This may not be the first year you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to sleep better. But we’re here to help make that resolution a success. Just keep these 5 simple guidelines handy all year.
Cut the tech before bed. Screen time is a major part of daily life, from work to relaxation — but cut it off at least two hours before bedtime. The blue light from a bright smartphone screen has been proven to hinder good sleep, and even be detrimental to your overall health.
Keep it consistent. A lot of sleep-related resolutions go wrong because people try to radically readjust their bedtimes and wake-up times. Dialing them back or forward several hours just isn’t sustainable over time. What’s much more doable, is setting realistic timing goals and sticking to them. You’ll gain positive momentum as your body gets used to a sleep-wake cycle. And if you enjoy an evening out late, don’t worry. Just try to wake up as close to your normal time as possible without feeling like you need a full pot of coffee to function.
Cool it. An overly warm room is not conducive to sleep. When you snooze, your body temperature decreases, so make sure your room is cooler than it is when you’re up and about during the day. 60 to 67 degrees F is optimal for good sleep. Much higher (or lower) temps can reduce REM sleep quality. Worried about being too chilly? Have a snuggly comforter close at hand.
Watch the long, irregular, or late naps. At Allswell, we encourage naps. In fact, we celebrate them, But if they’re over an hour long or at irregular intervals or too close to your actual bedtime, they’ll seriously interrupt your sleep cycle. If you’re hankering for a nap at a less-than-optimal time, settle down with a good book or your favorite TV show (just make sure you’re sitting up!).
Elevate your mattress. No, we’re not talking about sleeping higher up. We’re talking about a sleep upgrade. First up: If your mattress is 10 years old or close to it, it’s a given that you need a new one. But if you’re sleeping on a traditional spring or memory foam mattress that you just haven’t been comfortable on for months or years, donate it and replace it with a hybrid. Hybrid mattresses feature both coils and foam — no choice needed between one or the other. At Allswell, hybrid mattresses are the only kind we make; we’re hybrid specialists. Our mattresses feature plush layers of performance memory foams and individually wrapped coils, which we think combine for a perfect sleep experience.
Here’s to better sleep in 2019 — and well beyond.