There’s a very good reason why my Instagram is littered with photos like the above – no, not narcissism, but because I am nearly always in bed. I absolutely love sleeping, and getting an early night often brings the same level of excitement as an Asos sale and an aperol spritz combined (which is very high, in case you were wondering). Considering the average person spends around 7 hours sleeping each night, it’s important to make sure we get the most out of our sleeping time – after all, that adds up to quite a big chunk of our lives. Here are some essentials for a good night of Zzzzs.
No Screens
This one can be tricky if you’re as addicted to scrolling as I am, but just switching off from screens about 30 minutes before bed can make a big difference to the quality of your sleep. The light from smartphones, tablets and TVs causes our brains to produce less melatonin, which is the hormone that makes us feel sleepy. This means that you can fall asleep much easier if you avoid them for a while before bed. Try something such as reading (but NOT from your phone, as this article explains) or listening to music for the half hour before you want to drop off instead.
New Bed/Mattress
Nothing can disturb your good sleeping pattern more than a creaky bed or uncomfortable mattress that wakes you up every hour, so having a comfortable bed is vital. The key to this is finding the mattress and bed that works for you. Some people like a firm mattress, whereas some princess-and-the-pea types want one so squishy you’re practically being hugged by your bed. Whatever you’re into, try looking through Bedstar* as they have a brilliant range of beds and provide next day delivery.
Regular Sleeping Pattern
While it can’t alays be helped, having a constantly shifting sleeping pattern isn’t good for you. This is something I was guilty of during uni when I would be up until 3am one night and then try to get to bed for 10pm the following. Nope, not going to happen as your body simply can’t acclimate to what time you should be going to sleep each night. If you have a regular 9-5 job, then setting a ‘bedtime’ and ‘wake up time’ will help you feel more rested each night. Obviously, you can have certain nights when you go to bed later or earlier as needed, but as a rule of thumb sticking to this will help you in the long run. Even if you don’t have a 9-5 – if you’re still living that wild student life, for example – try to have as much of a sleeping pattern as possible.
These are some of my tips for a great night’s sleep, but what are yours? Let me know in the comments!
*Post written in collaboration with Bedstar.
I noticed such s difference in my sleep when I started reading before bed rather than looking at my iPad, crazy how much it can effect you
Lauren
livinginaboxx | bloglovin