How to improve your sleep

Top Tips for better sleep

The Foundations of good sleep

You spend one third of your life in bed, and the quality of your sleep plays a major role in your physical and metal health, so it is worth laying the foundations for good sleep by having quality bedroom products, do not be tempted to cheap out on your mattress and pillows because you will regret it! Your neck and back need proper support, and hypoallergenic materials will reduce snores and spots. Hyde & Sleep makers of luxury Mattresses and Pillows believe that good sleep comes down to choosing the right products for you; knowing your sleeping positions and habits is a must and if you’re looking to find out more their blog is really helpful.  

Winter and Summer quilts are a must! A six month change over gives you the reminder to get your quilt and pillows cleaned, rather than indefinitely leaving them unchanged to harbour bacteria and skin particles. Not to mention being the correct temperature is one of the most important aspects of consistent sleep. If you are too hot or cold during sleep, you even if you’re not aware of it, you will wake up to rearrange resulting in disturbed sleep.  

Once you've chosen the perfect duvet its on to bedding, I personally prefer 100% linen bed linen, I love the relaxed glamour of its crumples and that it is really easy to care for. Though admittedly the price tag made me wince, I’m now a convert and believe that its 100% worth investing in good quality bed linen. It keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, it feels so soft against your skin and its weight is really comforting as it envelopes you.  If linen is not for you cotton is a very solid second option, always get the highest thread count for your budget as quality bedding lasts longer and is better for your skin. It is important to wash all sheets before putting them on your bed as they can be sprayed with pesticides or dyes before packaging, not something you want to have on your skin for 8 hours.

Setting the scene for slumber

There are two main approaches when it comes to decorating a bedroom; light restful colours or dark enclosing colours.

Calming and natural colours are an ideal alternative to white or creams which can be a little harsh in a bedroom. Cool tones such as a refined Sage Green or a feminine Duck Egg are the perfect choices for a peaceful bedroom. Natural unpainted oak furniture can make your space feel more natural and restful, all of which is conducive to good sleep. To create a truly tranquil and relaxing space chose paint rather than wallpaper as it is easy to change and a low maintenance option in the bedroom.  Add interest to a plain room with accents of metallic in the door handles and lighting, or add texture with a knitted throw to warm the space.

Don’t be afraid of the dark, Navy, for instance is a powerfully dramatic colour that can look show stopping in a bedroom. Rich navy contrasted with crisp white sheets and pillows, or high gloss woodwork is always a winning look. Other colours that can create a seductive and restful room are Oxblood Red or Mulberry, these bold colours can create a shadowy comforting room which encourages sleep. Darker colours can make rooms feel smaller which creates a feeling of safety and comfort, so these more masculine colours are perfect for your bedroom.

Remove as many distractions and stimuli from your bedroom to create restful sleep. Do not have a television in your room as the light encourages bad sleep and spending time in bed being mentally stimulated encourages you to associate your bed with wakefulness. If you must use your computer and phone before bed consider installing Flux, which colours your screen to be more restful on your eyes. When decorating your room I would always recommend not to have patterned wallpaper in your bedroom as it is a visual distract but if you do I'd recommend putting it on the wall behind your bed so you are not facing it when you’re going to sleep. 

Thin curtains are better for bedrooms; this might sound counterproductive but unless you work a nonstandard shift pattern rising and sleeping with the sun is better for your health because of circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are natural cycles of hormones in your body, brain wave activity, cell regeneration and much more. So being woken by natural light coming through your curtains is actually beneficial, if you do work nights and need to opt for black out curtains I would recommend a sunlight lamp. I would also advise against slatted blinds in bedrooms, not only are the rather ugly they attract a lot more dust than curtains so reduce the quality of the air in your room.

The last secret to sleeping well? Its not rocket science, it's routine! If you have an erratic sleep schedule you will have poor quality sleep, its important to try to go to bed at a similar time everyday and have a similar night time routine everyday. Leaving yourself enough time to unwind and feel sleepy before you get into bed is a really good way of getting yourself into the routine of falling asleep quickly. Take time to have a hot drink and read before you go upstairs and brush your teeth, that way your brain has a relaxing period of activity before you get into bed.