April 16th, 2020 by Amy Varley

Have you ever struggled to fall asleep when you go to bed at night? Woken up through the night? Or simply woken up in the morning and felt exhausted like you hadn’t even slept at all? There are all signs that you need to find a way to get a better night’s sleep. There are many ways for us to sleep better – and as it is an important part of our lives – it’s something we really must make sure we get right! A good night’s sleep reduces stress, helps the body to repair itself, promotes a healthy heart and digestive system, and can even help to improve our memory!

Wind Down Before Bed

This is definitely something a lot of us struggle to do – mainly putting our phones away for the last hour before bedtime! It has been proven that using our smartphones before bed only stimulates our brains which makes us feel even more awake! The blue light that is emitted by our smartphones, laptops, tablets and televisions restrains the production of melatonin which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. To help us fall asleep easier and have a better night’s sleep it’s important to wind down and relax before bed. Listen to calming music, take a hot bath, or try meditation – all of these can aid your sleep quality.

Get into a Good Routine

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day – yes even on a weekend! Having a good sleep routine will help your body to maintain the timing of your body’s internal clock which in turn can help you to fall asleep and wake up a lot easier! A good sleep routine will help your body to feel tired at the same time every night, which is ideal for people who have insomnia. You are in effect ‘training’ your body to remember when it is time to go to sleep and wake up each day.

Limit Caffeine and Food Intake Late in the Day

It’s well known that caffeine can keep you awake, after all, most energy drinks are packed with caffeine, so it should come as no surprise that your caffeine intake could be affecting your sleep. It’s important to restrain yourself from having anything with caffeine in for around 6-8 hours before bed – so for many of us, we shouldn’t be having any post 3 pm! Food eaten too close to bedtime has also been proven to affect our sleep negatively. This is because your body needs time to digest your food before you fall asleep, preventing you from feeling uncomfortable with indigestion or heartburn! Having your last meal/snack of the day around 3 hours before you go to bed should be sufficient time to stop your food affecting your sleep.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise can help us to sleep better and for longer! With exercise reducing stress and tiring us out, it’s the perfect thing to add to our daily routines if sleep is something you really struggle with – and even if it isn’t! It’s important not to exercise too close to bed time though as it raises our temperature which makes us feel more awake. Therefore, establishing a good exercise routine is crucial. We’d recommend that you schedule it in before work (if possible) or early evening to prevent a raised temperature keeping you awake.

Make sure your bed is comfortable

The age of your mattress might be affecting your sleep! It’s generally recommended that we replace our mattresses every 7 or so years, so if you’ve had your mattress a while or simple wear and tear has taken the better of it – it’s probably time to invest in a new one. Your pillows are the same – if they are beginning to go lumpy or have noticeable stains (from your body’s natural sweat and oils), then this suggests you need new pillows too. Your mattress and pillows are important for your quality of sleep because your mattress is supporting your entire body and your pillows are supporting your head and neck. An uncomfortable night’s sleep is a disturbed one!

Temperature

The temperature in your bedroom and house may be affecting your sleep. It’s often personal preference as to what temperature helps us to sleep the best, but experts recommend around 20 Celsius is optimum. Keeping your bedroom at this temperature all year round isn’t without its challenges though. In summer we often find it’s too warm – even when we leave a window open. So, a quiet fan during the summer months can work wonders, along with putting your bedsheets in the freezer before bed so they stay cool through the night!

Electric Blankets

On the opposite end of the scale, our bedrooms can often become too cold. With heating bills being expensive in the winter anyway, having our heating on for long periods of time isn’t always an option. That’s where an electric blanket can come in! They are much cheaper and more energy-efficient – only heating up you and your bed and not the whole room! An electric blanket can help you to remain at a consistent temperature throughout the night which results in a better-quality sleep. Our electric blankets are designed with built-in Advanced Overhead Protection System and Automatic Safety Shut Off so they are safe to use all night, and also come with various heat settings – so you can find the best temperature for you! We also have electric blankets with dual controls, to separately control either side of the bed! Perfect if you and your partner have different temperature preferences.

Homefront Premium Fully Fitted Double Size Luxury Fleece Electric Blanket

Price: £85.00

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See your GP

If you’ve tried many ways to improve your sleep but seen no improvements, then it may be that a sleep disorder is the root of your problems. Sleep apnea causes interrupted breathing while sleeping, and is more common than you may think - so it might be worth a visit to your local GP to rule out any underlying causes to your sleep issues!

It’s important for us to get a good night’s sleep because the quality of our sleep affects our physical health. Studies have shown that obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes have all been linked to poor quality of sleep. Hopefully, you’ll find something here or a combination of things that work for you on your journey to a great night’s sleep!