Category: Blog

The bedroom is a sanctuary for sleep and relaxation, and the feeling of walking into the right one after a long day is unmatched. An undisturbed and restorative night’s sleep involves the combination of a range of factors, including your bedtime routine, sleep timing and of course, the sleep setting itself. Bedrooms are often a primary cause for night-time tossing and turning, and a few tweaks could magically improve your sleep. Here are five ways in which you can optimise your room for the best night’s sleep. 

Clear the Clutter

Does your night-stand look like a storage cabinet? Well, it might be time to declutter your room to ensure that you sleep well and wake up refreshed. Visual clutter contributes to stress and anxiety, which can make it difficult to relax and inhibit sleep. This involves organising the space, clearing out stacks of books or paper and removing unnecessary items of furniture. Spending a few minutes every day to clear up the clutter can prevent a mess from building up, and ensure that your room is always ready to sleep in. 

Choose Calming Colours

The colour palette of your room can have a significant influence on your ability to wind down for the night. Choosing colours that are conducive to sleep can help you fall asleep quicker and sleep better throughout the night. Light and muted colours are generally ideal for bedrooms, and cool colours such as light blue, grey or lavender are considered to be the best bet for comfortable sleep. A survey of 2,000 people found that individuals with blue bedrooms averaged the most amount of sleep, followed by moss green, pale yellow and silver. Thus, painting your room does not just involve picking your favourite colours, but also ensuring that these colours are conducive for sleep.

Pick the Perfect Mattress and Bedding

The centerpiece of your bedroom is the bed itself, and picking the right mattress is the first step towards building a bedroom for restful sleep. The right mattress should combine support with comfort, and have enough space for you to comfortably move around. When picking a mattress, it is important to cater it to your sleeping position, age, weight and sleep problems. Peps offers a wide range of comfortable mattresses, each with unique properties for your individual sleep needs. Aside from the mattress itself, it is important to invest in the right bedding, pillows and sleep accessories. Crisp, clean sheets play an important role in helping you relax. Moreover, a supportive pillow, such as Peps Neck Guard, moulds itself to the shape of your neck and relieves muscular compression. The right pillow keeps your head and spine perfectly aligned to alleviate pain. By building a bed that’s right for you, you are setting yourself up for a night of restful sleep and an energized morning. 

 Soothe your Senses 

Falling asleep involves creating a sleep-inducing atmosphere for all your senses, from sight to smell. Light acts as an important cue for your body’s internal clock, and it is important to minimise the light in your bedroom through various means, such as using black-out curtains or a low-temperature bedside lamp. The age-old adage of ‘silence is golden’ holds particularly true in the context of sleep, and noise can act as a barrier to a night of rest and rejuvenation. White noise machines or speakers with comforting music can help drown out any unpleasant noises. Finally, having relaxing scents in your bedroom can help promote relaxation and sound sleep. By designing your bedroom to soothe your senses, you are all set to fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up refreshed!

Eliminate the Electronics

Electronics are definitely the antithesis of great sleep, and eliminating electronics from your bedtime routine is key to ensuring an uninterrupted night’s sleep. Research indicates that screen time before bed exposes you to harsh blue light, that  disrupts your body’s circadian rhythm and activates your mind. This makes winding down an almost impossible feat, and stands in the way of a good night’s sleep. Hiding electronics can prevent you from feeling tempted to scroll through Instagram ‘one last time’ before you sleep. As they say: out of sight, out of mind!

From picturing your ideal bedroom to actually creating it, the process of designing a dream bedroom is both exciting and challenging. The first and foremost priority when engaging in this process is to ensure that your bedroom is built to give you the best sleep you can get. By following these tips, you can ensure that your bedroom is a tool for great nights and fresh mornings!

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!

The need for good quality sleep has been well-established today, and people are constantly on the lookout for tips and tricks to ensure that they are sleeping right. However, how many of these tips are actually backed by facts? From conversations with family members to posts on social media – we encounter several sleep myths on a daily basis, that may actually be causing more harm than good. Debunking these sleep myths is therefore necessary to ensure that you fall asleep fast, sleep soundly and wake up fresh. 

