Published on Apr 25, 2022
Are you yawning through your days or taking a long time to get to sleep at the moment?
You're not alone. In fact, one-third of Australians aren't getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep a night. In addition to eating well and exercising, high-quality sleep can improve your concentration levels, increase your energy and keep you healthy.
Here are some simple ways to get your sleep back on track:
The bedroom is the first place you should be starting.
Ensure that your décor is simple and that you keep your room clean. We also recommend removing most of your devices from your room as they can be highly distracting.
Tip: Think about what colours you're using in your space too. Blue hues are known to be more calming, as well as pastels, white or sage green. Steer clear of shades like deep purple, bright red or black.
It is recommended that you limit your phone, tablet and television use one hour before bed.
Not only can the blue light from devices be disruptive to sleep, "switching off" before bedtime will quiet the mind.
Throughout the day, be mindful of how much news you consume or how much time you're spending on social media. The never-ending news cycle and sensationalised headlines are emotionally draining, especially if you're just about to go to sleep.
At bedtime, both the light from electronic devices and cognitive stimulation from news or social media won't aid quality sleep.
Try to go to bed at the same time every night – it will reinforce your body's sleep cycle.
This may surprise you, but the cleanliness of your mattress may be affecting your sleep
Your mattress is home to millions of dust mites, bacteria, fungi and mould spores feeding off your dead skin and body oils and this can impact your ability to sleep.
Breathing in the excrement of the dust mites can cause a number of common reactions such as itchy eyes and skin, flu-like symptoms and difficulty sleeping.
The Electrodry Healthy Mattress Cleaning service thoroughly cleans your mattress, remove contaminants such as dust mites, bacteria, fungus and mould spores, and leaves it smelling of lavender for a good night’s sleep.
Meditation can help you get to sleep quicker.
Apps like Calm or Insight offer many options for meditation beginners, some specifically designed for relaxing your body for a calming night of sleep.
This website offers guidelines on the basics of meditation.
Give it a go. Meditation can improve the quality of your sleep and give you some calming skills that can benefit you throughout the day as well.
If you have worries keeping you up at night, write them down before going to sleep.
If you are having sleep problems, consider how much coffee you’re drinking throughout the day, or if alcohol is playing a part in your sleeplessness. Alcohol initially has a sedative effect but as it metabolises in the body, it has the opposite effect and causes you to wake at night.
You can replace both with an herbal tea, such as chamomile.
Be mindful of going to bed hungry or overly full, as the discomfort could also keep you up.
If you’ve tried everything you can think of to improve your sleep but it’s not working, it’s worth considering having your mattress cleaned professionally by Electrodry. Electrodry’s healthy mattress cleaning service treats dust mites and bacteria, while treating minor contaminants such as urine and blood. Learn more here.