How many of you are early risers? And how many of us will sacrifice sleep in the morning to get in a workout and at night to get everything done that we need to? How many people have you heard bragging about how many hours they work and how few hours the sleep?As a society, we have a terrible attitude to sleep. We treat it like a luxury instead of a survival necessity. We act like only the weak need plenty of it, and everyone else just pushes through caffein-fuelled work benders. Full disclaimer: I love my coffee. I really enjoy it. I also really enjoy sleep. Sleep is absolutely essential for every single function of your body. A good night’s sleep is your right. You wouldn’t question your need to breathe, so why deprive yourself of an equally essential function?
Of course, sometimes ‘getting a good night’s sleep’ just isn’t that simple. You can have every intention of getting to sleep early, only to lie awake for three hours straight, worrying about work, school, money, family and just how the hell they manage to get M&Ms so smooth. You know, all the important stuff. The thing is, even though most of that is probably totally worth contemplating and figuring out, you probably won’t break any ground after bedtime. However, if you can get a good night’s sleep and wake up well-rested and with a clear head, you’ll probably have more energy to focus on the big things during waking hours. Win-win.
So, how can we get a better night’s sleep? Well, I’m not an expert and certainly not a doctor, so if you’re experiencing serious sleep problems, a qualified professional is the place to go. That being said, I do have a few things that have helped me improve my sleep in the past that I can share with you!
1. High-Quality Bedding
You spend about a third of your day between your sheets, so good quality is kind of a no-brainer. But where to start? You can spend and absolute shitload on bedding, or next to nothing at all, and there’s so much out there on the market that it can be really hard to figure out what you want to actually bring into your home. I live by one main rule: all pillowcases, fitted sheets and duvet covers are 100% cotton. I always find cotton sheets to be far more breathable and nicer on the skin, thus helping me sleep much better. My current sheets are a bedding set from JD Williams, which is also where I got the throw. I’m really pleased with the quality and just love snuggling up in them after a long day!
2. Air it Out
I know opening the window is counterintuitive at this time of year. It’s bloody freezing out an we’re all trying to keep heating costs down. But opening the window and letting in a bit of fresh air for a few minutes makes all the difference to the quality of my sleep, and I try to remember to do so on a daily basis.
3. End the Day Right
After getting into bed, but before going to sleep, I try to do a little bit of reading every night. Sometimes it’s a magazine, most of the time it’s a book, but either way, it helps me end the day in a positive and relaxed mindset. That, in turn, reflects on the quality of my sleep!
And that concludes the three ways I (mostly) manage to get a good night’s sleep. You’ll notice I haven’t included anything that will help when your toddler decides to go on sleep strike, because I haven’t worked that one out yet… but if you have any ideas, let me know!
My posts over the last two weeks have been really word-heavy, I know. But this Sunday, I’m posting an ultra-fun recipe, so look forward to something short and (really) sweet!
Disclaimer: the bedding featured was provided free of charge by JD Williams for the purpose of this post.