Tag Archives: sleep

How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

There are plenty of things that can influence our day, things that make it enjoyable or a day that you wish would be over as soon as possible. While some of the things that influence the day can be beyond our control, some are very much influenced by us. Take, for example, our sleep, which is something that has a huge impact on how we feel the following day. If we’re well-rested, then we feel good; if we had a rough night, then we’re more irritable. If you often struggle to hit the land of Nod, then take our tips below, which will make it easier to have a restful evening.

sleep, health, bed, bedtime, night
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Improve the Bedroom

You can’t just slump yourself down into a bed, and hope to fall asleep. There’s a big difference between a high-quality and low-quality mattress and duvet, and only one of them is going to give you the comfort you need to drift off. So first, take a look at your bedding, and see if there’s a way to improve it — everyone has their own preference when it comes to their bedding; you’ll know what’s right for you. Elsewhere, you can look at making the room overall more conducive to relaxation. For example, you can adopt a minimalist approach: it’s much easier to sink into that relaxed state of mind if you’re not surrounded by clutter.

Limiting Sound and Noise

Even if your room is comfortable, you’ll find it difficult to hit the hay if there’s too much light and noise in your bedroom. To take care of these issues, you can do things such as soundproof your room and get blackout curtains. If the issue is only minor, then an eye mask and earplugs will probably be enough. If your neighbors are the ones keeping you up, then talk to them — most people are more than happy to quieten down once they understand that they’re negatively affecting other people. 

No More Kicks and Rolling Over

It could be the case that you have no problem whatsoever falling and staying asleep, but there’s another issue: your partner keeps kicking you or rolling you over. If you snore, then this will be a regular occurrence. And you can’t blame them — no-one wants to listen to that sound all night! You can look at putting the problem behind you by working with an ENT doctor. They’ll be able to provide the help that can reduce the issue. If you’re one of those people who struggle to sleep with other people, then look at finding a new bed arrangement that works for you. Or you can sleep in separate beds (it’s not traditional, but studies have shown that couples who do stay together for longer).

Relaxing Evenings
One of the mistakes that people make is that they expect just to fall asleep the second they get into bed. But if your mind isn’t ready for sleep, then you’ll just be lying there, and then you’ll get annoyed that you can’t fall asleep, and everything will be even more difficult. As such, one recommended method is to spend the two hours before you want to go to sleep relaxing your mind. You’ll be more likely to sleep if you’ve been reading, you’ve taken a bath, you’ve taken your cbn for sleep gummies, you’re all-around in a restful state of mind. Also, do your best to limit the screen time in the run-up to bedtime. Those flashing lights and beeping noises and finger activity keep your mind alert when you’re trying to calm it down.

sleep, health, bed, bedtime, night
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Lifestyle Choices 

You’ll also want to see if you’re doing anything that’ll keep you in a state of alertness before you fall asleep. For example, if you’re drinking coffee after 5pm or having a sugary drink in the evening, then you can’t be too surprised if you’re not falling asleep as quickly as you’d like. Also, a word on alcohol — while it might seem like it helps you to hit the hay, it affects the quality of your sleep, so you might wake up tired (even if you think you’ve been asleep for hours, you haven’t been in “deep sleep” mode — and that’s what counts). 

Use Up Your Energy
Finally, take a look at what you’re doing during the day. If you haven’t used up your energy, then you’ll have no need to be asleep! So if this is a consistent issue, look at filling your day with more activities, such as running, or working on creative projects. You’ll soon be ready to crawl into bed.

Naturepedic Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress Review

Comfort is an important feature to look for when shopping for a new mattress, but there are many other elements to consider, especially when it’s a crib mattress for our babies. Whether they’re sleeping, reading, playing (this includes jump-reading), babies and toddlers spend 10-14 hours a day on their bed. This makes a mattress one of the most important objects in a child’s environment as their brain and bodies constantly grow.

naturepedic organic crib mattress

Conventional mattresses are made with chemicals and materials like vinyl/PVC, flame retardants, polyurethane foam, phthalates, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and formaldehyde. These things emit toxic gases called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are linked to causing short- and long-term adverse health effects. After learning about everything in conventional mattresses, it wasn’t long before we welcomed Naturepedic into our home. 

Fast forward several months and our growing girl was ready to transition from her crib to a big kid bed. There was no question we wanted her sleeping on a Naturepedic mattress so she could enjoy a #SafeHealthySleep like Mommy and Daddy. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to review one of their kids mattresses, the 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra/Quilted Mattress.

crib mattress

After we found out we were having baby number two, there was no doubt that we wanted him sleeping on a Naturepedic organic crib mattress. In exchange for my honest review, Naturepedic kindly sent us their Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress.

