Your mother may have told you to tidy your messy bedroom, and she was right. Sleep guru Alison Francis, who is better known by her guru name, Anandi confirms the reasoning behind keeping the bedroom free from clutter.
A lack of sleep can come down to a number of contributing factors such as stress and an unbalanced diet.
The bedroom should be a place for sleep and relaxation, however a cluttered or dusty setting will not lead to a good night’s slumber. The feeling of being soothed and refreshed when entering a tidy beautiful space allows the build-up of the day’s stresses to diminish.
Anandi said, “Your bedroom is a sacred space. As soon as you walk across the threshold you should feel the tension melt away. Having scented candles, flowers and something that represents the spirit – such as a small altar with perhaps a crystal, or an image of a great spiritual teacher – can help you relax and sleep better.
“Curing sleep issues is a question of balance and absolutely holistic. One thing on its own is unlikely to work, but addressing all areas in your life will bring your body and mind back into equilibrium.
“Sleep deprivation can affect your weight, in that your metabolism can become out of balance. Two hormones in particular can cause this this to happen – Ghrelin and Leptin. Ghrelin, sends messages that tell you to go and eat and tends to be more present when you are sleep deprived. When there are higher levels of Ghrelin within the body, you will crave more food and in particular, sugar. The hormone Leptin sends messages that tell you to stop eating which is less present when sleep deprived.”
Anandi has written her first book called the ‘Breathe Better, Sleep Better’. It offers many practical tools including how to help detox the digestive system, how to calm the nervous system and how to stimulate your circulatory system. ‘Breathe Better, Sleep Better’ will soon be available online or direct from her website. Anandi also arranges Personal Sleep Reviews to assist those troubled by insomnia.