Month: January 2021

Are you tired of struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep or wake up refreshed? Today, the sleep-deprived, highly-caffeinated person has become the archetype of the typical urban populace. Sleep is a complex, but vital process, that influences a wide range of mental and physical activities. Therefore, having the right quantity and quantity of sleep is essential to ensure that you are well-equipped to tackle the day ahead. Here are five tips to get you started on your journey to better sleep. 

 

Practice deep-breathing techniques

 

A busy and worried mind is often the biggest enemy of sleep. From past events to the next day’s to-do list – your brain may be occupied by a wide range of stressors that prevent you from getting some shut-eye. Rather than going straight to bed, it is often helpful to include some guided breathing exercises into your bedtime routine to help you wind down. Deep breathing exercises, involving breathing from the belly rather than the chest, enables the activation of your body’s relaxation response.This lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, thereby reducing stress and helping you relax

 

Use pleasant aromas

 

Research indicates that certain scents act as catalysts for better sleep and relaxation. Incorporating these scents into your bedroom through pillow sprays, candles or essential oils can help you unwind from a busy day and sleep well. For instance, lavender has long been known as a relaxing agent, which helps in lowering anxiety and pain. The scents of peppermint and chamomile can help to prevent snoring, while olive oil has been shown to have positive effects on sleep apnea. Choosing a sleep scent that combats your unique sleep problems can ensure that you don’t miss out on your beauty sleep.

 

Save your bed for sleep

 

Falling asleep is all about convincing your brain that it is time to rest. While your bed is likely to be the most comfortable spot in your house, using it for different kinds of activities can contribute to sleep difficulties. By reserving your bed for sleep, you are conditioning your brain to associate sleep and rest with your bed. While work-from-home has prompted us to spend most of our day in bed, getting a good night’s sleep often involves ensuring that your sleep space is separate from your work space. 

 

Maintain a Sleep Journal 

 

If you constantly find yourself struggling to sleep, then it might be time to dust off that journal and grab a pen. The first step to sleeping right is to identify the obstacles that stand in your way. A sleep journal can be used to track a range of details surrounding sleep, such as the time at which you went to bed, the number of times you woke up during the night, the amount of caffeine you consumed, how you felt when you woke up in the morning etc. Tracking these details for a few weeks and reviewing them may yield some unexpected results and help you understand your sleep barriers. 

 

Invest in the right products

 

A peaceful night’s sleep occurs when your body and environment are working in tandem to give you the rest you need. If you struggle with sleep, then it might be the right time to evaluate your sleep needs, and invest in the right products to help satisfy them. For instance, blackout curtains can help completely block light from the outside, and bedroom plants can help soothe anxiety and detoxify your room. Moreover, if you wake up stiff and sore from your current mattress, then it might be time to invest in a new one.A supportive mattress, such as Peps Spine Guard, can help you sleep better and wake up without sore muscles or backaches.

The recipe for a perfect day does not start from the morning, but from the night before. It’s time to bid goodbye to sleepless nights, and say hello to fresh mornings. Prioritising sleep ensures that your body and mind are rejuvenated, enabling you to chase your dreams to the best of your abilities. Try these tips, and witness your groggy mornings magically disappear!

 

 

 

Have you ever slept for 8+ hours, but still woken up feeling groggy and tired? Getting 8 hours of sleep has long been preached as the “one-size fits all” formula for good sleep. However, research indicates that this does not necessarily ensure a well-rested mind and body. Rather, the quality of sleep matters too, perhaps even more than the amount of sleep itself. 

Why is Quantity not Enough?

The answer to the question “How well did you sleep” tends to revolve around the number of hours an individual has slept. However, an oft-encountered misunderstanding is that time spent in bed equates to time spent actually sleeping. While you may go to great lengths to ensure that you go to bed on time, this does not guarantee that you are getting enough sleep. Restoration of the mind and body requires sound and uninterrupted sleep to ensure that the brain is well-equipped to function throughout the next day. Disturbed sleep, on the other hand, increases your risk of developing various psychological ailments like Alzheimers and dementia. Moreover, tightly-packed schedules may result in quantity of sleep feeling slightly out of your control, and improving your quality of sleep can help you make the best out of the time spent in bed.

Ensuring Good Quality Sleep

Ensuring that you fall asleep quickly, sleep well and wake up refreshed may seem like a tall order. However, it can be achieved through a series of small changes. 

 

Your bedtime routine matters – try optimizing it 

 

While caffeine may provide you a much-needed boost to get through the day, consuming it up to six hours before bed has been linked to significantly worsened sleep quality. It is also essential to avoid using electronics before bed and instead, establish a relaxing bedtime routine that allows you to clear your mind and wind down. Meditating or taking a relaxing shower can help ensure that you are ready to fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed. 