Myth #1 – Napping during the day can compensate for lack of sleep at night.

When we are finishing up a piece of work or watching “just one more episode”, we often tell ourselves that we can nap during the day to make up for a sleepless night. However, research indicates that the brain moves through several stages during night sleep. Therefore, while a nap may provide a quick boost of energy, it can also make you feel disoriented upon waking up. Moreover, naps may also upset your sleep cycle, an d make it difficult for you to fall asleep at night. 

Myth #2 – A warm bedroom is ideal for good quality sleep. 

While a warmer bedroom definitely feels cosy, cranking up your room’s temperature may not always be the best idea. The physical process of sleep involves a natural dropping of body temperature. Therefore, a bedroom that is too hot may disrupt that process and interfere with sleep. This can be combated by ensuring that your bedroom is at an optimal temperature, generally considered to be between 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Moreover, a mattress with temperature-regulatory properties, such as Peps Double Decker, can help keep your body at an ideal temperature while you sleep. 

Myth #3 –  Still sleepers are the soundest sleepers. 

Worried about moving around in your sleep? While sleeping still is often equated to sleeping soundly, research indicates that minor movements are actually healthy, normal and natural. Movements during sleep are a cause of concern only if they are chronic or violent, cause awakening, or disturb a partner. Using a mattress with pocketed springs, such as Peps Crystal, can ensure that your movements don’t affect your soundly sleeping partner!

Myth #4 – Sleeping on a firm mattress relieves back pain.

People with back-related issues are often advised to opt for a firm mattress to help relieve back pain. However, modern research indicates that a medium or medium-firm mattress may actually be better for back health. The best mattress is one that is firm enough to support your entire body, while being soft enough to contour to your curves and prevent pressure points. For example, Peps Spine-Guard uses revolutionary memory foam to keep your spine aligned properly and eliminate pressure from specific body parts. 

Myth #5 – The time of sleep doesn’t matter, as long as you sleep enough. 

Studies have demonstrated that it is not just the amount of sleep that matters, but the timing of sleep as well. Sleeping at night is essential to align your circadian rhythm or internal body clock with the external environment. Proper circadian timing is not only important for sleep quality, but also impacts mental health, cardiovascular health, metabolism, and other aspects of mental and physical well-being. 

Despite spending over one-third of our lives sleeping, sleep may often still seem like a mystery. While sleep-research is continuously looking for ways to explain the sleep process, it is well-established that sleep can be optimised to improve daily functioning. It’s time to demystify sleep, and replace myths with facts to help you sleep better and wake up refreshed!

Back pain can be debilitating. After the common cold, back pain is the chief reason for people taking off from work. It’s often the lower back pain that is the most common form of back pain. According to a study on the Global Burden of Diseases published in the medical journal The Lancet, lower back pain made up 2.59% of Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) in 2017.

Significantly, back pain may not have causes that are due to some existing disease. A WHO study said lower back pain arises from ergonomic issues. Examples include overuse, working out or lifting too much, prolonged sitting or lying down. The choice and age of the mattress also come into play here.

Moreover, in this age of technology, postural habits and movement behaviours, including a lack of physical activity, are often cited as causes of back pain.

Back pain may have an impact on mental well-being too. Studies indicate that large proportions of adults with any type of back pain report fair to poor mental and physical health (25%), which is more than double of those without back pain.
There is no one strategy to cure the pain — it comes down to trial and error to discover what works for you!

Stretch
Today, despite being busy and having hectic schedules, it is imperative to stretch as a way to strengthen the spine. The stretching of the spine in the morning is the right way to wake up. Shoulder rolls, forward bends and full overhead stretch are beneficial.

Avoid an oversoft bed
When suffering from back pain, you need to worry about the mattress. The right mattress will help rectify musculoskeletal imbalances that are responsible for back pain, knee pain etc. Spine guard, Peps’ model that is mainly meant to support the spine will help.

