Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
We all know the importance of getting a good night’s sleep! Falling asleep seems like it should be the most basic thing in the world. We as humans need to ensure that we get plenty of sleep so that we can fully live our lives every day without that bone-weary feeling of exhaustion that is familiar to almost all of us – and if that’s the case, then why won’t our bodies shut down and fall into the land of nod more easily at night? If you’re having problems falling or staying asleep, you aren’t alone. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you start sleeping much better at night…
Declutter Your Room
First of all, it’s time to start decluttering your bedroom. In order to have a tidy mind, it really is important to have a tidy space – and even if your bedroom is small, it’ll help you sleep better if there isn’t too much mess and clutter in there because you’ll have a much better feeling of space and openness. Spring is the perfect time of year to start cleaning.
Start with your surfaces and make sure that everything that’s left out on them either has a purpose, or makes you smile when you look at it, for example family photographs, a vase of fresh flowers, or a favorite ornament. Tidy away stacks of paperwork and clean clothes, and make sure that all your dirty clothes are in your laundry hamper instead of scattered over the floor when you get into bed at night.
Consider The Function Of Your Bedroom
It’s important to remember that your bedroom should be a space that you associate solely with sleep and relaxation. If you work at home, you should do your absolute best to ensure that your workspace isn’t in your room. If it has to be because of a lack of space elsewhere in your home, invest in a curtain that you can pull across to separate your sleeping and working areas, or maybe even a divider that can split the room up.
You want to think of your bedroom as a space for sleep and relaxation – if you can see your desk out of the corner of your eye when you’re in bed, you’ll only start worrying about the work you have to do the next day. Similarly, use your bed as a space solely for sleeping and sex – no matter how warm and comfortable it is, don’t sit in your bed with your laptop to do your taxes or attempt to write a novel.
Update Your Bed
It’s important to make sure that your bed is as comfortable as possible. If you have problems with your partner waking you up all the time by shifting around because his feet are hanging off the bed, you could switch up from your normal kingsize bed to a California king, which is a little longer. California king sheets are available from most bedding stores – if they don’t have them on the shelves, the assistants will be able to help if you ask.
Make sure that you wash your pillows frequently to remove dust mites and make them soft and fluffy – put them in the dryer with a clean tennis ball to make them especially comfortable to sleep on. Finally, if your mattress gives you a sore back but you can’t afford to invest in a new one just yet, go for a memory foam mattress topper that will adjust to your shape.
Switch Off Your Electronics
Make sure that you turn off all your electronics like your phone, laptop and TV at least an hour before you go to bed. They emit blue light rays, which can mess with your sleeping patterns because they might just make your brain think that it’s daylight outside so it should be awake.
If you need to use your laptop before you go to bed, try out an app like f.lux which will make the screen a little more warm and rosy. In your bedroom, make sure that you don’t use a digital alarm clock – the red glowing numbers might keep you awake, as will the standby light on your TV or radio.
Change Your Bedtime Routine
Finally, it’s time to make sure that you change your bedtime routine a little. Herbal tea can help before you go to sleep, or a milky drink, but if you’d rather make sure that you try to sleep through the night without going to the bathroom, you can give that a miss.
Try out some gentle yoga before a warm shower or bath scented with lavender, read some of your book, and make sure that you write a list of what you have to do the next day to get it all out of your head.
What do you do to ensure a good night’s sleep?
