Top Tips to Improve Sleep

I really enjoy my sleep and, luckily, little man also does! He has always been a good sleeper, so I can’t complain or blame him for lack of sleep. Although I sleep well most nights, sometimes I can lose my sleep and end up staring at my phone every few minutes, wondering what time it is.

Sleep is very important and we can’t function well if we haven’t slept properly. We need to sleep for energy conservation, restoration of the brain and body, learning and memory consolidation and removing waste toxins from the brain.

The following day after a bad night’s sleep is the worse, I struggle to keep awake, keep reaching for the biscuit tin at work and crave sweet treats throughout the day. We have all been there!

If you have experienced disturbed sleep, you will know what I am referring to. I have recently come across Dr Nicola Barclay’s latest research and really enjoyed learning more about it. Dr Barclay is one of the UK’s leading sleep doctors and a lecturer in Sleep Medicine from Nuffield Department in Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Oxford.

Read on to find out Dr Nicola’s tips about how we can sleep better.

Bedroom Environment

We usually spend eight hours a day sleeping, which means that around one third of our lives are spent in our bed. For this reason, we must have a comfortable bed for our health and wellbeing.

Dr Barclay insists that we should ensure our bedroom environment is cool, between 20C and 22C. Furthermore, it is essential to have a bed that provides the support that you need, cotton sheets and mattress which contain temperature-sensitive material, such as Tempur mattress.

Bedtime Routine

It’s essential to keep a regular bedtime. Dr. Barclay recommends that we should get out of bed after 15 minutes if we haven’t managed to fall asleep. As part of my bedtime routine, I like having a hot shower, then unwinding with a cup of tea and blanket. I usually try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time.

Relax

If I am stressed or worried about something, I am more likely to have troubles falling asleep. Dr Barclay suggests that we should leave worries and work outside the bedroom. I usually tend to write a to-do list or email myself if I think about something at bedtime. If I don’t do it, I won’t be able to stop thinking about it and consequently will take longer to fall asleep.

What are your tips to have a good night’s sleep?

This post has been written in collaboration with Tempur, however the opinions expressed in this post are honest and my own.

Jodie Whitham says:

29 January, 2017 at 9:47 pm

Some great tips. I find reading a book before bed helps too. I find getting up out of bed if not asleep in like 30 mins helps x

Whatlauraloves says:

30 January, 2017 at 1:16 am

My tips are to have the room super dark and not too warm! xxx

Stephanie Merry says:

30 January, 2017 at 10:30 am

I find getting into a routine by going to bed at about the same time really helps with getting a good night’s sleep x

Jade Bremner says:

30 January, 2017 at 10:39 am

I sometimes struggle with staying asleep I wake up for various reasons. I’ve started to use scented pillow sprays to give my room a calmer feel and they seem to be working or at least I’m not waking up as much x

Claire says:

30 January, 2017 at 4:48 pm

Having a good sleep routine is so important. My problem is letting go of my tablet, I need to be very firm with myself.

Sam B says:

30 January, 2017 at 9:52 pm

Some really good tips for sleep and how to relax. Environment is very important for a good night’s sleep

30 January, 2017 at 9:54 pm

Some very helpful tips there. A mattress is very important when it comes to sleep. A good mattress can alleviate all kinds of pain as well as sleeping restful

Fashion and Style Police says:

30 January, 2017 at 11:22 pm

No screen time, cup of chocolate and a comfy bed.

Zena's Suitcase says:

31 January, 2017 at 11:02 am

A good nights sleep is really important for everyone isn’t it. we don’t have any TV’s or gadgets in the bedroom before bedtimes to help us settle faster

Kerry norris says:

31 January, 2017 at 2:55 pm

These are great tips which I need to take on board. I find no phone usage about an hour before I go also helps x

Kara Guppy says:

31 January, 2017 at 4:35 pm

Do you want to swap kids, I have non-sleepers and early risers

Kat says:

18 February, 2017 at 5:44 pm

Great tips. I think bedroom environment is very important indeed, as well as fresh air in the place where we sleep. I always try to open the window before I go to bed:)