We have always been told that we need 8 hours’ sleep a night. However, research now shows that the quality of your sleep is, in fact, more important than the quantity. Poor sleep doesn’t just make you feel a bit groggy the next day, it can have a profound effect on both physical and mental health, your ability to focus and your relationships with those around you. So what can you do to get the best night’s sleep?
Tips for a great night’s sleep
- Get out during the day and soak up some of that sunshine. Even if the sun isn’t shining, daylight is an important part of the sleep cycle, telling your brain that it’s time to be awake.
- Keep your bedroom as dark as possible at night. Darkness is also important for sleep, triggering the release of melatonin, which signals to your brain that it is time to sleep. Avoid sources of blue light – this includes TV, computers, mobile phones and electronic gadgets. They mimic daylight and fool your brain into thinking it should be awake. External light sources, such as street lights, can be kept out with blackout blinds and curtain linings.
- Start to dim the lights two to three hours before bedtime. Again, this triggers the release of melatonin, helping your brain to get ready for sleep.
- Your bedroom should be cool and quiet. A temperature of 16 – 18 Celsius is ideal. Try to drown out external noise with a white noise machine or soft music – but don’t play anything too energetic or something you might be tempted to sing along with.
Lifestyle
- Exercise during the day can really help you sleep, but make sure you stop at least three hours before you intend to sleep. Your body needs time to wind down but do not be tempted to nap during the day or early evening.
- Try to avoid drinking liquids close to bedtime. Frequent trips to the bathroom during the night are not conducive to a restful night. Also avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine. Beware of over-the-counter medicines such as painkillers. Check to make sure they don’t contain caffeine.
- You may think that alcohol helps you sleep. This is not true. It will make you fall asleep more quickly but the alcohol will trigger the release of insulin, lowering your blood sugar level. Your body will then crave sugar and you will wake in the night feeling hungry.
- If you are a natural worrier, keep a notepad and pen by your bed so that you can write down anything that suddenly occurs to you after you have gone to bed. This will clear your head and you will know that you can deal with things in the morning, without the risk of forgetting something. This is one time when you need good, old-fashioned pen and paper, not an electronic gadget.
Is your bed comfortable?
Of course, the most important part of any night’s sleep is a comfortable bed. Is it time you replaced yours? If so, make sure it is the biggest, best quality, luxury bed you can possibly manage. See our post on How to Choose a Luxury Bed and explore our range of beautiful, exquisitely comfortable designer beds.
Award-Winning Interior Design
If you are struggling to choose your perfect luxury bed, why not give our interior design team a call. They will help you find your ultimate luxury bed; one that matches your existing décor – or one that inspires a whole new interior design. All our beds can be customised from an extensive library of colours, fabrics and finishes to create a gorgeous, exclusive, statement bed that suits you, your home and your personality perfectly. Whether you are looking at just one room or a whole property, we offer a range of interior design services. So, once you have a bed in mind, we can design the rest of your room so that everything works together flawlessly.
Make your bed irresistible
When you’ve chosen your luxury bed, your bedroom furniture and all those lovely accessories, it’s time to add all those little extras that make bedtime the best part of the day. Invest in luxury bed linens, plump pillows, soft pyjamas, a lavender spray to help you sleep – anything that makes your new bed totally irresistible. Then all you need to do is drift off into the best, most comfortable night’s sleep ever…zzzzzzz
