Tired of tossing and turning? Make your dreams of better sleep come true.
If, wide awake in the wee hours, you find yourself, like John Milton, asking, “What hath night to do with sleep?” you understand how this 17th-century English intellectual might’ve been inspired to write an epic poem called “Paradise Lost.” We all know from personal experience that the day goes better when preceded by a solid night’s sleep. And with the Centers for Disease Control reporting that people who routinely sleep less than seven hours a night are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, stroke, depression, and a host of other chronic diseases, it’s a good time to wake up to the reality of your sleeping habits and revamp your nightlife as needed. Try these tips for zazzing up your zzz’s.
Minimize stimulation, maximize relaxation before bed. Dim the lights and darken the screens. Bright lights and blue light from screens trick the body’s circadian rhythms into daytime gear, which prevents production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. On top of that, if Twitter were meant to be read at bedtime, it would be called ZZZ, not named for chirpy morning birdsong. Soothe yourself instead with a hot lavender-scented bath and a little sleep-inducing aromatherapy in the bedroom. Isn’t just the sight of this well-designed diffuser from Mar-Pac—which you can load with ultrarelaxing sleep blends or the essential oil of your choice—restful?
Put down the coffee after breakfast. If you like a warm drink at night, pick up a cup of calming chamomile tea instead. Curl up in toasty flannel pajamas under a cozy weighted blanket, sip and relax, and you have yourself a bedtime ritual that won’t take much getting used to.
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Bodies, being slow to evolve into the always-on demimachines our digital devices would have us be, appreciate a routine. We’re actually still more like our cavepeople forebears than we are like Neo from The Matrix, and our systems do best when they operate according to their internal rhythms. Take a cue from your body and go to bed when you’re tired.
Review and renew your bedding. As America’s sleep deficit grows, so do the options for bedding that meets very specific needs. Invest in sheets, pillows, and accessories that will help create the optimal sleep experience, like these organic sheets from Under the Canopy®. Not only is the cotton scrupulously sourced in the USA and free of toxins, which is a reassuring thought as you drift off at night, these sheets also get softer with every wash. If you find that you always sleep better in a hotel, consider bringing the crisp sophistication of hotel-style linens from Wamustta® into your own home. Likewise, if the country lulls you like a baby, add a bit of rustic charm with a patterned quilt. For some, a weighted cover lends gentle pressure that brings on deep, restful slumber, much like a soothing embrace from a human being or large dog. Cooling pillows are a godsend for hot sleepers (sound familiar? What type of sleeper are you?), many of whom will find even more comfort and support in a side-sleeper option.
Optimize your environment, even if you must resort to magic. Your last thought at night shouldn’t be “Must deal with that pile of clothes on the chair.” Nor should your first thought on waking be, “Ouch, did I just break my toe? Why is this chair full of clothes still directly in my path to the bathroom?” A clean and clutter-free bedroom is key to stress-free sleep. Other sleep enhancers include blackout curtains, especially if you tend to wake up at first light and you’d rather not, and a white noise machine, to make the world go away so you can escape into dreamland. And because a little magic never hurts, consider purifying your sacred sleep space with a smudger, coming soon from Bee & Willow™. It smokes out sleep-disrupting gremlins and leaves your chambers pleasantly perfumed.
Last but not least, if you’re an allergy sufferer, know that there are key items you can replace in your bedding to help you get the rest you deserve. Finally, if you’re in bed now and you’re reading this, remember what we said earlier about screens and sleep. Stop reading, start counting sheep, and sleep tight!