How many of you wake up in the morning to the unwelcome sound of your alarm clock, feeling as though you didn’t get enough sleep the night before?
Whether we are working until the early hours, up with the kids, or just tossing and turning in bed unable to switch off, it’s no surprise that us Brits don’t get our recommended eight hours. Without getting all science-y, we need sleep to feel refreshed and recharged, to give us the best chance at tackling the day ahead.
So, we’ve put together a few little tips to help you get a better night’s sleep. Here goes:
1. Comfortable bedding
Seems obvious, but you can’t expect your mind to relax if your body isn’t relaxed, right? Choosing a bed can be pretty overwhelming as there are so many different beds and mattresses to choose from, but we think The White Company have some pretty great options that are organized and broken down into easy-to-understand categories. They offer everything from white bedding to white linen tablecloths to all else in-between, so they should be your first port of call when searching for a bed – or any new additions to your home for that matter.
2. Switch off
Switch off your mobile phone, tablet and television at least two hours before you want to go to sleep to allow your mind the chance to switch off itself. That also means you have to stop worrying about tomorrow’s big work meeting, what you’re going to cook, how you’re going to afford the next mortgage payment, or anything else. Spend some time talking with your friends or partner, reading a book or magazine, or having some you time with a nice cup of hot chocolate.
3. Have a bath
Having a long hot soak in the tub will do wonders for your mind and body just before bedtime; incorporate some of the previous tips into your bath time routine too – bring your magazine or partner into the bath with you, there’s plenty of room for everything and everyone!
4. Fit black-out blinds
You want to make sure that when you do finally get to sleep, your slumber remains undisturbed. Car lights, street lights or the blaring sun at the crack of dawn are all things you don’t want to disturb you while you’re a deep sleep, so ensure you have total darkness by investing in some black-out blinds.
5. Make a schedule and stick to it
Our minds and bodies actually like routine, so having a bed-time routine is one of the best tips for ensuring you get a good night’s sleep. You can use all the tips we gave you above to help you devise your sleep schedule. No food or drink two hours before bedtime to ensure you don’t have a full bladder, and to avoid the risk of having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Send your last work e-mail by 7pm, watch your last TV show by 9pm – you see where we’re going with this. It’s also recommended that you shouldn’t let yourself get so tired that you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, so allow yourself some time to lie in bed and relax before dozing off.
We hope these tips are a great starting point; let us know if you have any failsafe tips for getting a good night’s sleep.
*Updated November 2017
