Good sleep hygiene is all about creating the best possible environment for your sleep. This can include decorating your bedroom in soothing colors; investing in great sheets; installing blackout blinds; and keeping smartphones and laptops outside the bedroom.
What Is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene involves the development of good sleeping habits. This can include the way you sleep (on your back, on your side, alone or with company, etc), and your ability to maintain a comfortable sleeping position all night long.
Many people are restless sleepers, easily stirred by a noise from outside, a dead arm, or a sudden temperature change. These interruptions can prevent us from achieving a deep sleep cycle, and that in turn can lead to chronic fatigue – you will find yourself easily distracted during the day, and with a shorter than usual attention span.
Why Does Sleep Quality Matter?
A good night’s sleep is the foundation for a productive and healthy day. The best night’s sleep occurs naturally, when you are able to completely relax and switch off in a peaceful, comfortable environment.
We spend a third of our lives asleep, and the quality of this sleep has come under enhanced scrutiny in recent years. Sleep hygiene has become a global industry, with multiple businesses claiming to offer the ultimate mattress, the perfect white noise machine, or the most effective air purifying device.
But for most of us, great sleep hygiene can be achieved within the confines of our own beds. Soft, clean sheets, a supportive mattress and good pillows are essential elements of good sleep hygiene. As well as ensuring that your bedding is kept clean and fresh, the quality of these items is paramount when it comes to improving your sleep quality.
Additional Sleep Hygiene Tips
Natural, moisture-wicking fabrics can help regulate your body temperature overnight, while a variety of duvet, mattress and pillow fillings can improve your breathing and posture while you sleep.
Look for cotton-based fabrics and polyester filings for breathable options that are also hypo-allergenic. Look too, for innovative designs which have been developed specifically with sleep hygiene in mind.
The Sleep Buddy Pillow and other buddy pillows are a great example of this. Shaped to encourage an optimal night-time posture, these specialized pillows offer the best kind of support for your neck and head, allowing your body to relax and rest in a natural position.
Good sleeping posture means an end to ‘sleeping funny’ and waking up with a stiff neck or a tweaked muscle. It can also help to prevent snoring, by allowing your airways to remain relaxed and open during the night.
There is a lot of science behind sleep hygiene, but all you need to know is that a good night’s sleep leads to a bright, energetic and productive day. And if you’re struggling, looking into some of the supportive options and items at time-tested providers such as Sleepline or other professionals can help you get a good night’s rest when it truly matters most.
With the right fundamentals in place, there is no reason why we can’t all enjoy sleep hygiene. Just focus on the basics – good bedding, and a tranquil sleeping environment – and the rest will follow.
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