We’re often asked – ‘what’s the secret of a good night’s sleep?’ And no surprise that our immediate answer is usually, “great linen!”. But being comfortable in bed, enjoying the temperature-regulating benefits of breathable fabrics is just part of the story.
With rolling news, social media, ‘blue-light’ exposure and an ‘always on’ work culture, it’s no wonder that so many people struggle to consistently enjoy quality sleep these days. So here’s a shack-share: Our Top 10 Tips for a great night's sleep!
- stick to your schedule: the same bedtime and wake up time, even at the weekends! This helps regulate your body clock and can help you fall asleep, and stay asleep, for the longer periods during the night.
- find a relaxing, routine activity right before bedtimeand do this away from bright light. This helps separate your sleep time from activities that cause excitement, stress or anxiety – all of which can make it more difficult to fall asleep and get sound/deep sleep.
- avoid power naps– no matter how tempting – during the day (and especially in the early evening!)
- exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Makes sense that you’ll sleep more soundly if your body is tired.
- get yourself a comfortable, supportive mattress and pillows. And remember - the life expectancy of a good quality mattress is about 9 or 10 years;
- everything in moderation! Alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine can all disrupt sleep. Eating big or spicy meals can cause discomfort from indigestion that can make it hard to sleep. If you can, avoid eating large meals for two to three hours before bedtime;
- wind down at the end of the day and try and avoid looking at electronic devices before bed.Blue light exposure from digital screens activates the brain and has been shown to cause sleeplessness.
- design your bedroom to create the ideal conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool – between 60 and 67 degrees and free from noise and light. Your bed should be inviting with fresh clean bedlinen. A crisp cotton like the Aspley, or a cotton sateen like our Porto or a lush linen cotton mix like the Atlantic will help create the perfect sleeping environment!
- Stop watching the clock!Worrying about getting enough sleep can itself stop us sleeping. The best way to deal with that is to remind yourself that resting in bed and thinking nice thoughts is more productive than tossing and turning and looking at the clock every ten minutes. If you can't stop checking your clock, try turning it around or putting it on the other side of the room so it’s not as easy to watch time ticking away.
- Quality as well as quantity!We tend to focus on how long we’re asleep, but sleep quality is just as important. We go through five stages of sleep, which we experience in a cycle, around five times a night. During the later stages of the cycle our memories are consolidated and information is processed, among other things. This means that getting up in the night, for example to go to the loo, can interrupt the cycle and you might not reach the later stages. For this reason, it’s also best to avoid having too many liquids before going to bed.
So there we have it. Our Top 10 tips for a great night’s sleep. If you’re having difficulty sleeping, we hope these help. And if you’re one of those people lucky enough to fall asleep as soon as your head touches the pillow, please share your own secrets and we’ll add them to our list!!
Nighty, night!!
The LinenShack team. x