Sleeping Tips: The Best Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep

We all know that a good night's rest works wonders for our wellbeing! Improved mood, enhanced creativity, a strengthened immune system and of course a fresh face to help you better rock any outfit are just some of the benefits of quality sleep. However, all too often we compromise on these feel-good factors, pushing on through the busyness of the day-to-day and letting our head hit the pillow far too late... That's why it's worth stepping back and honestly considering whether your nighttime habits are serving you well. And there's no better time to do this than now, with National Relaxation Day upon us (15th August) and summer in full swing – a season where quality rest is at the forefront of our minds ! While a healthy sleeping pattern may look slightly different for each person, the general aim is 8 golden hours of undisturbed rest, during which your body goes through cycles of light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. If this magic number has you feeling a little panicked, then breathe – we're here to help with a list of sleeping tips and tricks to ensure you're no longer short on shut-eye! From temperature regulating PJs to super-soft bed linen and a bedtime routine that helps you decompress, read on to discover our dreamy dozing hacks for improved sleep.

If you're wanting to wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed, then a fresh set of pyjamas should be your first port of call. For a revitalising night's sleep, favour ultra-soft, lightweight and breathable pyjama materials, like cotton (or cotton-rich jersey) and fleece. While the latter is clearly best suited to cold winter nights, the former should be your year-round fabric preference – particularly in summer when breathability is key! Regardless, both types of material promise unrivalled, soft-to-the-touch comfort and all-important sweat absorption. Flannel pyjamas, still composed from pure cotton, are also a top pick for supreme cosiness and sleep success in the mid-season! As well as taking fabric choice into consideration, for a peaceful slumber match your pyjama style to the weather, favouring short sleeves and shorts in warmer weather. Finally, opt for loose fits and stretchy designs that'll grant you total freedom of movement, as you swap sleeping positions throughout the night!

We all know the joys of jumping into a plush bed, so it's not rocket science to say that being cosy and comfy under the covers makes deep sleep much more obtainable! Super-soft and breathable bed linen made from natural fabrics such as cotton, viscose, linen, tencel, natural silk and bamboo will eradicate any discomfort that could disturb your sleep, from itching to overheating. These favourable fibres naturally wick away excess moisture, helping regulate your temperature so that you don't wake up in a hot fluster. Bedding made from the latter material – bamboo – is also an ideal pick for those who suffer from allergies, due to its hypoallergenic properties. As well as airy sheets and quilt covers that are soft on your skin, ensuring your duvet is fit for the season is another thing that may help you snooze better. Favour lightweight duvets or even no duvet at all in the height of summer, and prioritise thicker models in the depths of winter. Since it's all about maintaining the right temperature, in super-chilly conditions the simple addition of a throw or even a hot water bottle to keep you cosy may well just revolutionise your sleep. Opening or closing windows to ensure your bedroom stays at an optimum temperature will also prevent you from getting too hot or too cold, thereby stopping you from tossing and turning! And on extremely hot evenings, nothing beats a fan in your bedroom.

It's not too surprising, but people who partake in regular exercise generally have less trouble drifting off and find themselves sleeping better. Research suggests that the best way to ensure you go out like a light at night is to get active during the day, so donning your sportswear is a must for improved sleep! Whether it's pulling on your trainers for a brisk early morning, noontime, or twilight walk, slipping into your swimwear in prep for a dip in the sea or nearby local pool, embracing the track or trail for an intensive burst of exercise, or simply putting on your activewear and doing a more gentle home workout, physical activity will ultimately lead to decreased energy levels come the evening. And obviously, feeling tired facilitates sleep! On top of that, exercising is also considered to be a great way to relieve stress and calm your thoughts, meaning it can make a big difference when it comes to experiencing real rest.

A body's sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm, runs across a 24-hour period. Essentially, your body has an internal clock, that dictates when you sleep and when you wake up, among other things. People who have difficulty sleeping may well feel like their body clock is off but, thankfully, as well as going to bed at a set hour each day, there are a couple of other things you can do to reset your circadian rhythm so that you can get the amount of sleep you require, at the right time of day! The best tip for regulating your circadian rhythm is to expose yourself to sunlight, for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. This means that stepping outside and enjoying your garden, or embracing outdoor adventures, will work wonders for your sleep cycle! For maximum effect, it's especially important to see the light of day in the morning. In a similar way, a darker bedtime environment will help you hit the hay quicker. Investing in blackout blinds or heavy curtains is therefore another simple but effective tactic for getting a good night's sleep – even if it makes getting out of bed in the morning that bit trickier... An eye mask is also a great way to block out any sunshine that creeps in through your curtains, given that the sun rises so early in summer.

Revising your daily routine and putting in place a proper sleep schedule is something else that can help you combat sleep deprivation. In an ideal world, people should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day of the week – no lazy Sunday mornings allowed! While this isn't always easy to achieve, establishing a bedtime routine that lets you unwind and get prepped to dive into the covers at a good hour is a gamechanger! Plus, it's the perfect solution for ensuring you get enough sleep. There are lots of relaxation techniques you can weave into your evening to try to get you in a sleepy mood, from taking a warm bath and slotting into a snuggly dressing gown afterwards, to chilling in your loungewear listening to soothing music, or reading a chapter of a book. A final good sleep habit to help you enter the land of nod is to turn off your smart phone and to avoid electronic devices directly before bed. This is because the blue light emitted by screens plays with your production of melatonin – a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. So, scrolling before bed not only makes falling asleep harder, but also makes waking up the next day more of a challenge!

There you go – 5 sleeping tips to set you up for a better night's sleep! From investing in soft PJs and breathable bedding, to seeing the light of day and switching up your daily habits, by putting our advice into action you can forgo a stolen ten-minute siesta and reap the rewards of a solid 8-hour sleep! So, plump up your pillows and get ready for peace at last...