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Five sure fire ways to sleep better – any time of the year

A lot has been written about weather changes and how they affect our sleep patterns and our quality of sleep. There is some truth to this, but there are also a few golden rules that will help us to sleep better come rain or shine, cold or hot, pretty much at all times of the year.

But first, let’s look at why we do have some seasonal sleep changes.   

The temperature and light in summer and winter are the main factors as to the amount and quality of sleep that we get. According to most reports, the general consensus is that we sleep better in the winter for these two main reasons…

  • At night, your core body temperature needs to decrease by two or three degrees to assist you to initiate sleep. As the air temperature drops, so does your core body temperature, making it easier to sleep. Obviously, winter is better for this and so unless you are uncomfortably cold, you are likely to sleep better.
  • Thenights are longer in winter and we get not only less light throughout the day but at a much lower intensity. As one observer put it, “This limited light exposure helps explain why we may feel like we are more tired and need more sleep. The brain doesn’t get the same signal to stay as awake and alert as it does in summer during the day.’’

Well, suffice to say, as the temperatures get warmer it is important to ensure your body temperature remains as cool as possible at night (maybe with the use of fans or Air conditioning) and that you sleep in a well-darkened room, giving you the same amount of light exposure as you get in winter.

The five golden rules

Getting back to those golden rules for better sleep, however, regardless of the weather – here are five sure fire ways to sleep better – any time of the year…

1.    Stick to a sleep pattern – Routine is essential when it comes to obtaining good sleep. Stick to exactly the same bedtime and a much as possible to the same wake-up time – at least during the week, but if possible, on the weekends too.

2.    Exercise regularly – Regular exercise has long been known to be an important factor in maintaining a healthy sleep pattern. Not too soon before bedtime though, remember about getting that core body temperature down. A healthy body helps you to fall asleep sooner and generally have deeper sleep too. 

3.    Limit food and drink consumption – Don’t eat and drink too much directly before retiring for the night, but a light snack does no harm. You neither want to go to bed stuffed or hungry, so find the balance. Too much alcohol is not recommended as this does tend to shorten your sleep duration. 

4.    Ban blue light – For at least an hour before bedtime (this is especially applicable to children) ban the use of cellular phones, computers and any other electronics. Try to substitute looking at screens, which is known to keep people awake, with reading a book to relax before bedtime.

5.    There’s no substitute for comfort! – Create ideal sleeping conditions with comfortable bedding -and especially a good comfortable mattress! The mattress you sleep on is critical to inducing better sleep and needs to be firm, in good condition and designed for comfort and good posture. 

Truform is the key to comfort

For over 35 years Truform has been designing and manufacturing mattresses that are affordable, yet superior in comfort and every other aspect of what is required in a mattress to ensure a great night’s sleep. Test one out at a dealer near you or contact us directly for any information you need about our extensive range of mattresses, which cover a large segment of the market from individuals to five-star hospitality venues. Truform – a sure fire way to sleep better – any time of the year!