Although the longest day of the year has passed, it can still be hard to get the sleep you need when it stays lighter for longer during the summer months. Aside from there being fewer hours of darkness, settling down for a good night’s rest can be made even more difficult due things like hay fever, partner disturbance and high temperatures.
Here, Alison Jones, sleep expert and leading mattress brand, Sealy, shares her top tips on how to improve your sleep quality during those shorter and warmer nights.
Keep the light out
Blackout blinds are the first port of call for many restless sleepers, but for good reason! Our circadian rhythm, otherwise known as our internal body clocks, determines why we feel alert during the day and then sleepy at night. As it darkens outside, our bodies produce the hormone melatonin which helps ease us into sleepiness.
This means longer days wreak havoc on our sleep quality as light pours into our bedrooms, making it difficult for our bodies to determine when it is time for bed.
Blackout blinds or curtains are an efficient way to banish the light from bedrooms, but an eye mask, preferably silk as it stays cooler, is an affordable option that also contributes style factor.
Get the right room temperature
Temperature is a key factor in achieving a good night’s rest. It’s scientifically proven that 18.3 degrees Celsius, which can vary by a few degrees depending on the individual, is the best bedroom temperature for fuss-free nights.
The obvious choice to beat the heat is to open your windows at night, but opting for a suitable mattress, such as casper essential mattress, is also a great way to regulate temperature and provide ultimate comfort. The Sealy Posturepedic range includes mattresses that are woven with SmarTex and ProShield technology to disperse heat away from the skin and provide a cooler and cleaner night’s sleep.
Exercise earlier during the day
During periods of warmer weather, try to avoid exercising during the daytime when the temperatures will be at their highest. Instead, try an evening jog or walk when the temperature has cooled down as not only is this the optimal time to get your workout in, it will also tire your muscles out before bed.
When exercising during the summer, consider opting for a lighter form of activity such as walking, yoga or simply stretching. This is because intense workouts before bed can increase your body temperature too much and make it harder to drift off.
Exercise should not be something to lose sleep over, literally and figuratively!
Stretching before bed
Stretching is not just post-workout etiquette. If silent meditation isn’t your thing, gentle stretches before you hit the hay can promote better sleep quality by relieving any muscle tension, practising mindfulness of your body, and helping your body to enter a relaxed state.
Stretching can also be a great alternative night time activity to scrolling through social media on your phone or tablet, which could be keeping you up at night. Stretching encourages mindfulness as it helps to focus your attention on your breath and body, as opposed to the stresses of the day. It also offers physical benefits, helping to relieve muscle tension and prevent sleep-disrupting cramps.
Warm showers
Taking a cold shower on those unbearably hot nights sounds blissful but it could actually be impeding your sleep rather than helping you to drift off. Extremely cold temperatures can cause your core temperature to drop and subsequently increase your overall body temperature as your body tries to warm back up. A slightly warmer or lukewarm shower an hour before bed can help you lose heat more efficiently.
Invest in the right mattress
Your sleep environment can play a major role in how comfortable you feel during the night. An alternative and straight forward way to combat rising temperatures is the Elevate Ultra mattress by Sealy which helps you achieve a cooling night’s sleep. SmarTex™ is designed to wick away moisture to regulate your sleep climate, whilst ProShield® keeps allergens at bay, therefore keeping you cool at night and also alleviating allergy symptoms that may disrupt your rest.
Another great way to regulate temperature during sleep is to look for mattresses with Geltex, a unique cooling material for the ultimate sleeping comfort, found in the Sealy Posturepedic range. This range of mattresses also features a BasePlank which is not only engineered to allow air to move throughout the body of the mattress, but also to work with the AlignSupport Coil to provide true support during your sleep.
