5 Things You Need to Start Doing Before Bed

This blog post has been brought to you by The Dozy Owl.
Are you tired of waking up… well, tired?

We all are, and while getting a great night’s sleep sometimes seems too much to ask it’s really important. What better place to start than perfecting your before-bed routine. Just a few small changes can leave you sleeping deeper and longer and waking up refreshed and ready.

With that said let’s dive in.

It’s so easy and yet so overlooked, dehydration is an absolute sleep killer. It will leave you tossing and turning unable to drift off or having you waking up through the night frustrated and tired.

Just a small glass of cool water is enough to fix it. Not so much that you’ll wake up having to go to the bathroom through the night but enough to quench your thirst and let you relax.

It’s also a great way to wake up as well, having a glass of water beside the bed for when you wake up will help you wake up faster and feel more alert.

I’m sure you’ve heard that you shouldn’t use your phone right before bed, well I’m afraid to say it’s true. The blue light from screens interferes with your body stopping you from producing melatonin which is a hormone that helps you fall asleep.

Melatonin is released when it’s dark so your body knows it’s bedtime. The light tricks your body into thinking it’s still day time so you shouldn’t be sleeping. If you’re on social media you’ll likely see something that gets you riled up and will float around your brain while you lie there trying to drift off.

So put the phone away about an hour before bed. Try reading a book instead, or write in a journal, listen to the radio. Just don’t look at a screen.

Especially important as we come around to summer and the temperatures start to rise. Like I said above, your body temperature lowers as you fall asleep but if you’re too hot then it doesn’t lower properly and you can be left awake.

Plus waking up in the night because you’re covered in sweat isn’t a good thing either. So the cool breeze through the window is just the ticket for keeping you comfortable all night long. That’s why the Panda Cloud duvet is perfect because it regulates your body temperature stopping you from overheating through the night.

More of a process than a routine but you want to make sure your bedroom is primed for sleep, make sure your bedroom is tidy, your bedding is fresh, and your mattress is up to scratch.

You’ll also want to get into a well-made bed. Not moving your floordrobe from the bed to the floor when you go to sleep!

Sweet dreams.

Do you know what doesn’t involve a screen? Having a bath, and do you know what else can help you sleep? That’s right, having a bath. This raises your body temperature enough that when you get out and your body temperature starts to fall again your body gets tricked into thinking it’s falling asleep.

Normally, when you climb into bed and start falling asleep your body temperature lowers. Getting out the bath simulates that sensation, leaving you sleepy and primed for going to bed.

Written by award-winning sleep expert from The Dozy Owl.