5 Tips to Instantly Improve Your Night's Sleep

Feeling a bit more irritable than usual? Or befuddled by constant brain fog and fatigue? For many people, the solution to grumpy moods and a general feeling of being wiped out is a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, long stretches of REM sleep – the type that is necessary for optimum health – is often elusive for many people. During this deep phase of sleep, your body is active building muscle tissues, replacing dead cells, healing injuries and consolidating your memories. If you think you can get by on just five or six hours of sleep each night, think again. Research has proven that adults need a minimum of 7.5 to 9 hours (children and adolescents need even more) of uninterrupted slumber every night to function at peak performance. However, life’s many distractions frequently interfere with quality sleep. Relationship troubles, pressures at work, sick children and other unexpected issues can make it nearly impossible to enjoy a solid night’s sleep. For the majority of folks who suffer from sleep difficulties, a few simple changes in your daily routine can make a tremendous difference in how well you sleep. In order to stay mentally focused, productive and healthy, follow these simple tips to sleep better and longer at night.

Improve your sleep with these 5 tips

1. Make your room sleep-friendly – Turn your bedroom into an inviting oasis of peace - free of distractions, TV and disruptive noise. Set up a fan or noise maker to block out street signs and if it’s hot, crank on the A/C until your room is about d 65° F – the ideal temperature for falling asleep. Ensure that your bed is both supportive and comfortable, and that it doesn’t trap heat. It’s best to experiment with different options – latex, memory foam, and innerspring to find the best mattress for your needs.
2. Stick to a regular sleep schedule – Consistency is your friend when it comes to sleep. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time (give or take an hour) every day for best results. After a few weeks, you should begin to wake up without the use of an alarm clock and feel drowsy by your set bed time.
3. Amp up your daytime activity- Studies have shown that people who exercise at least 30-45 minutes a day sleep much more soundly at night. This doesn’t have to be high-impact cardio, but anything that gets the heart rate up and endorphins flowing. Try and avoid heavy exercise too close to your bed time, which may be counterproductive. In this line, it’s also best to avoid alcoholic drinks right before bed, which can diminish your sleep quality and wake you up later.
4. Curb daytime naps – People with serious insomnia may actually exacerbate the problem by taking long or frequent naps. If you’re in need of an afternoon siesta, try and limit these to 15-20 minute sessions.
5. Naturally regulate your circadian rhythms – You can help control your sleep/wake cycle by exposing yourself to plenty of daylight in the morning and boosting melatonin production at night by using low wattage bulbs for reading and keeping your room dark.

A good mattress makes a world of difference

Here at Mattress World Northwest, our team knows a lot about the debilitating effects of sleep deprivation, which is why we’ve dedicated ourselves to learning everything about the science of sleep. Whether you tend to sleep hot at night, suffer from restless legs, or have chronic back pain that keeps you from experiencing the health-boosting benefits of uninterrupted sleep, we can help you pick out the best solution in our modern mattress showroom in Portland, OR. Our collection features top-of-the- line bedding by Sealy, Simmons, Aireloom and Stearns & Foster at attractive price points that simply can’t be beat. For the best mattresses and first-rate customer service, we also have store locations in Clackamas, Canby, Salem, Jantzen Beach, Washington Square, Gresham and other convenient Oregon outlets.