Deep breathe
Once you sit or recline, the diaphragm gets constricted. Deep breathing is essential not only for your spine but also in one’s overall well-being. Deep breathing puts pressure on the chest as you inhale and exhale. When standing, breathe with the diaphragm, thus lengthening the spine, and expanding the upper and lower back.

Yoga
Yoga is a natural way to relieve pain. Yoga poses are excellent for strengthening the back, shoulders, spine, and pelvis. They help in relaxing the stressed muscles. Bridge pose, triangle pose, bow pose are some yoga asanas that help strengthen your spine.

Stretch and Extend
Lie on the stomach on a mat with legs extended. Prop up the upper part of the body by resting the weight on the forearms. Position the hands to make the palms face down. Stretch the back and the abdomen, hold for 30 seconds.

Have you ever walked into a bedroom that feels right? While the people around you play a massive role in making you feel comfortable, the chances are that the room is well designed for your comfort. Designing the bedroom of your dreams can be a challenge! The room has to be beautiful, and your intuition has to be right. 

Here are five things to keep in mind while designing your new bedroom!

• Function

The functionality of your bedroom is the most crucial factor to consider while designing your comfort space. The aesthetics of your bedroom largely depends on your needs, desires and hobbies. Is the room going to be your crashing space after a long day at work? Is it going to be your office space where you make all your professional decisions? Answers to these questions will decide the foundation of your design. The amount of time you spend in the room and the activities that you prefer will play an essential role in the design of your bedroom.

 

• Storage 

The list of things you store in your bedroom is long. Everything from clothes, accessories and handbags to essential documents, bed-sheets and your favourite personal items go into your bedroom. Storage with creativity will help you organize your bedroom without cluttering your own space. Your storage units must be well organized and aesthetically appealing. Designing a wardrobe to the ceiling height or using secret cabinets and shelves will also help you store your valuables without disrupting the theme of your bedroom. Drawers and shelves can be designed in sync with the overall design of your bedroom. 

 

• Colour Palette and Visual Comfort

What mood do you want to create in your bedroom? The answer to this question will help you decide the visual aesthetic of your room. Calm and subtle colours are usually preferred over loud and bright colours for a bedroom. Neutral shades avoid unnecessary distraction and noise. If you prefer bright hues, make sure that you use a lighter shade of your favourite red or violet on your bedroom walls. Soothing shades and restful palettes will instantly make you feel at home. Contrast the subtle shades with bright upholstery and décor to avoid a boring set up. Toast browns, topaz and deep pomegranate against subtle shades like hues of blue and green will create a refreshing aesthetic to your new bedroom. Sleep accessories accentuate the visual aesthetic of your bedroom. Peps’ sleep accessories available in various colours and styles will highlight the design of your comfort space!

 

• Adjustment of Light

Lighting is an essential aspect of interior design. The amount of natural and artificial lighting can revolutionize the ambience of your bedroom. Proper lighting will emphasize the colours, textures, materials and décor of your bedroom. The size and location of your windows can make a massive difference in the overall design of your bedroom. Layering the lights throughout your room is always a great option! Soft illumination and reading lights will enhance the functionality of your bedroom.

 

• Comfort

Minimalistic, rustic, or contemporary! No matter how you define your taste in décor and design, make sure that the elements make you feel at home. Find pieces that genuinely fit your taste and comfort. Some of us prefer sleek modern furniture and clean linen while others prefer decorative pieces and large traditional windows with bright drapes. Your bed is the master of your bedroom. Comfortable and stylish mattresses like Peps Zenimo, Peps Organica and Peps Cameo will change the look and feel of your bedroom. Luxurious, classic and stylish, the new Peps mattresses along with our unique product Gripster are the perfect blend of style and comfort, especially while sitting and working on bed. 

Personalize your bedroom with your favourite pieces of furniture and rugs. Make sure that the décor adds meaning to your bedroom and make the statement that you intend to make. Above all, make sure that you design a bedroom that you will want to come home to every single day!