 

Where you sleep matters 

 

Your sleep environment also plays a key role in creating an inviting atmosphere for sleep. Using comfortable and appealing sleep accessories, such as those offered by Peps, can help make your bedroom a quiet, calm and enjoyable space. Additionally, bed and body temperature also have a profound influence on sleep quality, and getting a good night’s sleep is extremely difficult if it is too hot or too cold. One way to combat this is by using a mattress that has temperature-regulating properties, such as Peps Double Decker, to ensure that your mattress aids you in keeping your body at the right temperature while you sleep.

 

The right bedding and mattress makes a difference 

 

Have you ever wondered why you always sleep better in a hotel? Aside from the relaxing environment, the bed quality may also play a role. New bedding often enhances sleep, while a poor-quality mattress can lead to hours of tossing and turning in bed. Mattress preferences are highly subjective, and good quality sleep involves finding a mattress that is right for you. Peps offers a wide range of mattresses, made from different materials and having different features and levels of firmness, to ensure that you find the right fit.

The bottom line

The old motto of quality over quantity stands true for sleep too. Restorative sleep requires a balance between both quantity and quality of sleep. Thus, getting a good night’s sleep does not just involve blocking off a few hours in your schedule, but requires proactive measures to ensure that you are sleeping well. Make a conscious decision to implement these measures, and witness your mornings instantly get better!

The phrase “New Year, New You” has begun to make the rounds, as people are starting to list their resolutions for 2021. While celebrating New Year often involves staying up late and sacrificing sleep, it is important to ensure that the rest of the year doesn’t follow suit. Research indicates that good quality sleep is necessary to enable you to achieve your goals, including your new year’s resolutions. Here are 5 sleep resolutions to ensure that your 2021 is the best that it can be!

Resolution #1 – Tidying the bed every morning

While making your bed in the morning may seem like just another mundane ritual, research indicates that it might be more meaningful than that. According to a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation, people who made their bed in the morning were 19 percent more likely to get a good, uninterrupted night’s sleep, than those who did not. This ensures better sleep hygiene by helping your bed stay cleaner during the day, and also helps you start the day on a productive note. Moreover, you will love seeing a freshly-made bed when you decide to turn in after a tiring day!

Resolution #2 – Streamline your sleep schedule

While staying up late on the weekends and sleeping in past noon often seems enjoyable, it has disastrous effects on your health in the long run. Sleeping and waking up at the right time is essential to get in sync with your natural sleep-wake cycle and ensure good sleep. In the new year, resolve to sleep and wake up at the same time to stay in tune with your body’s natural clock and wake up naturally, without even needing an alarm. Moreover, try to bid goodbye to long naps, since they often upend your sleep schedule and make it difficult to sleep at night. 

Resolution #3 – Invest in a supportive, organic mattress

If your mattress keeps you tossing and turning at night, then it might be a good time to buy a new one. By gifting yourself the right mattress, you are investing in your mind, body and lifestyle – all at once! An old or bad-quality mattress results in a variety of issues – ranging from back aches to premature aging. Investing in a supportive, comfortable and organic mattress can help you wake up refreshed every morning, while aiding your mental and physical health in the long run. For instance, Peps Organica is an organic mattress made from eco-latex that offers a range of benefits such as improved air-circulation and anti-microbial properties. 

From the right material to the right firmness –  it is important to ensure that all aspects of your mattress are optimised for the best night’s sleep. 

Resolution #4 – Say no to all electronic devices before bed 

Do you go straight from scrolling through social media to trying to fall asleep? If yes, then this sleep resolution is for you! The disruptive blue light from the screen strains your eyes and tells your subconscious brain that it is still light out, thereby making it difficult to fall asleep. Ideally, a good sleep routine involves putting away all screens at least an hour before bed. Instead, spend the last minutes of your day engaging in activities that help you wind down, such as reading a book or practicing relaxation exercises to clear your mind. 

Resolution #5 – Improve your Sleep Environment

Nobody likes walking into a messy room at the end of a tiring and stressful day. Simple tasks like cleaning your room, making your bed and investing in new bedding and pillows can help create an inviting atmosphere for sleep. Various aspects of your room, such as the noise-levels, temperature and lighting, need to be at optimal levels to ensure that you can fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly through the night. Investing in the right room decor, mattress and sleep accessories can help resolve the problems in your bedroom atmosphere. 

A new year offers an opportunity for a fresh start, just like a good night’s sleep. As you sit down and make your list of New Year’s resolutions, make sure that prioritising sleep is one of them. A new year of new possibilities awaits, and making the best out of 2021 requires that you are well-rested and refreshed, every morning. Resolve to sleep better this year, and your brain and body will definitely thank you for it!