Want a better night’s sleep? Here are the nine bedfellows that can help you beat insomnia
We all know how great we feel after a good night’s sleep. but did you know that poor sleep is linked to a range of health conditions including anxiety and depression, heart disease and type 2 diabetes? Luckily, we’ve discovered nine bedfellows that can ease you into a good night’s sleep…
A weighted blanket
A Swedish study published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders found weighted blankets help insomniacs to settle down to sleep more easily and enjoy a calmer slumber through the night. Weighted blankets are usually filled with pellets to make them heavy, and the ‘deep-touch pressure’ from the blanket mimics the feeling of being hugged, helping to calm your nervous system. Experiment with using an extra blanket over your duvet for a similar effect.
A cold flannel compress
One of the main causes of sleeplessness can be an overactive, racing mind. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that cooling the frontal cortex region of the brain — the part that’s responsible for worry and mental chatter — could reduce activity there. They gave insomniacs a cooling cap to wear, and found they fell asleep more quickly and stayed asleep for longer. Try using a cold flannel compress on your forehead to see if you can put your thoughts on ice, and drift off more easily as a result.
An eye mask
Blocking out light in the bedroom can result in our bodies producing more of the sleepy hormone, melatonin, and various studies have found that using an eye mask resulted in better sleep. A gentle pressure on your eyelids can also help you to feel sleepier.
A microwaveable neck pillow
Japanese researchers have discovered that warming the skin at the back of the neck helps people fall asleep more easily. Heating the neck area reduces sympathetic-nervous activity, which keeps your body alert, and increases parasympathetic-nervous activity, which slows your heart rate and encourages relaxation. You can buy microwavable neck pillows if you fancy giving this trick a try.
Velvet pyjamas
A study found that people sleep well in velvet. Volunteers wore a sleep tracker to bed and tried out nightwear in different styles and fabrics. When they wore a velvet nightdress or pyjamas, they experienced the most improvement in sleep. It could be that the soft fabric against the skin helps people feel comforted physically and psychologically, meaning it’s easier to nod off.
Two duvets
Do you sometimes have a middle-of-the-night duvet fight as your partner rolls over and takes the duvet with them? The solution could be to sleep with one single duvet each. That way, not only do you get to keep covered and cosy, but you can also choose a warmer or cooler duvet than your sleeping partner prefers.
Ear plugs
If you’re a light sleeper, then almost any noise can rouse you, and waking through the night could mean you may only complete a couple of full sleep cycles. Studies have found that ear plugs can have a positive effect on hospital patients’ sleep. There are all sorts of ear plugs out there — sponge, silicon, mouldable and memory foam — so you may have to experiment to see which suits you best. Be sure to clean or replace them regularly to avoid ear infections.
Fluffy socks
Having warm feet could help you relax and fall asleep faster. A study by Swiss researchers published in the journal Nature found that warming your feet helps release heat from the body’s core. This is important for sleep, because our core-body temperature needs to fall at bedtime to send a message to our brains that it’s time to sleep. Try wearing cosy bedsocks, or toasting your tootsies on a hot-water bottle.
Woollen bedding
Menopausal night sweats are a major cause of interrupted sleep. If you wake up drenched in perspiration and feeling cold and clammy, then you might want to try woollen bedding, which is cotton bedding filled with wool wadding. A study by Leeds University found that woollen bedding is 43 per cent better at wicking away moisture from the body than polyester, and 67 per cent better than feather or down duvets. It regulates your temperature better too, so you’re less likely to overheat. Try a wool mattress, wool mattress protector or topper, wool pillows and wool duvets from bedding specialist thewoolroom.com
