7 Tips for Five-Star Sleep
Meeting deadlines, going to yoga, cheering at the kids’ soccer games, finishing that craft project, catching up with friends, answering that last email: We do a ton before it’s even time to think about getting a good night’s sleep — and our sleep usually suffers for it. But May is Better Sleep Month, so we’re finally giving our shut-eye the respect it deserves for fueling our crazy lives. These 7 tips are a great start:
1. Set your thermostat to 65-68 degrees to prevent overheating.
Waking up sweaty at 2 a.m. is no one’s idea of restful. Hit this temperate sweet spot and you’ll be dreaming comfortably.
2. Avoid eating within three hours of bedtime.
It’s easier for your body to sleep if it’s not also digesting, so try to make your right-before-bed brownie a right-after-dinner brownie instead. (Of course, if you sneak a spoonful of ice cream on your way to bed, we won’t tell.)
3. Change your pillows every one to three years.
Over time, pillows can harbor allergens and other skin irritants — not exactly a restful proposition. Replacing them every couple years will help you avoid agitators.
4. Get the TV out of the bedroom.
We know, we know. But the TV — bright, loud, distracting — is a big-time sleep inhibitor. Keep it out of your sleep sanctuary, and you’ll be rewarded with sounder rest.
5. Maintain your optimal weight.
Staying in shape has plenty of positive effects. One of them is avoiding issues like sleep apnea, which causes trouble breathing during sleep.
6. Develop — and stick to! — a bedtime routine.
Help your body learn to wind down and prepare for sleep by, say, having tea and reading a chapter of a book before going to bed.
7. Get a new mattress!
It is, literally, the foundation of a good night’s sleep. If yours has seen better days — and we’re guessing it has — trade it in for one that makes you say ahhhh.
What are your favorite sleep tips? Tell us in the comments, and then browse Value City Furniture’s mattress collection for happier sleep!
Value City Furniture partnered with the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Center to help us re-prioritize what matters most – sleep.