Top Reminders For A Great Night's Sleep

At Dormeo HQ, we all know the importance of sleep. It's what we do. We read about it all the time and focus on it incessantly. We even recommend that all our staff members sleep minimum of 8 hours. (At night... not during the day... tempting though it is to have a nap when surrounded by mattresses all day long.) 

Keep a regular schedule

Getting back in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle is one of the most important strategies for achieving good sleep. If you keep a regular sleep schedule going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, you'll feel much more refreshed and energised than if you were to sleep the same numbers of hours but at different times. This holds true even if you alter your sleep schedule by only an hour or two. Consistency is really important.

Set a regular bedtime

Simple - go to bed at the same time every night. Experts advise trying not to break this routine even at weekends, but we are also realists, and know that we also need to let our hair down every now and again! If you want to change your bedtime, help your body adjust by making the change in small daily increments such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day.

Wake up at the same time each day

It’s not rocket science, but if you’re getting enough sleep you should wake up naturally without needing an alarm clock. This is a risky strategy however, so if you need an alarm clock to wake up on time, you may need to set an earlier bedtime. Try to maintain your regular wake-up time at weekends, however tempting it may be to have a lie in. If you have children, who are at an early age, you’re probably thinking you have no choice anyway!

Nap to make up for lost time

If you need to make up for a few lost hours, opt for a daytime nap rather than sleeping-in late. This strategy allows you to pay off your sleep debt without disturbing your natural sleep wake rhythm, which often backfires and throws you off for days.

Be smart about napping

While taking a nap can be great, especially for older adults, it can make insomnia worse. If insomnia is a problem for you, consider eliminating napping. If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon and limit it to thirty minutes.

Fight after dinner-drowsiness

If you find yourself getting sleepy long before your bedtime, get off the couch and do something mildly stimulating to avoid falling asleep, such as washing the dishes, calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day. If you give in to the drowsiness, you may wake up later in the night and have trouble getting back to sleep.

Get a decent mattress

Remember, you are spending 8 hours a night in bed... that's 56 hours a week and nearly 3,000 hours a year. Therefore a well made, comfortable mattress is absolutely vital to your sleep health. At Dormeo.co.uk – we have a great range of mattresses and sleep products that will give you a great night's sleep. We passionately believe that everyone should buy the best mattress they can afford. Don't scrimp, your body won't thank you if you do.

Spending long days in an office away from natural light can impact your daytime wakefulness and make your brain sleepy. Then coupled with the bright blue-hued lights at night, from hours spent in front of the TV or computer screen – can suppress your body’s production of melatonin and make it harder to sleep. There are ways for you to naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle, and to boost your body’s production of melatonin and keep your brain on a healthy schedule, and the above tips should help you on your way.

Of course it's entirely up to you, the individual, to set your own "sweet spot" for the sleep patterns and habits that help you most. We are not regimental in our sleep tips, just advising on what you could be missing out on!