Are you battling the bulge, falling asleep at your desk or regularly snapping at your nearest and dearest? Wondering what you can do to break this miserable cycle? Try getting a good night’s sleep, say the experts.
We all do it, head upstairs to bed and make a silent prayer that seven hours of undisturbed sleep awaits, but for around one in three people, this isn’t the case. While there are multiple factors for sleep deprivation, comfort is one of the barriers between most Brits experiencing that elusive good night’s sleep.
“People are always shocked to discover how much of their waking life is negatively affected by their poor sleep pattern. Everything from their work productivity to their personal relationships, even their weight and memory can be impacted by poor sleep,” said Brent Cooper, bed expert from luxury British bed manufacturer Marshall & Stewart.
According to The Great British Sleep Survey 2012, poor sleep regularly has a negative impact on a person, both emotionally and on a physical level. The two-year survey, which documented the sleeping habits of more than 20,000 Brits, states that long-term poor sleepers are seven times more likely to feel helpless than good sleepers and five times more likely to feel alone, but also twice as likely to have relationship problems, suffer daytime fatigue and lack of concentration.
With lives becoming increasingly busy and work pressures continuing to escalate, experts are reporting more people than ever seeking advice and assistance, desperate to break their poor sleep cycles.
“We’ve seen a definite shift in people’s attitude towards sleep and bed purchasing over the past few years. Ten years ago it was rare for a person to seek out an expert to help them select the right bed, but now people are better educated about the importance of a good night’s sleep. More people appreciate that they spend a third of their life asleep and that this time has a massive impact on the rest of their life. Their bed is one of the most important, valuable purchases they will ever make, and we’re finally seeing people give it the investment and thought it deserves,” Mr Cooper added.
While there is no shortage of discount beds available online and in High Street stores, The Sleep Council – which is funded by the National Bed Federation, the trade association for British bed manufacturers – advises shoppers to spend more to invest in good sleep and improved health when making a new bed purchase. Quality beds carry 25-year guarantees, are made to the specific requirements of the user and can be crafted with dual tensions to accommodate two people with varying requirements.
Mr Cooper, former Hastens sleep expert, said: “Like with all things, you get what you pay for. Cheap beds may feel adequately supportive and reasonably comfortable in the showroom but will quickly deteriorate and you will find yourself suffering from poor sleep very quickly. Investing in a high-quality bed not only provides a more comfortable night’s sleep on day one, they are built with longevity in mind to be beds that can last a lifetime.”
Marshall & Stewart is among the world’s finest bed manufacturers, creating bespoke handmade beds by combining expert craftsmanship and the finest natural materials. The family-owned company is committed to improving the long-term sleep health of each of its clients.
Through a complimentary service available at their London showroom, each client undergoes a comprehensive bed consultation to evaluate their current sleep problems, discuss how these can be overcome and help the client select a bed that will revolutionise their sleep experience, and as result, their everyday life.