Ever since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, much of the working population has cooped themselves up within their respective houses. With most people working from home, nearly all their daily routines have taken a beating. 

The set routine of waking up early and getting ready for work is no longer a necessity as the formal dressing has more or less been done away with. 

Be it eating habits or sleep routines, they have impacted all the habits and routines we take for granted. From the time we wake up, till we hit the sack at night, we develop a habit of falling into a set routine. Many of them become habits that we take to the grave. These habits have been developed over the years, with many habits even being followed after being set in place from early childhood.

Impact on sleep habits

The information overload can have a direct impact on life, and with the normal commute and work schedule vanishing, there is a high risk of one’s sleep schedule getting defenestrated. One may end up staying awake later than usual as they get engrossed in the latest news headlines. 

To find a proper sleep schedule, these steps could help. 

• First, decide when you need to get up for work while accounting for the lesser commitments in the morning. Working back, if you aim for seven hours of sleep and need to wake up by 6 am, plan to get to bed by 11 pm at the latest.
• Begin winding down one hour before bedtime and prepare to sleep. Get off your phone, computer, TV or other screens by 10 pm. Why not set a recurring alarm on the phone to prepare the mind for sleep.
• With the uncertainties lingering in our lives, setting aside time to recharge is essential. Stay on social media and watch the news as little as possible. Instead, find something relaxing. 
• You can relax through exercise, by praying, reading books you enjoy, listening to music, spending time with family, or rediscovering a creative hobby.

These habits will definitely ensure that you are able to get a sound sleep at night and wake up recharged for starting on a new day ready to face challenges thrown at you.

Sleep may seem to be a simple and basic everyday routine. Yet a lack of it at any given instance can have devastating consequences for a person’s mental and physical well-being. But if one is looking to improve their sleeping habits, good sleep hygiene can transform their life. 

The term “sleep hygiene” involves quite a few healthy sleep habits. These habits can help improve one to not only fall asleep but also to experience high-quality sleep. 

While the required amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, it depends on the factors such as an individual’s age, lifestyle and even their health condition. By strictly following sleep hygiene, one can significantly improve the quality of their sleep, which in turn can positively impact their performance in everyday life. 

 

If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, working on a few aspects of sleep hygiene can help: 

• Be disciplined: Given the COVID-19 crisis, it’s easy to disrupt one’s circadian rhythm. Instead, go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time each morning, including the weekends. The consistency will ensure your body is well-rested daily.
   
• Exercise: It’s only in recent history that humans have used scientific innovations to design a life where lesser effort is required for living. But the body still needs to expend energy to remain and perform at its best. Therefore, it’s necessary to get some exercise during the day, as this can help one fall asleep a lot more easily at night.

• Ideal bedroom environment: It’s crucial to ensure that your bedroom is quiet and not brightly lit up. The room should also be well ventilated to maintain a cool temperature so that the body feels comfortable before you doze off into calming sleep.
   
• Limit screen time: Technology has made its way into quite a few aspects of human life, and so have screens. However, looking at these screens before sleeping is not advisable as the blue light emitted from them can reduce the melatonin (a hormone crucial for sleep) levels in the body. So avoid using electronic devices such as television, computers, and smartphones in the bedroom, especially before sleeping.

Sure, it is always a great idea to sit an hour or two on your mobile, but do it not before sleeping. Use your mobile at least 3 hours before sleeping. There are a number of hobbies you may do in your free time using your mobile phone. For instance, reading an online book, watching YouTube, gambling free casino games with a free spins bonus, scrolling an Instagram feed, etc. Everything to keep you entertained and relaxed!

Eat just right: It’s good to avoid large meals, coffee, and alcohol before going to bed. Such items can come in the way of good sleep by disrupting the body’s sleep mechanisms. The saying “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper” is excellent advice if you’re trying to sleep better.

It’s also important to know that the quality of sleep one experiences also depends on their behaviour during the day until bedtime. While maintaining good sleep hygiene helps you experience quality sleep, like mastering any habit, consistency, and practice are essential. 

