This post was made possible by the world’s number #1 selling mattress protector, Protect-A-Bed, who know a thing or two about helping us get a good night’s sleep!
How many times have you caught yourself complaining about how tired you are, how you could sleep for days, how you need to go to bed earlier………only to repeat your unhealthy nocturnal habits over and over again? Every. Single. Day. Right?
Of all the health-related science that is becoming increasingly more available to consumers, info around the importance and wide-ranging benefits of adequate sleep is one field of research that provides equal benefit to all of us. A good nights sleep is crucial to both our mental and physical well-being, often identified as the third pillar of health along with exercise and nutrition.
If you’re wondering how much sleep is enough; adults need 7-9 hours of sleep, school-age kids require 9-11 and pre-schoolers need 10-13 hours. Nix heads to bed at 7 pm and wakes up at 6 am so he’s tracking well, Ethan (13) heads off at between 8.30 and 9 pm to wake at 6 am so he’s falling a bit short, but, it’s Dave and I who really need to hit the hay earlier. We wake up at 6 am every day so our late night Netflix bingeing has got to stop! In bed with the lights off by 10 pm at the latest should be what we are aiming for each evening.
Re-training our body clocks and resetting our natural circadian rhythms will no doubt take some time, but there are some tried and true tips for enhancing and encouraging sleep. I’m working on introducing the 5 ideas below into our night-time wind-down.
Sleep, COME AT ME!
5 Easy Ways to Improve your Sleep
- Routine – The human body LOVES routine. Giving ourselves the same cues every day that it’s time to wind down and head to bed will set the scene for a great nights sleep. Here’s my new sleep-prep plan; drink 500mls of water, take my vitamins – including magnesium, wash-up, relax on my Shakti mat and read for 20 minutes, then lights out – by 10pm! Sounds so virtuous!
- Turn off the Tech – Just. Do. It. Ethan is turning 13 next week and Dave and I had been allowing him to use his iPhone as an alarm clock. Before we made a rod for our own backs later on when we are deep in the teenage years, we purchased him an actual clock and implemented a no-screen policy in his room – much to his disgust. It’s well documented that the short wavelength blue light emitted by our digital devices disrupts sleep-inducing melatonin production. Dave and I will be walking the walk and removing our chargers from the bedroom, this should also help with late night Candy Crush zone outs when we should be snoozing!
- Invest in your nest – Create a cozy, bedtime space that you crave at the end of a long day. Think linens you love, a clutter-free environment that promotes a sense of calm as well as the
opportunity for healthful sleep and don’t forget to start at the bottom with your mattress protector. Look for one that is compatible with your needs; for eczema or allergy sufferers or those with sensitive skin, do your research. The entire range of Protect-A-Bed® products have been approved by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand’s Sensitive Choice Program plus, the TENCEL® range gets the tick with approval from the Eczema Association. I’m switching all of our beds over to Protect-A-Bed mattress protectors as the fitted sheet style is an absolute game-changer. I can’t believe I’ve been struggling to make the beds with those super-annoying, corner-loop style protectors for so many years, it makes me shudder just thinking about them to be honest! - Watch your temperature – I’m one of those annoying people who is cold all the time, so I LOVE being warm and snuggly in bed. But, our body naturally cools down as bedtime approaches, helping us both to fall and stay asleep. Evidence also suggests that allowing the body’s temp to drop naturally whilst sleeping has a beneficial effect on metabolism. So, if you haven’t ditched the heavy, winter weight duvet yet this spring, here’s your reminder!
- Cut the consumption – Whether it’s nicotine, alcohol, caffeine or eating a large meal before bedtime, what you put in your mouth affects your quality of sleep. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, no surprises there and though alcohol may have the perceived effect of helping you drop off to sleep, hours later, after alcohol levels drop, you may find yourself awake, restless and struggling to nod off again.
I popped the Protect-A-Bed® king-size Traditional Cotton mattress protector on our bed last weekend and we have slept like babes this week. No more crinkly, crunchy, plasticky feel which is awesome, but somehow the genius fabric is still waterproof and breathable – perfect for those nights (4/7 I’d say) when Nix sneaks into our bed.
Shop the full Protect-A-Bed® range here, or find a New Zealand retailer here.
Win yourself a Stay New Cotton Terry Mattress Protector!
Leave me a comment below with your preferred size and I’ll pick a winner to receive 1 x Protect-a-Bed Stay New Cotton Terry Mattress Protector!
Competition closes 24th Nov 2017.
Follow
