Tips to sleep better during lockdown

In today’s lockdown life, understanding how we sleep - and the effect it has on the quality of life if we don’t get enough sleep - has become a topic of interest to scientists and the general public. On top of everything else we have to deal with at the moment, the last thing we need is to add insomnia to our increasing list of worries.

Increasing levels of worry and confusion might be impacting how much shut-eye you’re managing to squeeze in alongside everything else. But fighting the cognitive and emotional issues sleep deprivation can bring will only add to your troubles. It’s important we sort this out.

Here are our top tips for getting a good night of sleep during lockdown.

Put your day to bed

Before jumping into the sack, the aim is to put your day to bed first. This means trying not to work late, though we know it can be tempting when you’re working from home, and force-finishing projects out of your mind. Stewing over other worries is a bad idea, too. You might need to pay that bill you forgot about, but the call centre shuts at five, there’s nothing you can do about it now, so add it to your list of things to sort out and come back to it tomorrow.

You should also try to resolve any arguments, and sort out any bickering you’ve done with a loved one. Going to bed with a bad vibe of any sort will likely play on your subconscious mind, which could stop you from relaxing.

You don’t want to take stress to bed with you, so try and tick off anything that’s stressing you out an hour or so before bed, or, if you can’t resolve your issues now, try to take your mind off them before you hit the sack. Reading a book is a good idea, or you could try meditation.

Quieten your mind

Speaking of meditation, it’s a good idea to try to incorporate this into your daily life. Quieting your mind before you go to bed can work wonders for people who struggle to fall asleep, or find themselves fitful when they do.

If you’re new to meditation, here are some tips to get started.

1. Navigate into a comfortable position, take a deep breath, and sigh. Relax your body as best you can.
2. Concentrate on your breathing.
3. Form a detachment from your thoughts.
4. If you’re struggling, listening to gentle background music can help, or you could try waves, or the sound of birds.

Body temperature

You might not know it, but your body temperature can significantly affect your sleep quality. When you sleep well, the body reduces your temperature by about a degree. It doesn this naturally, but you might try assisting it if you are struggling to sleep. You can do this by:

1. Making sure your bedroom has hardly any light exposure.
2. Taking a warm shower before bed.
3. Avoiding sugary and fatty foods late at night.
4. Choosing a mattress that helps to regulate your body temperature.

Your bedroom should be your sanctuary; a safe haven for peace of mind and ultimate relaxation.

Not too hot and not too cold, with fresh air and a temperature of between sixteen to eighteen degrees, you should work to make it as comfortable as possible.

If your duvet isn’t thick enough, you might find you lose too much heat, which will wake you up. If you’re too hot you’ll sweat, and if your mattress doesn’t naturally wick away moisture, you might wake up in a puddle.

It’s important you work to discover the temperature you sleep best at and work to achieve it.

The 20 to 30 minute rule   

If you’re lying in bed and you’re struggling to fall asleep, it might be a better idea to get up. It might sound ineffective, but getting out of bed for a while can reset sleep mode. Try and go back to sleep when you feel tired again. Twenty to thirty minutes in a dark room should do the trick.

Finally, consider your comfort For the best quality sleep, you need to consider your comfort. If your mattress is old, or if it isn’t right for your body type, you might find you’re not sleeping as well as you could be. Investing in a good mattress could transform your quality of life.

Shop the Sleep Express mattress range here.