Sleep hygiene plays a critical role and impacts the quality of sleep one experiences day after day. If one finds it hard to sleep or wants to improve their sleeping habits, trying the steps above can help. However, if the difficulty in sleeping persists, please consult a medical professional.

Sleep is defined as a condition of body and mind which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended. The process of sleep is one of the most critical natural processes responsible for a number of biological activities that sustain everyday well-being. It’s obvious then that good sleep directly results in better productivity as one is rejuvenated.

But, how much sleep do you need to be equipped for having a productive day? A person needs 7-8 hours of sleep to function optimally and there are quite a few hacks to achieve this.

But what if you fail to get the required amount of sleep? Don’t worry, here are 7 hacks that can help..

1.Set boundaries for screen time
The most important advice would be to avoid everything electronic and that which disturbs your sleeping environment. Electronic screens emit blue light, a spectrum of light that stimulates your mind and hinders the production of melatonin, which keeps you awake.

While reading a paper book is debatable, but to get quality sleep, read in the living room and then move to the bed. Make sure you don’t read anything complex or related to work.

2.Set A Routine
It’s nearly impossible to have a straightjacket set routine for your daily life. But, even with an unsteady schedule, it’s important to have a reasonable idea of how the day is going to pan out.

Quite a few studies have found that rapid eye movement cycles renew and refresh the brain, and hence, is decisive in maximizing productivity.
The trick is to be open-ended with the sleep schedule while sticking to a set constraint. Any drastic shift makes you lose productivity as the body is unable to signal when it’s tired. It’s advisable to avoid oversleeping on weekends, as it can throw your entire biological clock into a mess.

3.Find soothing music:
There are quite a few studies that have tried to understand the effect of slow and pleasant music on the brain. Quite a few have found that such music helps the brain function at an optimal level while helping the individual with focus. So the next time you want to be productive after a late night, listen to soothing music while sipping green. While the calming music cannot replace sleep, it can help the mind focus on the task at hand. This, in turn, can help you finish work in time to sleep early and bring your circadian rhythm back on track.

4.Optimise most productive parts of the day
People are at their peak at different times of the day. Some are most creative at night, while others are more productive very early in the morning. So take some time to identify periods during the day when you are at your peak. Setting your schedule according to your energy levels during the day will not only increase your focus, creativity, and productivity but can also help you understand yourself better.

5.Ditch the snooze button
A heavy sleeper often finds a good friend in the snooze button. But make it a habit, and one is stepping onto a slippery slope. The habit could jeopardise energy levels meant to last the entire day. Addressing sleep inertia is simple. If the alarm wakes one up from deep sleep, it’s best to face the day. Hitting the snooze will only leave you feeling worse because the body clock doesn’t know if it’s in deep sleep, light sleep or it’s time to get up. Numerous studies have shown that hitting the snooze button can cause you to feel tired throughout the day. Relying on the snooze habit can also result in serious ailments over a period of time.

6.Power-up with caffeine and napping
Counterintuitive at first look, but combining a cup of coffee with a nap can prove one of the most effective ways to boost one’s energy during the day. A study discovered this while determining the most effective means of relieving daytime fatigue.

As caffeine generally takes around 20 minutes for its effects to kick in, you’ll need to quickly down a cup of coffee, then immediately seek a quiet place for a short snooze. It can be your bed, a quiet meeting room if you’re at work or perhaps even your car.

7. Breathing to sleep in 60 seconds
Sometimes, even after a long tiring day, it may be difficult to fall asleep. But don’t worry. You needn’t be a yoga master or a monk to benefit from guided breathing techniques. A simple practice every night, like alternate nostril breathing counters the body’s stress signals and can be practised anywhere to slowly transition into a peaceful sleeping experience. This will help you wake up recharged and ready to chase your dreams the next day.

Now you are equipped with a few simple yet effective hacks to ensure you experience good sleep while being productive. So go ahead, and try some of these methods to see a positive change in your everyday life.