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8 Sleep Hacks from an Architect of Sleep
Sound slumber results in increased energy and productivity, improved health, a better mood, even a longer life. Not to mention the difference in how you feel after a satisfying 8 hours of quality rest. So how do we get to this magical land of rest and REM? Do these 8 things, and I can confidently say your counted sheep will soon be out of a job. INVEST IN A GOOD MATTRESS- In order to enjoy the best mattress for back pain and restful sleep, make sure you have a great mattress that’s the right mix of comfort and support. The top layer of the mattress must be comfortable as this will help you get to sleep initially and the core layer must be supportive to maintain a good level posture throughout the night. If you sleep with a partner it’s crucial to have a mattress that provides no partner disturbance as many people are sleepers and any movement by the person next to them will wake them up. Look for a mattress that is temperature neutral as the human body releases a lot of heat at night, which can become an issue if body heat is transferred to the mattress and builds up over the course of the night. KEEP IT COOL- Make your bedroom into a cave – think ‘cool, quiet and dark’. Temperature is a key factor in getting a good night’s sleep, and studies have found the optimal temperature of a bedroom to be between 18 to 23 degrees. NO DEVICES- Limit or remove technology in the bedroom, especially devices that have a bright screen. TV screens and ‘Blue-Light Emitting’ screens found on smart phones, tablets or laptops are proven to be melatonin depleting. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced in the brain that tells the body it’s night and time for bed. By depleting this, the brain starts sending the wrong messages to the body, which can cause trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep during the night. READ- Read a book (yes an actual book) before bed. Reading is one of the best and most simple ways to relax and clock off from the world. It allows your mind to separate from hustle and bustle of daily life and can help reduce stress and anxiety. EXERCISE- Maintaining a good exercise regime is crucial to a happy and health life, but try to finish at least 3 hours before bed, this will give your body the chance to cool down. Body temperatures rise during exercise and after strenuous exercise can take as long as 6 hours to begin to drop. Because cooler body temperatures are associated with sleep onset, it’s important to allow the body time to cool off before sleep. KEEP A ROUTINE- Try to stick to the same bed time routine as much as possible. I know we all live very busy lives, but aim to complete the same routine and get to bed at the same time at least five nights times a week. By doing this you will help your body clock set to when you want it to go to bed, and you will find getting to sleep much easier. It will also allow you to better manage getting the correct number of hours of sleep, which is between 6 to 8 hours a night. NO BOOZE- Don’t drink Alcohol before bed. You may fall asleep faster after having a few drinks but as the alcohol in your system starts to wear off, you will wake up because your body becomes dehydrated. Alcohol is also a diuretic so it will make you get up and go to the bathroom during the night which disrupts your overall sleep. LINENS AND THINGS- Use sheets and quilts that are made from natural materials. Natural materials are better for you and more breathable then synthetic materials. EAT WELL- Dont eat fatty, high carb or sugary food before bed. These foods can be delicious but are not good for you especially if eating them before bed when your body has not had the chance to work them off. These foods will cause your body to work in overdrive to try to digest them, spiking your blood sugar levels and disrupting your sleep. They will also make you sluggish when you wake up.
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Why You Should Never, Ever Engage in Unprotected Sleep
We’re here today to teach you about using protection…mattress protection that is. “What exactly is a mattress protector?” you may ask. “What’s it used for? Is it protecting me, or the mattress… or me from the mattress?” Let’s start with a fact: Humans are made up of about 60% water. What does that mean for your poor, unsuspecting mattress? Well, that means that every night there’s going to be bit of leakage – mostly sweat, but let’s not forget about our old friends drool and urine (we’re looking at you, children!). Either way, your mattress is in the splash zone 100% of the time that you’re on it. Add our little leakage problem to the amount of dried skin cells that we slough nonstop… it’s enough to keep you up at night. A good quality mattress lasts over ten years, which means that after awhile, you could have a jungle in there! Washing sheets regularly will assist with keeping your slumber palace clean, but it simply isn’t good enough. All sheets are porous to a greater or lesser degree and they let “stuff” get through. Fear not friends, there is a better way! Adding a mattress protector to the mix will help you create a healthy sleep environment while keeping your mattress nice and tidy. A good quality protector fits the mattress like a glove and provides a clean, fresh under-base for your sheets. Keep in mind that protectors should be washed regularly. Look out for these key features when trying to find a good mattress protector: Bacteria resistant Anti allergenic Moisture wicking INSIDER INFORMATION Some manufacturers offer mattress tops that can be unzipped for cleaning. While this may sound convenient, the practicality of cleaning a quilted top that may contain foam, latex and/or Gel is questionable. The degradation that happens to these materials in the cleaning process is not recommended! So we say, give your mattress some space and always get a separate mattress protector. In addition to using mattress protectors, we recommend regular airing of the mattress and vacuuming it to remove dust and debris. Your mattress is your closest friend; look after it for a long, happy and sanitary relationship!
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Making a Good Impression – No Sag Intended
Sag and body impression – what’s what and and what’s acceptable? BODY IMPRESSION. If you’ve had your mattress for awhile you may notice some ‘dipping’ or body impression in the surface, usually there will be one or two distinct areas (or maybe even three if there’s a big spoilt dog around!). Unless a mattress is very hard and unyielding in the top comfort layer, it will show some body impression and this is not a defect. Most mattresses, regardless of fancy marketing terms used, have comfort layers containing one or more of three types of foam; Polyurethane, Visco (also known as memory foam) and Latex. With their different densities and responses, these foams are there specifically to accommodate and adjust to your body. Under regular compression they settle and compress to conform to weight and shape, and because we tend to sleep in the same area, this forms a distinct body-like outline. Some degree of body conformity or dipping makes a mattress more comfortable, not dissimilar to shoes where they become favourites once they have accommodated the shape of your foot. In a well-constructed mattress, the depth of this body impression (when no one is on the mattress) would not exceed 3.5 cm, any more than this and your mattress needs replacing. The key to look for in any warranty is what level of body impression does the manufacturer regard as acceptable. Body impression can look worse than it is in larger mattresses like a King size, because often there is a distinct middle ‘hill’ strip that does little load bearing work! How do you measure body impression? The easiest way is using a pole, broomstick or curtain rod for larger mattresses. Lay it across the bed around the hip area and then measure the gap from the bottom of the pole to the surface of the mattress underneath. Note that if there is any memory foam in the top layer you must leave the mattress without any weight for some time to let the foam recover before measuring. Rotating the mattress monthly will help especially if there is a large weight difference between the occupants. Alternatively you can swap sides (good luck with that)! Or you could get a very heavy pet. SAG. Although all mattresses will show some degree of body impression, no mattress should sag. Sag is where the core of the mattress has given way and the whole top surface is effectively concave. How can you tell if your mattress is sagging? Well, if your back hasn’t already told you, and if you’re constantly fighting to climb out of the middle of the bed at night, there will be a washing line like ‘droop’ starting right at the edges and at its worst in the middle. Sag is usually caused by poor quality springs, foam or mattress construction, however sometimes the mattress base may be the cause. Always check that any base slats are still intact and the central support under the base is still in place. A mattress resting on a sagging base will also show sag through no fault of its own. Never leave mattress sag unresolved; poor sleep and back issues will usually follow!
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