Getting a good night’s sleep is so important for your overall health and wellbeing. Without sleep, most of us find ourselves struggling to focus and function properly, losing concentration, and even overeating foods that aren’t good for us. Over time, not getting enough high-quality sleep at night can leave you at a higher risk of several health conditions and diseases including obesity, heart attack, stroke and more. Sleep is certainly essential for a healthy and happy life, but what can you do to invite more of it into your life, make it easier for you to fall asleep at night, and wake up each morning feeling well-rested, newly energized and ready to take on the day?
Thankfully, there are several things that you can do to improve your bedtime routine, get more sleep and enjoy a healthier life overall as a result.
Invest in a New Bed
There’s nothing worse than tossing and turning all night, struggling to get to sleep even when you’re tired because you’re unable to get comfortable enough to drift off. Problems with an old or unsupportive bed are typically the cause of this. If you tend to sleep well whenever you stay with a friend or stay in a hotel, but struggle to at home because you’re uncomfortable or even in pain, it’s probably time to think about updating your bed – or at the very least, investing in a new mattress.
A bed upgrade can work wonders when it comes to your sleep, so don’t skimp out when it comes to what you’re sleeping on. After all, we all spend around one-third of our lives sleeping in bed, so it’s important to invest in a bed that’s the best fit for you. Check out the range of stunning and supportive options at Big Brand Beds. They offer a huge range of bed options whether you need more space to sleep with a super king-size or want to declutter your room and create more storage space with an ottoman bed. Take a look at what’s available at bigbrandbeds.co.uk.
Choose the Right Mattress
Whether you’ve decided to replace your entire bed to go bigger or want to update a mattress that’s getting old and uncomfortable, choosing the right type of mattress for you is important. Consider the way that you generally sleep at night to figure out the mattress firmness that is going to be an ideal choice for you. While you can find plenty of mattresses for sale online, it’s a good idea to head to a bed shop so that you can try out different brands, types, and firmness levels and determine which you are most comfortable with.
A medium-firm mattress is a good idea for side-sleepers, but go even firmer if you sleep on your back. If you tend to sleep on your front, a softer mattress will be a good idea for you. Memory foam is great for almost everybody since it relieves pressure on your body and enables you to get into your most comfortable sleep position every night.
Redecorate Your Room
The colours in your room can have a profound effect on your ability to wind down and enjoy a great night of high-quality sleep. If your room is in need of a new lick of paint or is decorated in a colour that you hate, this could be having a bigger effect on your mindset and your ability to sleep at night than you might realise. You will be surprised at just how much redecorating in calming and relaxing colours can do for you. Colours like greens, blues, soft pinks, and pastels are an excellent choice – go for anything that makes you feel relaxed and serene rather than energized and awake.
Keep it Dark
If you’re struggling to get to sleep at night or finding yourself waking up much earlier than you need to because of light that is being let into your room, blackout blinds or curtains are a simple solution that will help you fall asleep and enjoy a full night’s sleep without any interruptions. The darker your room is at night, the easier it is for your body to produce the melatonin necessary to help you drift off into a peaceful and deep sleep. This is especially true if your window is near a street light or even if you often get the light from the moon shining into your bedroom at night.
If you’re worried about your natural sleeping pattern being affected if it is still dark due to the blackout curtains in the morning, consider getting lamps on a timer that are set to come on in the morning at the time that you want to wake up, to brighten up your room before you open the curtains.
Stick to a Sleep Schedule
Whenever you can, try to sleep and wake at the same or very similar times each night and morning, because being erratic with when you go to bed and wake up can cause a lot of havoc with your body’s natural circadian rhythm. We all have a natural routine where we will start feeling sleepy at night and wake up in the morning, and after some time of consistency, it’s easier than you think to train your body to sleep and wake at the same time each day without even trying. Going to bed and waking up at the same times, even on the weekends, gets you into a routine that your body will naturally continue after a while.
Avoid Raising Your Energy Levels Before Bed
We have busy lives and there are plenty of things that you could be doing before bed that you may not even realise are hindering your ability to sleep. For example, working out in the evening might feel like a good choice in terms of your schedule, but it can make you more energetic later on, leaving you struggling to get to sleep. Changing your workout schedule to exercise in the mornings is a better idea if you want to enjoy more sleep at night.
Similarly, be careful when it comes to what you eat and drink later in the day. You should avoid any stimulants like caffeine after lunchtime to give your body a chance to wind down before it’s time to go to bed. Getting into a relaxing bedtime routine around an hour or two before going to bed can help.
Keep Electronics Out of the Bedroom
Finally, our gadgets and their blue lights can seriously affect our ability to sleep at night, so it’s always best to keep gadgets out of bed wherever you can. Don’t be tempted to check your emails or get some work done right before bed since this could keep you up for hours. If you really must check your phone or use your tablet for reading, for example, it’s a good idea to invest in some glasses that are designed to block blue light, and switch your device’s display settings into night mode to minimise the impact.
The good news is that if you are struggling to sleep, it could be due to one of these common problems. By making some changes to your sleep routine and environment, you can wake up feeling refreshed and energised every morning.
When Should You Be Worried
When sleepless nights become habitual, it can be caused by sleep issues such as sleep apnea. This is especially so if you’re experiencing symptoms, such as observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep, loud snoring, waking with a headache, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
In sleep apnea, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is used to provide a constant flow of pressurized air down the airway to prevent the throat from collapsing and help the patient breathe regularly during sleep and rest better. If you suspect you have a sleep disorder, see your healthcare provider immediately, and do not try any treatments or medications without a medical professional’s recommendation.
