As we head into the final few months of 2011, the nights will be drawing in and the days will be getting considerably shorter. Whilst this brings mild depression for most, there are some that can be severely affected in various ways throughout the winter months. One of the areas most affected is sleep, however there are ways that you can ensure as good a night’s sleep is possible from the purchase of soft and relaxing down pillows through to taking up an evening exercise class.
This post explores the five most effective methods for sound night’s sleep;
Method One – Quality Bedding
Ensuring you have a clean and comfortable bed is a contributing factor to a sound night’s sleep. If you have previously struggled for comfort in bed, consider purchasing soft down products such as down pillows and down duvets which are designed specifically to improve comfort levels when in bed.
Natural bedding products are extremely durable and breathable so will keep you nice and warm during the cold winter months whilst also making sure you are cool when the weather heats up. Hungarian, Siberian and Canadian goose down are seen as the premium fillings so always choose those when shopping around for the best quality bedding products on the market.
Method Two – Reduce TV Time
Recent studies have shown that people who watch extensive amounts of TV before bed report a lower quality of sleep compared to those who avoid watching their favorite programs before sleep.
Light emitting devices, such as flickering TVs and computer screens, stimulate the brain to act in a different way than you would like when preparing to go to sleep. The brain’s exposure to light results in it becoming more active and aware so consider replacing the TV with reading a good book to help you drift off to sleep easier.
Method Three – Evening Exercise
It is no secret that exercise tires you out, so if you are struggling to get to sleep an evening exercise class or a session at the gym could make all the difference. The numbers taking out membership at the gym is on the rise and with the popularity of evening exercise classes such as Zumba soaring at present, why not get a group of friends together to get fit and wear yourself out?
If the gym is not your thing but you want to keep active, there are numerous sporting activities that you could potentially take up. 5-a-side football leagues are present across the country or if you would prefer to undertake exercise as a couple, why not take each other on in a badminton, tennis or squash match?
Method Four – Food for Thought
What you eat before going to bed can also play a decisive role in the quality of your sleep. Foods such as bananas, potatoes and whole-wheat bread coupled with a drink of warm milk or chamomile tea have been found to enhance your sleep.
Furthermore, avoid eating late at night and make sure not to overdo the caffeine as this will make you much more alert than you would want to be when trying to get to sleep.
Method Five – Sack the Alarm Buzzer
The last thing you want after an uneasy night’s sleep is to be startled first thing in the morning with the traditional BEEP BEEP BEEP that continues on until you can actually work out what is going on. Whilst you need to make sure that your alarm is going to wake you up so you are not late for work, something a little less intense may be appropriate.
Trial setting your radio to come on at the time for you to wake up so that the background noise will steadily wake you up rather than you being shocked out of bed. This may also help you get to sleep the night before as you will not dread the evil buzzer waking you up a few hours later.
The coming winter months do not need to be depressing and devoid of sleep if you take into consideration these top five methods of inducing sound sleep. Try purchasing a pair of quality down pillows, reducing the amount of TV before bed and throwing away the beeping alarm to see if it makes a difference to the quality of your sleep this winter.
This post was written by Oliver Kyle on behalf of My Duvet and Pillow, specialists suppliers of quality down pillows and duvets to improve comfort whilst in bed.
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