Sleep is one of the most important things that we need. Without it we can become physically and mentally ill, and it only takes one sleepless night before you can start to feel awful. If you’re not getting enough sleep or you wake up still feeling tired, you need to do something about it. Let the problem go on too long and it could keep getting worse. You’ll get a much better night’s sleep by permanently adjusting your sleeping habits and environment. Start snoozing in comfort by making some changes to your bedtime, from your bed to your diet.
Get the Right Bed
Sleeping in the right bed can play a significant part in how well you sleep. Everyone has experienced sleeping in a new bed and finding it too soft or too hard, too big or not large enough. If your current bed isn’t adequate, it’s time to play Goldilocks to find one that’s just right. To aid your search, you might want to research how Sleep Number stacks up to Personal Comfort beds. There are lots of options for improving its comfort, from adding a mattress topper to replacing the whole thing. For greater comfort, you could start with an adjustable bed, so you can position it however you want. You might also want to try a better mattress, such as one with memory foam or latex.
Choose Better Bedding
What’s on top of you is just as important as what’s below you. It can be more difficult to get to sleep if you aren’t sleeping with the right bedding. Your sheets can feel uncomfortable on your skin, or you might be too hot or too cold. Make sure you aren’t using any material that you’re allergic to, whether it’s feathers or fabric. Choose sheets that are kind to your skin and wash them with cleaning products that are too. Remember that you can change your bedding with the seasons. Have several layers of blankets in the winter, but in the summer you can strip down to just a top sheet.
Wind Down Before Bedtime
It’s so easy to get into bed straight after finishing your last task for the day. Maybe you were getting some work completed, washing the dishes or reading a book. But it’s important that you don’t try to go to sleep when your brain is still switched on. Before you get into bed, you should wind down and relax. You might choose to have a hot drink, listen to some relaxing music or even do some meditation.
Adjust Your Sleeping Environment
Your bed isn’t the only part of your bedroom that you should assess. Other things in the room could contribute to your quality of sleep, from the air to the light. One thing you can think about is the air quality. Is it too dry or too humid, and is the temperature suitable for your sleep? You can also consider the amount of light in your room. Some people find they sleep better in the pitch dark, but others prefer to have natural light help them drift off and wake up in the morning. Allowing the sunrise to filter into your room can be a good way to wake up more gradually, instead of your alarm jolting you awake.
Be More Active During the Day
Sometimes people struggle to sleep at night because they haven’t done enough during the day. This could be either physically or mentally. To ensure that you don’t have too much energy in either your body or mind, give yourself plenty to do during the day. Stimulate your mind and exercise your body, so you’re ready for a good night’s sleep.
Assess Your Diet
The food you eat could be preventing you from drifting off. Firstly, it’s usually best not to eat too close to bedtime. If your body is still trying to digest your food, it’s going to struggle to sleep. While it might be a myth that cheese makes you dream, eating before bed can certainly give you indigestion. Some people find that a light snack before bed is helpful, but don’t overdo it.
Keep a Routine
Finally, going through the motions every night helps to let your body and mind know it’s time for bed. You should create a bedtime routine and try to go to sleep at the same time every night. If you keep irregular sleeping hours, it can be difficult to get into the right mindset for sleep every night. Of course, sometimes you can’t choose to go to bed at the same time every night. But following the same habits will still help you drop off.
Don’t put up with terrible sleep when you can do something about it. Try these tricks and you’ll have the most amazing sleep you’ve had in a long time.