we sleep. Perspiration is good for us because it removesw toxins, excess salts and other waste products from the body, but it also acts as a natural moisturiser for our skin. This is doubly helpful during the winter when our skin tends to dry out with cold weather and hot radiators.
Another way is that during sleep, the skin’s rhythms shift to cellular repair and restoration. Lack of sleep means slower new skin cell turnover, which in turn means a dull complexion, loss of skin tone, colour and elasticity… all things we associate with aging!
Skin is not the only tissue to repair itself during shut-eye. Human growth hormone (HGH), which is only released when we sleep, helps to heal cell damage as well as regenerate muscle and bone cells. After an intense workout, during sleep is when those aching muscles get to knit themselves back together stronger than before. Handy for our Hereford gym goers to know!
Collagen, a hormone stimulated by HGH and responsible for firm, youthful-looking skin, hair and nails, is released in high levels into the blood stream during sleep. Our Hereford spa therapists know how important collagen is – we even have a Collagen Infusion facial treatment designed around the miraculous hormone!
Studies have also shown that not getting enough sleep contributes to weight gain. One reason is that the more sleep-deprived you are, the more your body creates cortisol, a stress hormone that increases appetite. A balanced diet and regular exercise are definitely aided by eight hours of blissful slumber!
It’s easier said than done, getting a good night’s sleep. We aren’t tired when we should be, we go on Facebook for too long, we toss and turn… So here are a few things to introduce into your lifestyle that will improve your slumber:
Cherries and bananas are both fantastic fruits for sleep. Cherries are one of the few natural foods to contain Melatonin, which is known to help insomniacs. Bananas contain carbohydrates, which is what makes them such a good workout snack, but carbohydrates also make you sleepy and contain the natural muscle-relaxants magnesium and potassium.
Steer clear of stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, fatty foods and heavily spiced dishes a few hours before bed. These have been proven to disrupt sleep!
Aromatherapy is a way of changing your mood and well-being using all-natural essential oils. Various studies have proven that oils such as lavender do aid in sleep! A drop on your wrists or pillow should work wonders.
Holmer Park's gym instructors in Hereford will tell you how fantastic yoga is for lowering stress levels and relaxing the body. One yoga class in the evening or even some stretches and simple breathing techniques can help to calm the mind and prepare you for bed.
Exercise in general is good of course – it gets your mind away from day-to-day worries and into a zone where you are having fun and tiring out your body ready for a good night’s snooze.
If you’d like to learn more about any of our relaxing Hereford spa treatments or yoga classes, please fill out the enquiry form below or call 01432 370222.
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