Happy Halloween, Day of the Dead, or Fabulous Fall! The colors are changing… and our senses are peeked!
It’s a time for tricks, treats, costumes, and stories to frighten and inspire. It's a busy time, full of change. I'm pulling my big sweaters out of their boxes and trundling out to the garden to put the plants to bed for the winter. It’s time to get cozy inside now that it is cooler out there! Because of the temperature change we should be thinking about how we dress our beds just like how we dress ourselves. According to a recent study 34% of Americans are suffering from severe sleep deprivation at any one time. This is a pretty serious consideration when thinking about driving cars or any of the many important things we do every day. (Don’t be a zombie after Halloween…) So how do we make sure our sleep is really restful? There are lot’s of things we can do during the day (please follow our tweet if you’d like regular ideas and encouragement) but with this blog let’s start with making our bedrooms cozy and ready for serious sleep.
As temperatures change around us we wanna make sure our rooms are warm but not hot, about 60 -72 degrees (68 is a good happy medium). You don’t want your body working to maintain a proper temperature, otherwise your sleep cycle will be affected. Materials regulate temperature so seek out natural breathable products made of cotton and wool, instead of polyesters that will trap heat and moisture. (We actually lose about a quart of water every night.) Make sure the room doesn’t have lights or computer equipment that will keep your brain alert and not allow your sleep cycle to start ;) In addition to this go to sleep at the same time every night so that your body establishes its circadian rhythm and you’re sure to get deep REM. This is easy to forget with artificial lighting at our beck and call at any moment, but our brains need rythms to sleep deep. And last but not least make sure your room is quite and take measures to make it your peaceful kingdom.
Once you’ve got all the basics established it’s time to fine tune. Ask yourself if you are a side sleeper or back sleeper? Do you need a softer bed to ease up around the curves of your arms and side, and a large pillow that keeps your head in line with your back? Or do you need a firmer surface and smaller pillow for sleeping on your back? Make sure you like the feel of things. Shop by touching, laying down, and by curling up under products! Remember as you close your eyes for zzz’s it’s how things feel that is really important. And give yourself time to make the right choices. The body needs at least fifteen minutes to really relax on a new bed so that you know if it will be a good fit for your sleep habits. In the rush and bustle of modern life getting sufficient sleep requires being creative. Give yourself time to feel out what works, and add one sweet treat at a time to build your personal palace of rest!
Sleep on it! Dream on it… the next purchase will feel delightful for its relaxed pace and perfect timing.
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Andrew Himes
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