Getting a good night’s sleep during the winter
Some people don’t feel that they have gotten through winter as much as they have SURVIVED winter. At Millbrook we can definitely relate to that. No one lies waking up in the morning, half-asleep, alarm bellowing, jumping out of bed into the stiff, cold morning air and getting ready for work. It’s universally considered as a horrible experience and we won’t argue with that.
The reason why this morning ritual is so ill-regarded by the general public is primarily to do with the fact that they are not getting the right kind of sleep beforehand and their sleep environment is not equipped to deal with the winter blues. A survey has found that three quarters of Brits are affected by the darker winter months in the sense that the trepidation of leaving a cosy warm bed for the coldness of the outside is too much to bare! Mental tiredness quickly follows this which leads to irritability and lack of focus. Bad sleep in winter contributes to a failing of mood, concentration, reaction time, attention span, you name it.
So Millbrook Contract Beds has devised a list to help you sleep easier and warmer this winter without making you feel dread when you wake up on the dark mornings and dwell on the difficulty of the day ahead.
1. DO NOT nap during the day. Napping is a sure-fire way to mess up your natural sleep cycle making it increasingly harder to experience a balanced, healthy sleep pattern. We also recommend that you limit the use of your snooze button on your alarm so you don’t get used to falling asleep and waking up in short bursts.
2. Try to build a decent exercise routine for yourself during the day, even if it is just involves plenty of walking. Avoid doing too many strenuous activities during the evenings before bed however
3. Try to give yourself the correct amount of sleep required for your age group. The average is time for adults is 7-8 hours.
4. Have earlier nights as it’s the simplest way to overcome fatigue and mental tiredness the next morning when you wake up. Try to go to bed around the same time each night to give your body and mind consistency in the sleep routine.
5. Adjust the temperature of your bedroom to accommodate against the cold weather. This is vital to remaining comfortable during sleep and when you wake up. A warm bed versus a cold room in the morning is a terrible way to start a day. When you wake up you want to be able to feel the warmth of your room when you get out of bed in order to help transition you from sleep state to awake state rather than shocking your system with an extreme differentiation in temperatures.
6. Take a warm bath or shower before bed and if possible when you wake up. It’s a relaxing routine that can help with the bedtime ritual and early-riser mentality.
7. Use decent bedding that keeps you well insulated when you sleep and comfortable. It’s easy to let bedding degrade over time without replacing it. It makes a big difference.
8. Think about the state of your hotel contract beds if you’re a hotelier trying to give a warmer, more comfortable guest experience or if you are just a regular person looking to survive winter be sure that your bed is suitable and hasn’t past the point of no return. Replace it every 7 or so years!
9. Avoid stimulants before bed form alcohol, caffeine based products and nicotine. These will only serve to haunt you during the night and when you wake up.
10. Get double glazing. If you haven’t already, sort it out! Double glazed windows insulate your home, your bedroom and you! They make all the difference in winter.
Follow these tips and the dark dull of winter and its harsh cold snap will melt away as you fall asleep peacefully destined to wake-up with greater ease come morning. For more tips on becoming a morning person see our previous blog by clicking the link.