Sleepeezee

People spend more time on their mattresses than on any other piece of furniture in their home. In fact, we spend half of our lives asleep. That’s why shopping for your mattress is so important and not picking the right one can lead to sleepless nights and achy mornings.

Mattresses can also cost anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands, so you’ll want to make sure that your chosen mattress is worth the investment before you buy.

Here, we’ve put together everything you need to know before you hit the high street or browse the web.

Firmness Levels

One of the most confusing and often complicated options to choose is the firmness of your mattress. Your body shape and weight as well as your sleeping position can all play huge factors in this decision-making process.

You are likely to come across a variety of different firmness levels when you start looking for a mattress, but some will be better suited to you than others.

Firmness levels relate to the utmost support that the layers within the inner mattress build provides, however a well-made mattress will provide you with support regardless of how soft the top layers feel.

To find yours read our blog on firmness levels.

The right mattress if you suffer from a bad back

Memory foam mattresses are an ideal choice if you suffer from back problems, as it will mould to your body, absorb your weight and relieve any pressure on your joints. If you suffer from allergies, you’ll be delighted to hear that memory foam mattresses are often hypoallergenic too.

How can I be sure I’m making the right choice?

Even when armed with this information, it can still be hard to know what it is you’re looking for. The best way to get a feel for the difference between a soft, firm and extra-firm mattress is obviously to try them out, in-store at one of our retailers.

Next up, how should you be looking after your mattress?

Should I air my mattress?

It’s important that you give your mattress a regular airing. You should do this for three to four hours as soon as you get it home from the manufacturer to remove any storage smells.

Should I continue airing it once it’s home?

It’s important to give your mattress a regular weekly airing. This is simple and straightforward to do and just involves removing the bed linen.

Do I need a mattress protector?

Mattress protectors do exactly what they say on the tin. They protect and help keep your mattress clean, which will ultimately prolong its life.

Do I need to turn my mattress?

Yes, it’s essential that you regularly turn your mattress. Remember, you made the investment according to your sleeping style and individual requirements. Not turning it may begin to impact this, as over time it will soften, gradually reducing the level of support it gives you.

How often should I turn my mattress?

You should try and turn your mattress around every three months. However, there’s no one size fits all rule and you should try and use your judgement – if it’s starting to feel soft and like it won’t give you the required support, turn it.

So now you know, a good mattress is a real investment, so take the time to look at all your options and try out models in store. Remember Everything Is Easy When You Sleepeezee.

In a perfect world, we would all be morning people. But unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Many of us have hectic morning routines that are considered a success only if we’re able to make it to work on time and without arriving with coffee stains down on our shirts.

But did you know that waking up early actually has many advantages. Not only does it allow more time for both productivity and leisure, but it also makes our days less stressful. However, try as we might, it seems no matter how early we set the alarm, we always end up hitting snooze (one too many times).

Well luckily for you, we’d like to think that over the years we’ve picked up a tip or two on how to achieve this.

1. Make a schedule.

I know what you’re thinking – because we thought the same thing: “I can’t possibly get up earlier because I have zero willpower.” But it turns out morning people aren’t using willpower to rise and shine; they’re using habits.

In other words, early risers don’t think about getting up—they just do it. To help establish this new habit, we suggest creating a nightly schedule. After all, the most effective way to wake up early is to go to bed early!

2. Stop pressing snooze.

If we wake up feeling groggy, it is likely because a REM (Rapid Eye Movement) cycle has been disrupted. Firstly, make sure you’re getting enough sleep – our deepest sleep usually lasts between 70 and 90 minutes, and this is the point in the cycle where we dream. It is best to wake up at the beginning stages of a REM cycle where we are in the least deep of sleep.

With most sleep apps you can set an alarm and it will pick up on your frequency waves of sleep and only sound a calming alarm when it knows you are no longer in a deep stage of the REM cycle.

3. Expose yourself to natural light.

Throughout the day make sure you get a healthy dose of vitamin D. Not a sunny day? At least go outside for 15 minutes to get some fresh air, or sit by a window that exposes you to natural light

4. Get moving as quickly as possible.

Your room should be a tranquil place of relaxation, so when it is time to get going, we need to leave that room ASAP — even if it means walking to the kitchen for a glass of water. When we lay in bed, checking our Twitter feed, or rolling around yawning, we are allowing ourselves to let the grogginess sit in. The moment you wake up, get up and get moving (here’s a handy playlist that should help with morning motivation).

5. Work out in the morning.

You’re probably thinking, “Are you insane? But working out can help release bad toxins in your body, ones that negatively affect our sleep. Obviously, a good workout is something everyone should be fitting into their schedules on a regular basis. But for those of us that are so busy we think we can’t even afford more sleep, working out can sometimes be put on the back burner.

The changes shouldn’t be drastic, but it is important to recognize that it will be a bit of a change. Start incorporating these tips into your morning routine and take advantage of those extra hours in the morning! For more on prioritising your sleep in 2021, follow The Big January Snooze on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Getting excited for Christmas is one of the best parts of the year. The only downside (and we say this lightly!) is the impact on how we fall asleep on Christmas Eve.

Particularly for youngsters, Christmas Eve can become unbearably exciting, making sleep almost impossible until you’ve been told that the big red guy won’t visit if you don’t fall asleep. But it’s not only children who struggle to nod off on Christmas Eve, even adults do too!

Apart from those lucky, organised few who have everything ready, the majority of us are running around like headless chickens trying to tie up loose ends before the big day. To help, we’ve compiled our best tips for getting to sleep on Christmas Eve:

Avoid caffeine

When you have a cup of coffee, the caffeine stimulates all the nerves in your frontal lobes – waking your brain, boosting adrenaline and blocking sleep-inducing chemicals. Caffeine also increases your chances of developing a headache and can make your heart rate jump, causing you to feel more awake and disrupting your wind down time.

