Requirements For A Perfect Nights Sleep*

*This is a collaborative post*

I'm gonna go all out and say this - I'm a sleepaholic! I love my bed, it's probably my favourite place to be. Ever since I was a tiny tot I've required a lot of sleep in order to function properly. If I have a bad night you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be grumpy, moody, head-achy and not at all myself the following day.

Here are my requirements for a perfect nights sleep!

Darkness

I need darkness but not a complete blackout. Ever since I was a small girl I've needed to have the bedroom door open just a crack to let the landing light in a tiny bit. I'm night blind so I really hate total darkness as it freaks me out.

Silence 

I don't like any noise at bedtime because it literally prevents me from falling asleep. Once I'm actually asleep, again I have to have complete silence as the slightest thing can wake me up. It doesn't matter if it's snoring from the other bedroom, music coming from next doors garden party, chatter from a family member downstairs or even a ticking clock, if there's sound, you can guarantee I'll be lying there wide awake. The only exception (or that I've adjusted to) is the rain. I find the sound of it hitting the window rather soothing as I'm snuggled up in bed.

Comfort 

I have four required essentials for optimum comfort. The temperature in my bedroom has to be right. Too hot and I get sticky and uncomfortable. Don't even suggest opening the window - I hate the notion that spiders can get in. My mum says they'll get in anyway but still, the thought makes me shudder!

I also need a good quality mattress like these from Mattress Next Day, one that is firm enough to give my back support but not so hard that I can't sink into it a little. I've had a back problem since I was a teen so if the mattress is all wrong then I'll be waking up constantly with backache. Luckily I have a fantastic mattress and so any back troubles are kept at bay! 

Three squishy pillows are a must - no more and no less - to make sure I'm sleeping comfortably and at the right angle otherwise again I tend to get back and neck problems. Been there, done that, bought that t-shirt and it wasn't fun. As soon as my pillows start flagging, I invest in new ones. 

Lastly in the comfort domain, I have to have a heavyweight duvet no matter what the season. I like to feel the weight of it so that I can snuggle - literally up to my chin - and feel safe and secure. Sure I might kick a leg out if it gets hot in the summer but the duvet never goes! It's just a comfort thing I guess. For more information on buying duvets, check out this guide from the The Dozy Owl. 

Hydration 

I try to down a pint of cordial every night before I go to bed otherwise you can guarantee that I'll wake up in the early hours gasping for a drink. I'm always thirsty. It also helps keep my headaches at bay. 

Blue Light Ban

I can't believe I'm saying this after months of protesting but I think the blue light emitted from my phone is affecting my sleeping pattern. I've been reading up more on this lately and as such have set myself a goal to put my phone away for one hour every night before bedtime. I'm still adjusting to this as I literally use my phone for everything - blog related tasks, networking, social media etc etc. That said, now I've been doing this for over a week, I've already started to notice a difference. I've slept through to at least four am on a couple of occasions and this hasn't happened in as long as I can remember. When I manage to sleep through for a full night I'll be sure to update you! 

What are your tips for a good nights sleep? 

Thanks to Mattress Next Day for sharing the information and stats below. 

*Data images courtesy of MattressNextDay

*Header image via Pexels

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