The Ten Ways You’re Messing Up Your Sleep - Accidentally!

Do you always seem to feel tired no matter how early you go to bed? If so, you’re certainly not alone.

Feeling tired during the day is no fun for anyone. It could be that your sleep is being interrupted despite all your best intentions. Read on to find out what the problem might be…

1. You had a long, hot soak

The best sleepers register a slight drop in body temperature just before they fall asleep. Whilst sounding relaxing and conducive to a great night’s sleep, a hot shower or bath just before bed will increase your body temperature, possibly making it harder to drift off in the first place and then to stay asleep.

2. You had a hot drink

Often associated with helping to make you feel drowsy, many hot drinks are caffeinated – even the less obvious choices like some brands of hot chocolate. Make your choice wisely and you could find you sleep quicker and longer.

3. You had a lie-in or a nap

Your body clock loves routine and thrives on it. If you’re tired, it so tempting to try and catch up on sleep at the weekend by sleeping in late or going for a cheeky afternoon snooze. The reality is however, that either option will confuse your body clock, making it harder to fall asleep and to stay asleep during the night. You may well find that you wake feeling more tired than you were before!

4. You did some exercise

Whilst in general, regular exercise can help your overall quality of sleep, exercising too close to bedtime can have the completely opposite effect. Leave a good gap between your run and your bedtime routine.

5. You had a big meal

Your body needs to shut down to allow you to sleep. If it’s busy digesting a big meal, it just can’t do it. Leave three hours after a large meal before trying to sleep or you may find you’re waking more often or sleeping lighter than is ideal.

6. You had a night-cap

Alcohol can certainly make it easier to fall asleep in the first place, but it actually leads to very poor quality sleep and an increased number of night wakings.

7. You forgot to do something

There’s nothing worse for sleep than lying in bed with your brain in turmoil. If this is happens to you regularly, keep a pad and pen by the bed and jot yourself reminders as they come to you. Once they are out of your brain and on the paper, you may well find it easier to fall asleep.

8. Your room is too hot or too cold

Either extreme is likely to cause night waking and even if you’re not completely aware of it, it will ultimately lead to you not feeling refreshed in the morning.

9. You were enjoying screen time!

The blue light given off by screens can kid our bodies into thinking it is still daylight. That in turn hampers the production of melatonin – our sleepy hormone – that only comes out in the dark. Keep screen time – including TV - for earlier in the evening and stick to reading a book last thing at night.

10. You have an old or poor quality mattress

The most common cause of a bad night’s sleep is a mattress that does not provide the right amount of support for you as an individual. At Dormeo UK we firmly believe that everybody should sleep on the very best mattress they can afford.

Whether from our luxury Octaspring range or from our award winning Dormeo Memory range, there is a Dormeo mattress for every body, every bedroom, and every budget.

If you have any questions or queries, we are on hand any time to answer them, free, on 0800 625 0134.