MAKING SLEEP RESOLUTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR
I’m making some resolutions for a better night’s sleep, from changing my habits to making sure my bedroom set-up is perfect.
This post has been made in conjunction with TEMPUR® but all thoughts are my own
Sleep is undoubtedly the one thing you need to do properly to keep you healthy and happy whoever you are, but I’ve got to admit it’s the one area I’m pretty bad with.
You name a bad sleep habit, and I’ve probably got it. I look at screens before bed, don’t spend time winding down in the evenings, have late nights and early mornings - the list goes on.
But, it’s something I want to change. I read a newspaper article about how there’s a golden hour you should go to sleep in (10-11pm) to reduce your chances of cardiovascular issues - and that’s just one study out of hundreds.
So I’m working with Tempur on some New Year’s ‘Restolutions’ - resolutions for sleep - that I can take forward with me. Here they are:
SORT OUT MY SLEEPING POSITION
Sleeping positions are a core part of getting a good night’s sleep, so you need to make sure the way you sleep supports your neck and back alignment. Your mattress and pillow should let your body rest in a natural position, supporting the natural curves of the spine and muscles, to relieve the strain that comes with just being upright and going about your day.
I think I’m going to ace this Restolution, as I’ve already got my hands on a Tempur memory foam pillow to try out. The clever Tempur mattress material distributes weight and pressure easily and can absorb motion from tossing and turning in the night, to help you stay in a deeper sleep for longer.
2. GO SCREEN-FREE IN THE BEDROOM
I’m one of those sorts of people who needs to listen or watch something in order to fall asleep - not good if you’re trying to avoid using screens at night! I do, however, have a huge stack of books that I’ve been bought over the last few years that I’ve not got around to reading. In 2022, I’m saying no to watching Tiktok in bed before I go to sleep and yes to trying to read… Wish me luck!
3. PRACTICE SELF-CARE AND GET A FULL 8 HOURS
This time of year is always especially hectic for my work, so I’ve been finding myself with 2am bedtimes and 7am wake up times a few times a week recently. I’m not the best at maths, but that’s a fair bit less than 8 hours I think.
As I mentioned before, I’m going to aim for that ‘golden hour’ bedtime going forward (probably nearer 11 than 10 though - that just seems way to early for me!) I’ve recently got a sunrise-sunset alarm clock, so I’m hoping that will help me with the winding down part when I get into bed too and sort out my circadian rhythm!
4. DON’T EAT LATE MEALS
I get these spells of a mixture of insomnia and heartburn some nights, and that could be linked to eating meals too late. It’s recommended to eat at least 3 hours before bed to aid digestion, so I’ll need to adjust meal time for my new bedtime in the new year too.
So these are my main sleep ‘Restolutions’ - do you have any of your own? Have you got bad sleeping habits like me? Drop me a comment below and let me know.