5 Easy Tips for Good Sleep
22-06-2010
Good sleep is essential for you to be at your best throughout the day. It's also essential to your overall health and wellbeing, and the negative effects of repeatedly poor sleep can become apparent very quickly.
Therefore it’s in all of our interests to do what we can to make sure we’re getting the quality of sleep we need.
Often, the most effective sleep tips are also the simplest and easiest to follow. Here are five easy ways to get better sleep;
1) Stay clear of caffeine and other stimulants in the afternoon – The stimulating effects of caffeine in coffee, soft drinks and certain foods are well-known, so these should be avoided in the hours leading up to bedtime. Cutting them out of the afternoon entirely ensures that you won’t be feeling the stimulation later in the evening when you need it least. So, while a cup of java may well be a sophisticated and tasty way to end an evening meal, it will also wire your body and mind for action and result in lots of looking at the bedroom ceiling when you should be sleeping.
2) Cut out the naps – Napping during the day recharges your body and can bring a welcome feeling of rejuvenation, but it can also often impact on your night-time sleep. In fact, the urge to take a nap could indicate a wider sleep quality issue as it shows you’re not getting the sleep needed to last through a day. Regular napping causes a cycle of poor night-time sleep and daytime tiredness. Staying awake throughout the whole day and going to bed at a reasonable time will help you get the rest you need, and remove the urge for a nap altogether.
3) Create a relaxing evening routine and stick to it - The body needs to be in a suitably relaxed state prior to going to sleep, an obvious point perhaps but one that we frequently neglect to pay attention to by waiting to get into bed before slowing down. It’s important to develop a routine of relaxing activities in the evening to ensure that when the time comes to go to bed you feel ready to drift into sleep quickly and easily. There are lots of things you can incorporate into your routine – a bath, a book, a sleep-friendly drink – and lots of things you should avoid – excessive physical or mental exercise, bright lights, stimulating TV or computer games. Find a balance that works for you and try to stick to it, your body and mind will respond to the regularity.
4) Make the bedroom a serene sleep haven - There are lots of ways a bedroom can be arranged to encourage sleep, including; carefully selecting the colour scheme of the décor and accessories; using low lighting; removing any unnecessary distractions such as TV or computer; ensuring the right temperature and shutting out any unwanted noises. When you become used to the bedroom being purely for sleep, you will be more suited to being in a relaxed state of mind when you’re in it.
5) Get a better mattress – Poor quality mattresses are one of the biggest barriers to good sleep, as they make it difficult to find a comfortable position, then can’t provide sufficient support throughout the night, resulting in regular awakenings and a generally interrupted sleep. The Ergoflex visco-elastic memory foam mattress is designed to shape to your body, giving support where you need it and helping you sleep the whole night through, resulting in a well-rested and rejuvenated feeling in the morning.
Therefore it’s in all of our interests to do what we can to make sure we’re getting the quality of sleep we need.
Often, the most effective sleep tips are also the simplest and easiest to follow. Here are five easy ways to get better sleep;
1) Stay clear of caffeine and other stimulants in the afternoon – The stimulating effects of caffeine in coffee, soft drinks and certain foods are well-known, so these should be avoided in the hours leading up to bedtime. Cutting them out of the afternoon entirely ensures that you won’t be feeling the stimulation later in the evening when you need it least. So, while a cup of java may well be a sophisticated and tasty way to end an evening meal, it will also wire your body and mind for action and result in lots of looking at the bedroom ceiling when you should be sleeping.
2) Cut out the naps – Napping during the day recharges your body and can bring a welcome feeling of rejuvenation, but it can also often impact on your night-time sleep. In fact, the urge to take a nap could indicate a wider sleep quality issue as it shows you’re not getting the sleep needed to last through a day. Regular napping causes a cycle of poor night-time sleep and daytime tiredness. Staying awake throughout the whole day and going to bed at a reasonable time will help you get the rest you need, and remove the urge for a nap altogether.
3) Create a relaxing evening routine and stick to it - The body needs to be in a suitably relaxed state prior to going to sleep, an obvious point perhaps but one that we frequently neglect to pay attention to by waiting to get into bed before slowing down. It’s important to develop a routine of relaxing activities in the evening to ensure that when the time comes to go to bed you feel ready to drift into sleep quickly and easily. There are lots of things you can incorporate into your routine – a bath, a book, a sleep-friendly drink – and lots of things you should avoid – excessive physical or mental exercise, bright lights, stimulating TV or computer games. Find a balance that works for you and try to stick to it, your body and mind will respond to the regularity.
4) Make the bedroom a serene sleep haven - There are lots of ways a bedroom can be arranged to encourage sleep, including; carefully selecting the colour scheme of the décor and accessories; using low lighting; removing any unnecessary distractions such as TV or computer; ensuring the right temperature and shutting out any unwanted noises. When you become used to the bedroom being purely for sleep, you will be more suited to being in a relaxed state of mind when you’re in it.
5) Get a better mattress – Poor quality mattresses are one of the biggest barriers to good sleep, as they make it difficult to find a comfortable position, then can’t provide sufficient support throughout the night, resulting in regular awakenings and a generally interrupted sleep. The Ergoflex visco-elastic memory foam mattress is designed to shape to your body, giving support where you need it and helping you sleep the whole night through, resulting in a well-rested and rejuvenated feeling in the morning.
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