Brent Cooper, our Managing Director, has been working in the luxury bed industry for more than 30 years. In that time, he has learnt a thing or two about how to get a good night’s sleep. Here he shares his top tips on creating the perfect sleeping environment.
Preparing the bedroom:
- Find the right bed. Your bedroom could be the perfect place for slumber but if your mattress isn’t comfortable, it won’t make any difference. At Marshall & Stewart, we have developed complimentary sleep consultations to help you find the perfect bed for your individual requirements.
- Make sure your room is cool, quiet and dark – around 16-18°C is ideal for your body to relax and drift off to sleep comfortably.
- If possible, start to dim the lights two to three hours before bedtime. This tells your brain to produce melatonin, which brings on sleep.
- Block any light from entering the room. Consider black-out curtains or an eye mask.
Things to avoid in the hours before bed:
- Exercise during the day will help you get a good night's sleep but try to avoid exercising a few hours before bed as this will raise your heart rate. You should be relaxing your body rather than stimulating it.
- Try to avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine before going to sleep. Don’t forget a cup of tea or even some vitamin supplements and headache tablets can contain caffeine. Opt for decaffeinated if possible.
- Avoid drinking at least two hours before bed as this can lead to bathroom visits during the night which disrupts sleep and can make falling back to sleep difficult.
Create new bedtime habits:
- Keep daytime or waking activities such as watching TV for outside the bedroom. Reading is an exception as it helps to relax the mind.
- Go to bed at a regular time every night so your body gets into the habit of knowing when to sleep.
- Try to avoid napping during the day as this can stop you from falling asleep at night-time.
- If you have trouble falling asleep after 15 or 20 minutes of getting into bed, get up and do something else until you feel tired (but avoid light where possible).
- Start to wind down 90 minutes before bed – avoiding technology, having a warm bath or reading a book are great ways to help relax your mind and body.
Call our sleep specialists on 020 7723 2925 to find out more or visit us in store.
