Top 6 Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep

We strive to help our customers have a better night’s sleep with our bamboo pillows and bedsheets. However, we know many people have trouble getting a beneficial sleep every night. So we have put together our top 6 top tips for a good night’s sleep!

1. Pick a time to go to sleep and wake up and stick to it

Committing to a consistent sleep schedule—going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends and holidays—can significantly enhance your sleep quality. Aligning with your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythms, optimizes your sleep-wake cycle, allowing you to reap maximum benefits from your rest periods. Maintaining this routine steadfastly, regardless of occasional late nights, is crucial. It’s time to resist the temptation of the snooze button and embrace the power of a regular sleep pattern for improved health and well-being.

2. Make your bedroom the perfect sleeping haven

• Keep your bedroom clean and tidy, free of any clutter and dust.
• Let some fresh air into your room during the day and, if possible, leave a window slightly open during the night, too, as the air you breathe affects your sleep. Fresh air helps regulate the humidity in your room, which helps prevent that horrible dry throat feeling in the morning.
• Regulate the temperature in your room; try to keep it cool (around 18° C is perfect!).
• Invest in blackout blinds/drapes to help stop you from waking up too early.
• Keep any electrical items out of the room or stored away from your bed, as these can distract you from sleeping.
• Try not to bring any work, letters, food, etc., into your room, as this can also add distraction.

3. Make sure your bed is comfortable

It’s recommended that you change your mattress every 5-9 years, but in the meantime, try to rotate your mattress every time you change your sheets. You will also benefit from a suitable pillow (we know a certain type of pillow that is pretty good! 😉). If your pillow is too thin, your neck will tilt backwards, which can be very uncomfortable, and if you stack your pillows too high, your neck will be propped up at an uncomfortable angle, which again is very uncomfortable and could lead to straining muscles in the neck. Try to find a pillow to suit your sleeping position as well and experiment with different levels of supportiveness to find your perfect pillow.

Try placing a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable or place a pillow under your legs if you sleep on your back. Having the right pillow will help keep your spine aligned when you sleep which can reduce neck and back pain, making you more comfortable and relaxed when you sleep. According to experts, not only is the height and firmness of your pillow’s head support important but so is matching the right type of pillow to your sleeping style. If you tend to sleep on your side, for example, you would need a medium-high thickness pillow that puts the spine in the midline position.

Add a layer of orthopedically approved memory foam with a memory foam mattress topper.

4. Create a bedtime ritual

Try some different relaxation techniques like breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation. Starting with your toes, tense all the muscles as tightly as you can, then completely relax. Work your way up from your feet to the top of your head. Have a warm bath and a warm drink such as chamomile tea or warm milk. Try to avoid caffeine and try to have your drink at least an hour before you go to bed so that it won’t wake you for a midnight bathroom visit!

Scientists have also found that the best way to sleep is in your birthday suit! But if you feel more comfortable in pajamas, they recommend lightweight cotton ones as they won’t affect your body’s natural temperature regulation.

5. Wind Down

Try doing something calming before bed, such as reading or listening to some calm music. For some people, using electronics before bed can make it hard to fall asleep because the particular blue light from the screens of devices activates the suprachiasmatic nucleus within the hypothalamus inside the brain, which makes the brain believe it is daytime. iOS has released a new feature called ‘Night Shift’, which changes the colour of the light emitted from the phone to a warmer, more yellow shade, which reduces the blue light, making the screen a lot less harsh. Therefore, that part of the brain isn’t disturbed as much, making the brain’s circadian rhythm act normally and allowing it to define night and day accurately.

Try experimenting with candles instead of brighter lights. This will help you relax as the lights aren’t as harsh. Then, when it is time to blow the candles out, the house will gradually get darker, which in turn will help your body get used to the darkness and relax. If you are concerned about using candles, there are battery-powered candles available; have a look online.

6. Using Sounds

What about trying a white noise generator? It creates a quiet, constant white noise throughout the night, which can be changed to sounds of the waves or rainforest and other relaxing sounds. Dr. Ralph Pascualy, the medical doctor at the Swedish Medical Center-Cherry Hill, explains:

“The brain naturally craves sensory input. That’s why people in sensory deprivation tanks hallucinate; robbed of any stimulus, the brain creates its own. During sleep on a quiet night, any random noise, whether a passing truck or a creaking floorboard, will likely activate the restless brain, waking you up. Constant white noise, he told me, “gives the brain a tonic signal that dampens its internal systems” –  Dr. Ralph Pascualy

So there we have it! Our top six tips on how to get the best night’s sleep. If you try these techniques, let us know how you get on by tweeting us at @PandaLife_UK. Also, if you try any techniques we have not mentioned, please send us your advice! We love to find different ways to help our customers!

If you have trouble sleeping and it is a concern or believe you have a sleeping disorder, we advise you to consult your doctor for medical advice.