According to recent research we Brits don't love our beds and mattresses as much as we should.
To sleep, perchance to dream..the land of nod is a mysterious world where we recharge and relax. But increasingly our beds are more like battlefields as we toss and turn on the mattress. Investing in high quality beds and a comfortable mattress is certainly half way to achieving a good night's sleep. But too many of us take our beds for granted. Research from the Future Foundation reveals that Brits don't love their beds as much as the rest of Europe. It revealed one in five of us sleeps for fewer than seven hours on our mattress. When you consider sleep deprivation increases feelings of stress and unhappiness and numerous reports reveal the link between poor sleep and ill health, more of us should really be addressing the importance of good sleep.
The Art of Sleep – Beautiful Beds
But does achieving a perfect night's sleep take more than just lying on a mattress and shutting our eyes? The BBC recently ran a feature by Sean Coughlan who has written books on the subject of sleep. There are some basic rules all of us should follow before we hit our beds, such as avoiding caffeine after 2pm, doing a spot of exercise late afternoon or early evening, having a bath and milky drink before bed, and finding ways to shut out all noise and light from your bedroom. The BBC's top 'gourmet sleeps' for those who toss and turn on their mattress, include:
Having a doze – napping in the afternoon is one way of catching up on sleep
Holiday lie-ins – there's no sweeter sleep than slumbering on a mattress on holiday, with no work, alarm clock or routine pressures getting in the way
Park Life – you don't need a mattress to sleep, try lying on the grass on a sunny afternoon, staring at the clouds for complete relaxation
Get Fresh – As well as a comfortable mattress, you need to consider the environment your bed is in. Some sleep specialists recommend your bedroom window is always open (apart from severe wintry nights) as the fresh air aids sleep
As well as a comfortable mattress, beds need comfortable pillows.
Switching off your brain is also important before you hit the mattress – try gentle but dull music, reading an undemanding novel, or listening to the Shipping Forecast!
Looking for a new Bed or Mattress? Speak to Snug
Snug memory foam mattresses are carefully crafted to help you achieve a good night's sleep. Our top class memory foam mattresses are hypo-allergenic, temperature sensitive and come complete with 5 or 15 year guarantees. You can shop online straight away, or call us on 0800 0277017 if you need help with your choice of mattress.
