Thursday, February 08, 2018

Home Style || Talking Sleep & The Right Mattress


 In collaboration with Bed Guru


Talking sleep...

Sleep is the most important thing for us to get right, but so many of us get it wrong. Lack of a decent routine, being glued to mobile phones at bed time and simply having a rubbish mattress tend to be norm for many, so it's no wonder we don't sleep well or wake up still tired and aching from an uncomfortable night. 

A few years ago we made a big switch at bed time, from a budget mattress to a luxury mattress and the impact on not just our sleep but also our health was insane. Adding to that a few things like less phone time before bed and finding ways to relax, bed time has been so much easier. Knowing the importance of not only a good night sleep but a good mattress too, I'm taking part in the Bed Guru #NestGuru campaign which is all about talking openly about our sleep habits, as well as finding the perfect mattress to suit us with the help of the sleep experts. 




There's a huge range of mattresses available and it's sometimes a bit mind blowing trying to find out what exactly you need. Over at Bed Guru it's really easy to find your perfect match. For me, my perfect mattress is the Pocket Memory Encapsulated 2000, with pocket springs to let me fidget without waking up Adam and just enough memory foam to take a little extra pressure off my hips and shoulders for a super comfortable sleep. 

If you're yet to make the switch to a decent mattress, do it right now! I can't stress enough what a huge difference it can make to your life just having that better night sleep, with extra comfort and less strain on your joints during the night. I used to wake up in agony with my back after a rubbish night of being woken up by noisy springs. Switching to pocket springs and memory foam makes me feel instantly more relaxed, with far less aches and pains in the morning. Adam has always suffered with night terrors too, so it's really important to have a mattress that doesn't bounce all over the shop if he wakes up suddenly. 

For us, it has to be a king sized bed. We often have a child or two wandering in and it's always nice to spread out when you want to, so I can't imagine going back to a double now! With my back problems, it's important not to have a bed that's too soft as I need to keep my spine reasonably straight. I also need a bit of softness to sink into as I'm pretty curvy and if the bed is too hard it puts too much strain on my body. With that in mind, we always go for a medium firmness rating with our mattresses, with just enough cushioning to feel like you're floating on a cloud, but enough support at the same time.




Aside from the mattress, there are a few other things you can try for a better nights sleep. If you need a little extra help drifting off, check out the tips below for a few ideas which have really helped me lately;

5 tips for a better nights sleep


Switch off your phone
The light from our phones just before bed time can really have a negative effect. If possible, switch off your gadgets and find a softer way to relax such as reading a book or listening to calming music. 
Have a bedtime routine
Just like you would with babies and children, wind yourself down at bed time, relax with a bath, book, dimmed lighting and give yourself enough time to get to sleep without disruption. 
Skip naps
As tempting as it can be to nap in the day time if you have chance, it does seriously mess with your sleep pattern, meaning you can often struggle to get to sleep when it matters. 
Make your sleep space relaxing
A tidy room without clutter can make you feel less stressed before you go to bed. Gentle lighting and soft colours and furnishings can all have a big impact on your mood, relaxing you for sleep. 
Avoid stimulants
Avoiding things like caffeine and nicotine for a few hours before bedtime can make you feel less wired when it comes round to sleep time. 

Do you struggle to get to sleep at night?