Stay busy in the day

Make sure you have a well-planned day so that the weight of productivity sends you into a deep slumber. Hopefully, gifts will already be wrapped so you can concentrate on the big day. The best way to guarantee a fully productive day is to make a check-list of what needs to be bought, wrapped, cooked and decorated. All the energy that might have kept you awake at night will be depleted, leaving you to sleep like a baby.

Watch classic holiday movies.

Nothing puts you to sleep quite like a late-night film. Elf, Home Alone and Miracle on 64th Street are just a few of our favourites!

Use warming lights

Cosy lighting can also help with getting to sleep – and if you’re lucky enough to be around a roaring fire, that will work wonders. Unlike the bright and blue lights that come from electrical devices, which reduce melatonin and delay sleep, the kind of warm orange light you get sitting in front of a fire helps to soothe the brain and prepare us for sleep.

Mind the sugar

One of the best things about Christmas is the food! Lots of delicious sweets, chocolate, cakes and pies – plus of course all the sugary drinks. But whilst it’s lovely to indulge, keep an eye on how much sugar you are consuming. Sugar can stimulate the body (we’ve all heard of “sugar highs”) which can then have a negative effect on the quality of sleep.

However you’re spending Christmas this year, we hope it’s peaceful and merry.

There are many different drinks that we favour before turning in for the night. Whether it’s a nightcap, a good cuppa or hot cocoa, what you drink before bedtime can be the difference between a good night’s rest or a disturbed one.

To put it simply, whoever said, “you snooze, you lose” clearly has never struggled to get to sleep. From tossing and turning to waking up in the middle of the night, being tired without being able to sleep is one of the most frustrating feelings. Here are a few of our favourite bedtime drinks to help you drift into a dreamy slumber…

Warm milk

It’s an old classic but calcium is known to aid in a good night’s sleep which is why many sleep experts recommend a nice warm mug of milk before bed! It is effective in stress reduction, plus the psychological link between milk and going to bed might be responsible for its sleep boosting properties.

Hot Cocoa

Another classic pre-bedtime drink, not to be confused with sugar-heavy hot chocolate. Cocoa is one of the by-products used for making chocolate. In powder form, it can be added to hot water to make a chocolate-flavoured drink. It’s not quite as creamy or sweet as your typical hot chocolate but that’s why it’s better for sleep!

Herbal Tea

Entering the world of herbal teas for sleep, chamomile is considered one of the best drinks before bed. That’s because it contains a therapeutic antioxidant called  Apigenin. This antioxidant is widely believed to help reduce anxiety and initiate sleep.

Valerian and peppermint teas are also known to relax the body and soothe the stomach.

Decaffeinated green tea

Believe it or not, decaffeinated green tea can help you fall asleep. This is an extremely healthy beverage on so many levels and has many benefits to your body beyond helping you get drowsy. 

Cherry Juice

Cherries are naturally high in melatonin, the hormone that triggers sleep and regulates your internal clock. Like most herbal and fruit teas, it has been used for centuries, stemming all the way back to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

 So do you have a favourite bedtime drink? Let us know over on our social channels!

Getting a good night’s sleep may seem like an impossible goal when you’re wide awake at 3 a.m., but you have much more control over the quality of your sleep than you probably realize.

Unhealthy daytime habits and lifestyle choices can leave you tossing and turning at night and adversely affect your mood, brain and heart health, immune system, creativity, vitality, and weight.

Many factors play a part in how much sleep we get, but by experimenting with the following tips, you can enjoy better sleep at night, boost your health, and improve how you think and feel during the day.

Your mental health

Approximately one in four adults will experience mental health problems each year with anxiety being the most common issue.

If you’ve struggled with anxiety or depression, you may have noticed the impact it can have on your sleep – with many of us getting less than six hours per night.

Vice versa, chronic sleep loss can lead to anxiety and depression – so getting to the bottom of the problem should be a top priority.

If you often find yourself overthinking before bed or worrying about tomorrow, try writing down your feelings or making a to-do list. This can help put your mind at rest, making it easier to switch off and drift off.

Support and help are available to people suffering from mental health-related problems – and often, speaking to someone is the first step to recovery.

Your sleep environment

Your bedroom plays a big part in your sleep routine and it should be a relaxing environment – think dark, quiet and cool. A dark bedroom helps us release the melatonin hormone that helps the timing of our sleep – and an ideal temperature for your room is between 18 – 21 degrees.

As tempting as it may be to scroll social media on your smartphone or watch TV in bed, your bedroom should be a tech-free zone and you should avoid blue light technology for at least two hours before bed.

Finally, we all wake up with neck or back pain from time to time but if it’s becoming a regular occurrence, your mattress could be to blame and it could be time to invest in a new one.

What we put in our bodies

Along with a balanced diet and good exercise, quality sleep is the foundation of your health. Despite this, many of us still don’t realise the effects certain foods and drinks can have on our sleep.

Take caffeine as an example – it may give you a quick boost but it blocks a sleep-inducing chemical in the brain called adenosine.

While there are a number of foods and drinks to avoid before bed, there are some that can enhance your quality of sleep.

Try swapping your bedtime brew for a herbal tea like chamomile which contains apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to certain receptors in your brain and is said to promote ‘sleepiness’.

If you’re still unsure what’s causing your sleep problems, try keeping a sleep diary. This will help you track daily activities and other lifestyle habits that may be affecting your sleep. It can also help your GP diagnose more serious sleep problems or underlying conditions.