Getting enough sleep?

According to a recently published book called Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker, losing sleep can be linked to several fatal diseases.

The professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California argues that sleep deprivation is as bad for us as smoking or drinking too much.


The bare minimum we need is seven hours’ uninterrupted sleep a night, Professor Walker says.

So, how do we ensure we are getting enough sleep, apart from going to bed early enough?

The first thing to do is to make sure your bed is adequate. You may not realise it but an uncomfortable, unsupportive bed makes a difference to how well you sleep. According to research replacing an uncomfortable bed with a new bed was associated with an increase of 42 minutes sleep – who wouldn’t want that?

And according to other research a 10-year old bed will have deteriorated by as much as 70 per cent from its new state. Not only that; Ohio State University experts report that a typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million dust mites inside it.

The National Bed Federation recommends that we should think about replacing our beds every seven years.

When you have sorted out your bed you need a room to put it in. Creating the perfect bedroom will help you to get a solid amount of shut eye and have plenty of health benefits.

• Choose a neutral colour palette to aid restfulness.
• Keep the room decluttered.
• Make lighting low and subdued – have a decent quality bedside light for enough illumination to read by.
• Use calming essential oils to create the right aromas. Lavender oil is thought help you fall asleep faster.
• Don’t have the room too hot or too stuffy. Keep the room cool and open a window to circulate fresh air.
• Make the room your personal sanctuary. Here are some ideas for decorating your bedroom. 

When you have the perfect room remember the adage - "Early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise".

Good night!