Our Guide to Better Sleep

Over a lifetime, the average person spends around 26 years sleeping, equivalent to 9,490 days or 227,760 hours! It's essential that this sleep is of good quality as people who do not sleep properly can suffer a range of negative effects on their physical and mental health. These effects include low energy levels, weight gain, disturbed emotional balance, impaired productivity, an unhealthy heart and lowered resistance to infection and illness.

Check out this edition of the Odd Size Beds blog, in which we offer five top tips to help you improve the quality of your sleep.
 

• The natural wake-sleep cycle of the body is referred to as its 'circadian rhythm' and its important to maintain this rhythm. You should try to establish a regular sleep routine in which you go to bed and get up at the same time every day: this helps to regulate the internal clock of the body and achieve optimal sleep quality. It can be very tempting to have a lie-in at weekends but you should avoid this if you can as it interferes with the natural wake-sleep cycle. 
• Melatonin is a hormone that strongly influences the body's circadian rhythms. Exposure to light reduces the production of melatonin and so needs to be carefully controlled. Try covering your windows with blackout curtains or wearing a sleep mask. The blue light emitted by televisions, computers and mobile phones is especially disruptive to melatonin production so avoid using these devices for at least an hour before heading to bed. 
• Regular exercise provides the body with countless benefits, one of which is better sleep. The more you exercise during the day, the better you will sleep at night: you'll also feel less tired the following day. 
• Try to avoid eating before bedtime, especially those foods that are spicy and/or high in sugar. The stimulating effects of caffeine can continue for many hours after consumption so your intake should be reduced as much as possible throughout the day and avoided completely in the hours before bedtime. Alcohol can make you feel sleepy but interferes with the body's normal sleep cycle so a nightcap is a very bad idea!
• The quality of your bed and mattress should be as high as possible. A supportive and comfortable mattress will improve sleep quality dramatically. Aches and pains are a leading cause of sleep deprivation and these often come as a result of a poor-quality bed and mattress.

Here at Odd Size Beds, we stock an extensive selection of bed frames, divan bed sets and mattresses in a wide range of sizes. Browse our collection today and look forward to a lifetime of better sleep. Sweet dreams!