A Sleep Guide

One of the best feelings in the world is a quality night's sleep. Since we spend nearly 1/3 of our entire lives sleeping, it only makes sense to do everything in your power to try to improve it. Not only does good sleep make you increasingly productive, but it can make you both more focused and happier. All of the things you do to improve your sleep can be considered your "sleep hygiene." Much like taking care of your dental health, it's something you need to be consistent with. Everything from where you sleep to how you sleep can all play a role in determining the quality of your sleep.

How Can I Get a Better Night's Sleep?

1. Optimize Your Sleep Environment

One of the best things you can do is optimize your sleep environment. Ideally, you want to create an optimal sleep environment and atmosphere in your bedroom. This is where you will be able to achieve a restful night's sleep. Your atmosphere should be conducive to not only falling asleep but also to stay asleep. You want a room that you step into and instantly feel the need to sleep. Because a lot of people use their bedrooms as multi-purpose rooms whether it be to study, do work, or watch TV - doing so won't help. Your bedroom isn't a room you want to associate with these things. Instead, you want to try to emphasize relaxation above all else. You can do this by redecorating your bedroom including painting the walls or even adding warmer lights to put you in a relaxing mood.

2. Get a Better Mattress

If you are looking to improve your sleep, one of the easiest ways to do so is by getting a better mattress, check out these Ikea mattress reviews. When you are looking at buying a new mattress, you want to ensure you are buying it from a store that accepts returns. A lot of the mattress stores you will find will allow you to use the mattress for a certain period before committing to purchase it. Another option you could choose to do would be trying out the mattresses at high-end hotels. A lot of these hotels will sell mattresses and the bedding they use. Regardless, you want to try the mattress out beforehand. It shouldn't take long to tell if the mattress is right for you.

3. Get a Better Pillow

Your pillow is another major component of your sleep. You want to ensure you are getting one you find comfortable and one that fits your sleeping style. Pillows are subjective. No matter if you are someone who prefers a soft or firm pillow, you want to ensure it's comfortable. You also want to ensure it's not going to cause you any sort of allergic reaction. If you suffer from allergies to feather pillows, don't get one. Speak with your doctor if you think that you may be allergic to your pillow.

4. Come Up With a Routine

You will want to ensure that you are following a bedtime routine every day. The prep work you put in with your routine will determine your results. You will get better sleep by coming up with a repeatable and sustainable routine. You can integrate calming activities into your routine to try to signal to your brain that it's time to go to sleep. You should be doing everything that can put your brain into sleep mode. This includes turning off gadgets well before bed, reading a book, or something else.

5. Find The Optimal Sleeping Position

You want to try to find the optimal sleep position for yourself. As soon as you get into bed, you want to try to find a position that you deem comfortable. If you suffer from sleep apnea, avoid sleeping on your back. To avoid doing so, you can place a tennis ball at the center of your shirt which will prevent you from going on your back while sleeping. If not, you may find it comfortable sleeping on your back which can improve your sleep quality.