Since it arrived before Wes was born, big sis, being an experienced Naturepedic user (sleeper-on-er?), tested it out for her baby brother. 

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Just looking at the mattress, it’s easy to see the care and attention  put into each one. Made right here in the U.S.A by skilled Amish craftsmen, each mattress is built with pride and durability.

 

naturepedic organic crib mattress

The mattress is firm, flat and seamless with a breathable mattress pad making it super safe for babies. The pad helps keep baby cool which reduces overheating while sleeping. It’s built with square corners, to ensure a snug crib fit. organic crib mattressThe mattress is completely waterproof and comes with a built-in dust mite/bed bug barrier. When combined, the mattress and breathable pad provides a comfortable, luxurious sleep environment free of flame retardants and other chemicals.

We all know our babies grow up too fast, but the Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress will stay with them into the toddler years. One side is firmer for infants, and  for toddlers the other side is a little less firm. As a “big girl”, Avery made sure to point out that her baby brother will need the Infant Side at first. 

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We were a bit nervous when the time came to get Wes to sleep on his Naturepedic mattress.

Will he be too hot?

Maybe he’ll be too cold?

Would it be a good sleep?

Will he even sleep at all?!

Sleep aside, we knew we were laying him on a certified organic mattress that does not contaminate the nursery air with toxic chemicals like other mattresses made with polyurethane foam and/or vinyl. 

So, how does he like it? Here’s a hint…. 

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Yeah, he likes loves his crib. And obviously his bunny too.

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It’s hard to believe this dark-haired boy is the same, but that smile confirms it is. 

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From the start, our little boy has been enjoying a #safehealthysleep on his Naturepedic mattress. Going Mom and I both feel confident that he’s getting quality sleep and is in a completely safe environment when sleeping…… or not… 

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Disclaimer: I received the Naturepedic Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress free of charge in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. All opinions are strictly my own and I was not compensated any other way.

Improving Your Sleep Quality

Getting enough sleep is important for a healthy lifestyle. Without the right amount of sleep, you can feel sluggish and lethargic, have trouble concentrating, struggle with headaches and muscles pain, get tired eyes and generally feel a little rubbish. The odd late night or early morning won’t hurt you; you’ll just recoup when you can and get through the day with caffeine and energy-boosting snacks, perhaps fitting in a power nap when you’ve got chance. But, regularly fail to get enough sleep and you’ll never feel quite right. Tired will become your default state, your physical and mental health could suffer, and you could lose all enjoyment of life.

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But, there’s more to it than figuring out how much sleep you need and going to bed in plenty of time to get it. That would be simple. Most of us need 6-8 hours, so we’d just go to sleep 6-8 hours before we need to get up. But, anyone that’s ever slept in a sleep tracking activity monitor will know that it’s a little more complex. During that 8 hours, many of us are restless, or awake for up to 30 short spells. After each spell, your body takes time to return to a deep sleep state. So, even if you get a good 8 hours every night, a poor quality of sleep with lots of restless spells can still leave you suffering from the symptoms of fatigue and wondering why.

Change Your Mattress

Being uncomfortable is a leading cause of poor quality of sleep. If you wake up each morning tired and achy, with a stiff neck and back, it’s time to make some changes. Read this Leesa mattress review and look for some pillows that are comfortable while supporting your neck. It can also be worth changing your bedding and making sure your blankets are keeping you warm or cool enough. Take your time to get this right, don’t underestimate the importance of nighttime comfort.

Stop Eating and Drinking at Night

We all know that we should stop drinking caffeine in the hours leading up to bedtime as it will keep us awake. But, did you know other foods and drinks, even those that claim to help you sleep, can have a similar effect? Drinking too much means that you are likely to wake up needing the toilet. Even if you can go back to sleep and wait until morning, your bladder has interrupted your sleep cycle. Eating too late means that your digestive system is still working hard when you get into bed. This means that even when your mind is asleep, your body is still working much harder than it should be when it’s meant to be in a resting state.

Stop Stressing

Most of us have at some point spent a night tossing and turning worrying about the day in front of us or stressed out over the one that’s just been. We go over conversations thinking about what we should have said, we get worked up over things that we don’t know will happen, and we can’t switch off.

It’s important to release your stresses and concerns before you get into bed, and that you remember that things rarely seem as bad after a good night’s sleep. When you get home from work, vent, let it all out and talk. Then, spend the rest of your evening relaxing before bed to prepare your body and mind for sleep.