5 Simple Tips For A Better Night's Sleep With TEMPUR®
Sponsored content: This post is a collaboration with TEMPUR®. As usual, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
As we move into the New Year, I’ve been looking at the changes that I need to make moving forward that will improve my mental well-being and result in a healthier, happier, less stressed and anxious version of myself! I’ve always loved sleep and require a good 8 hours, but the truth is as I get older my sleep is actually getting worse and in all honesty, I feel terrible for it. What is silly is that I know I am the root of the cause of a bad night’s sleep! There are some things that I desperately need to change in order to get a decent rest, so my New Year ‘Restolutions’ are going to be the following. If you are also struggling with sleep, why not try these tips for yourself?
1. Lock your phone away an hour before bed
Our mobile phones are central to our lives, but the last thing we need to be doing before bed is going through our ‘to-do’ list and getting stressed about what needs to be done the next day. A ‘quick check’ of our emails can present a task we might get anxious about overnight - even if nothing can be done until the morning! Mobile phones also emit a blue light that suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin. To avoid our phones ruining our sleep, at least an hour before you go to bed, lock your phone away. Instead of scrolling through social media, take a relaxing warm bath or read a book or a magazine to naturally soothe your body and prepare it for sleep.
2. Invest in a new pillow that suits your preferred sleeping position
When did you last upgrade your pillow? Our pillows and other related items of bedding are often forgotten about, with years passing before we recognise that replacing them will greatly improve our quality of sleep. A flat, lumpy pillow is uncomfortable and will not support your neck - putting pressure on your spinal discs and nerves. It is also important to consider how you sleep and choose a pillow according to your preferred sleeping position. TEMPUR® - creators of the world's first-ever memory foam mattresses and pillows - design their pillows separately for back, front and side sleepers. The Ergonomic range is specifically shaped for back and side sleeping positions, relieving discomfort for the head, neck and shoulders; while the Ombracio range has a unique shape designed for front sleepers (a gentle slope aids neck alignment).
3. Stop the tossing and turning
Tossing and turning your body while in bed lifts you out of your deep sleep. If you also sleep with a partner who tosses and turns, then that is a real recipe for a bad night! Tossing and turning is a direct result of your body being uncomfortable and unsupported, so you need a mattress that takes the pressure off your body and gives you total comfort and reinforcement. Traditional spring mattresses are high motion - meaning you move when your partner does. Instead, invest in a mattress material that cushions you and your partner as soon as you both lay on it. TEMPUR® mattresses are made from a superior quality of memory foam first created by NASA in the 1970s to cushion astronauts during lift-off as they journeyed into space. Since then, TEMPUR® has constantly improved their formulas and developed innovative new products aimed to transform the sleep of its dedicated customers. In fact, there are only a handful of scientists across the world who know the TEMPUR® secret to an unrivalled night's sleep! Choose from five different collections in a range of sizes: from soft to firm support for a bespoke design to suit all your bed requirements.
4. Go to bed at a regular time
Our bodies thrive on routines such as regular exercise and a consistent intake of food and water, and it is no different with sleep! Your internal body clock likes a pattern, so to get the most out of each night by selecting a time you usually start feeling tired and make sure you are in bed at that time. To help you drift off quickly, make sure that you only have mood lighting on or a simple reading task light to signify to your body that it is time to wind down (bright overhead lights keep your body alert as natural daylight does). Make sure your room is not overly cold or hot, and avoid drinking caffeinated drinks a couple of hours before your designated bedtime. After a while, the next day your body should wake naturally without the need for an alarm clock!
5. Regularly wash all of your bedding and covers
We all love jumping into freshly washed sheets - but do you also regularly wash your pillow and mattress covers? Sweat, dirt and unattractive smells can all gather to disturb a soothing night's sleep. To combat this, TEMPUR® pillows and mattresses all come with removable covers that can be washed at 60°. Wash your covers in laundry liquid with hints of lavender or bergamot which have calming effects such as reducing our blood pressure. Natural sprigs of lavender can be placed in hessian bags and tucked inside pillow covers; while a reed diffuser by your bed is a safer way to bring smell into the bedroom over lighting scented candles.
