How To Get A Better Nights Sleep*

*This is a collaborative post*

This is the first post I've written in a long time, I've been on maternity with my daughter and also recovering from ill health. It's fair to say lots of change has happened in my life over the last eighteen months and for someone who has never much liked change I think I've coped pretty well with it. It's also made me look at life differently and also at how I look after myself. I want and need to be a strong healthy mummy for my daughter so I've been making some adjustments to my lifestyle and looking into ways I can boost my health and lose some weight.

Improving Health And Wellbeing

When it comes to health there are the obvious changes we can make that most of us will already be aware of. Things such as quitting smoking, reducing the amount of alcohol we drink, exercising more, losing weight and eating healthily, but did you know that sleep is also a major contributing factor to both physical and mental health?

Many of us overlook just how important sleep is when it comes to our overall health, yet poor sleep has been linked to various health problems such as heart disease, stroke, depression, diabetes and weight gain. It can also have a negative impact on concentration, brain function and the immune system. Granted with a baby in the house I get less sleep than is recommended but I still try to ensure that what sleep I do get is of quality.

How To Improve Your Quality Of Sleep

According to the NHS website, 'a solid night's sleep is essential for a long and healthy life.'

There are several things to consider if you want to improve your quality of sleep. Factors such as your sleeping pattern, your environment, your lifestyle and your diet. These all contribute to how well or indeed how poorly you sleep. You should;

*Aim to go to bed at the same time each night as it will get your body used to a set pattern.

*Leave your phone alone for a couple of hours before you go to sleep. Our phones emit blue light which affects the hormone that makes us sleepy.

*Avoid eating late or drinking stimulants like coffee before bed.

*Keep the bedroom for sleep and sex only. Your mind needs to recognise that your bedroom is the place you go to for rest.

*Create a soothing relaxing environment and have a comfortable bed. We spend an inordinate amount of time in bed so it's worth investing in comfort. There are so many different mattresses on the market depending on your needs but a decent mattress should give support and distribute your weight evenly. If you're buying online and can't physically test how a mattress feels then do some research and read reviews before you make a decision and part with your pennies. I like 'What Mattress' because it's not actually connected to any mattress companies or suppliers which I personally find makes for a more honest, unbiased review.

*Exercise daily but nothing too vigorous before bed as it may wake you up.

*Try to have a pre-bedtime routine. Set aside some time each night for relaxing. Whether you read a book, meditate, have a bath or watch a movie, find something that helps you to unwind.

Why not try some of these tips and see if you can improve your sleep? I'll personally be looking at mattresses soon as one of the springs has unfortunately popped through. If you didn't know, it's recommended that you upgrade your mattress every eight years!

*Header image.