The Easter weekend, which has come a little earlier this year, is right upon us now, and later in the month we celebrate Freedom Day too, so it is an exciting time for many. Not only do you get some time off from the drudgery of work, but many couples and families take time to get away and enjoy an almost mid-year holiday.
Sometimes the holidays can be jam-packed with activities, and late nights spent with family and friends, and you might find that you return from your holiday probably feeling more tired than before you left. Late nights, especially a few in a row, can really take their toll on your sleeping patterns and consequently your health. So, we definitely recommend making some time to relax as well.
Take advantage of your ‘chill’ time
It is far better, especially for those who tend to have sleeping issues during their normal working days, to use this time to relax and get more quality sleep. Yes, holidays are exactly when you should try to relax your way to a good night’s sleep!
They say that many people take several days to unwind when on holiday and the Easter holidays tend to be fairly short, so exactly how do we do this? Well, you need to be purposeful and determined to get yourself into a relaxed state from day 1 – and by the way, it will greatly help your sleeping issues if you can do some of these things when you are working too.
5 key elements to relaxing yourself to sleep!
The biggest reason that most people are insomniacs, or even just poor sleepers, is that too much is happening in the mind! To quieten the mind there are a few key elements that need to happen to induce better sleep. These are…
- A quiet environment – Try to be in a calm and relaxing space. Even if you are holidaying with the kids, rather opt for a camping trip in a remote spot than a beach holiday at a busy resort. Just a couple of days in the bush, they say, can be like a week’s holiday!
- Meditation techniques – When the kids are tucked up in bed and the dinner is done, take some quiet time to just close your eyes and focus your attention inward. Remember how relaxed you feel right now and use this to quieten your mind when you get back to the hectic work cycle.
- Breathing techniques – There is nothing more effective to induce sleep than adopting a few deep breathing exercises and there are many, but the USA Sleep foundation recommends ‘Counting breaths’ as a good option.
Inhale slowly and gently through your nose, then exhale slowly and gently through your mouth, and then hold your breath for a few seconds. You can count each breath, or each cycle of inhalation and exhalation, whichever comes more naturally to you.
- Muscle relaxation techniques – Again there are many options, but a good one is just to take a deep breath then tense the muscles for 10 seconds and release. Do this one muscle group at a time starting from the shoulders to the feet.
- Sleep comfortably – Sleep in a dark, cool space, and most importantly, although you can’t always choose it when away, at home at least, sleep on a Truform mattress for extra softness, comfort, and support!
We’ve got your back!
Yes, a Truform mattress has got your back – and every other part of your body with our superbly designed postural support mattresses.Test one out today at a store near you – We are all over the Western Cape and beyond, offering the best night’s sleep to all our customers.
Contact us if you would like us to help you choose the right one for your specific needs, and to ensure that every night you can relax your way to a good night’s sleep!