If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep you’ll almost certainly be trying to figure out just what it is that’s keeping you awake at night. In this blog post I’m going to run through a few common things that could be affecting your sleep, but also showing you how to check your bedding for signs that it could be affecting your sleep routine.
Some general do’s and don’ts at bedtime
It doesn’t take many nights of not being able to sleep before our mood and performance is affected. These handy tips might seem obvious, but might hold the key to why you’re not sleeping, so give them a try
- Don’t drink caffeinated drinks after 6pm or at least 4 hours before bedtime. Remember that its not just coffee and tea to avoid, some carbonated drinks contain caffeine too.
- Avoid screen time in the hour before bedtime – TV screens, phones and tablet pc’s all emit light that’s similar to daylight and can prevent your body from going to sleep.
- Don’t eat late at night – the digestive system needs to be inactive for you to get a good sleep.
- Do try and go to bed a regular time – routine is good when it comes to sleep.
- Turn the heating down a degree or two in your bedroom – a cool environment is best for sleep.
- Try reading before bedtime – reading can help you feel more tired and ready for sleep.
What if it’s not any of those things?
If you’ve tried all of the above things and are still not getting enough sleep you might want to consider whether your bedding could be having an impact on your night’s sleep. Here’s some checks you can do to find out.
Pillows. Your pillow plays a massive part in you getting a good night’s sleep. It is recommended that you renew your pillows every 2 years. If your pillows are of an uncertain age, you can test them to see if they are offering the right amount of support.
To test your pillow, fold it in half length-ways and keep your hand on top, holding the pillow in the folded position. Now remove your hand and watch what happens. If your pillow stays folded in half it needs to be replaced. If the pillow springs back to its flat position it should still be offering adequate support and ok to use.
Bedding. Try and think back to a recent night when you were unable to sleep. Try and recall what was pre-occupying you while you were unable to sleep. If it is because you were too hot and had to frequently change position to cool down, it might be time for some new bedding. Similarly if you were too cold because the duvet just wasn’t providing enough warmth it is a sign that it needs to be replaced.
Replacing your bedding from time to time is a good idea. You can freshen up the appearance of your room and make the bed appear more inviting with a new bedding set. There’s nothing quite like getting into a freshly made bed to help you get off to sleep. Shopping for bedding online is a great way to find designer brands such as the Jeff Banks bedding range at really competitive prices.
If you’re still not able to sleep
Hopefully the sleep tips that I’ve mentioned in this blog will have helped you to get back to your usual sleep routine. If however, you’re still not sleeping, please do not try to battle on with it alone. There’s a much more in depth article on sleep issues that will help you understand more about sleep disorders on the WebMD website. If after trying out the tips there, you are still unable to sleep, you should seek some medical advice.
I’ll sign off by thanking you for reading my blog post and by wishing you a great night’s sleep.