Sleeping Tips

People always ask me questions like:
· Why don’t I wake up Fresh (Feeling Tired)
· My body pains whole day
· Is Mattress only the key point for a good sleep
· I feel lazy and sleepy during day time as well …… and many more

The above are effects of poor sleep. This influenced me to write this blog, which is about the importance of sleep in our life as we spend almost one third of our life in sleeping. Also without any doubts, our energy of the day totally depends on how we slept last night. So yes, all the relevant questions asked to me, are related to our bad routine which spoils our sleep leading to those above deficits in life.

Effects of poor sleep leads to the following:

• One might feel constant tiredness
• Irritability, temper and moodiness
• Loss of concentration, and in severe cases memory loss and hallucinations
• Loss of coordination, in severe cases the incidences of auto accidents increases with loss of sleep
• Problems with relationships
• Absenteeism and tardiness at work
• Loss of appetite or the opposite, over-eating
• Use of prescription sleep aids that could become habitual
• Use of stimulants
• Many more

We all know that if we want to be mentally and physically fresh, productive, sharp, balanced and full of energy, we need to ‘sleep well’ . And by ‘sleep well’ I mean, eight hours of sound sleep without any disturbance. I always believe, “sleeping is one of the best routine to health”.

So following are the tips to follow for a good night’s sleep:

Fix Timings:
Our parents always said to sleep in time and wake up in time. That meant one should have fix time of sleeping and waking up, everyday. Waking up late on holidays breaks your cycle and so one has problem to wake up in time, the next day. I recommend sleeping early and waking up early. Also don’t change the timings once you fix it. It is rightly said “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise".

Avoid Intakes:
Believe it or not, taking stuffs like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol etc. in late evenings surely disturbs your sleep. Don’t eat heavy food in your dinner. Eat your food at least two hours before your sleep time. Also avoid drinking fluids within two hours of sleeping time to reduce the chances of going bathroom midnight.

Sleeping Environment:
1. Keep your room as dark as possible.
2. Wearing an eye mask is also a good option.
3. Keep the room temperature comfortable. Avoid extreme temperatures – too warm or  too chilled.
4. Sleep in silence, so avoid TV or music. Although a soft and soothing music would be fine to relax yourself. I have a personal experience of sleeping late when I am trying to sleep watching TV.

Relax Yourself:
Keep your work, thoughts away at least one hour before sleep time. Relax yourself with:
1. Soft music.
2. Deep breathing.
3. Have a bath with warm water.
4. Avoid worrying and brainstorming.
5. Read something spiritual or uplifting.

Comfortable Bed:
Keep your bed reserve for sleeping and not for other daily routine. Example, I have seen many times at my home and other places that people eat or work on the bed. Avoid that and many such activities on Bed.

Also make sure your bed is comfortable and cozy enough to sleep. Choose the right mattress which is comfortable for you. You can read my blog ‘Buying a Mattress’ to know more about it.

Daily Exercise:
Exercising not only helps to keep our body fit, but also it helps a lot for a sound sleep. One should have minimum 30mins of exercise. Morning exercise is recommended and not few hours before sleep time. Over weight can affect your sleep badly, so keep yourself Fat - Free.

Others:
1. Avoid day sleeping. You can have short power nap of maximum 20 mins.
2. Write all your thoughts in your diary to ease your mental pressure.
3. Don’t keep high volume of your Alarm or don’t keep it too close to your bed.
4. I suggest not to share your bed with your pets.
5. If you are not able to sleep, read good book or listen soft music.

I am sure after reading my blog, you will now have a sound sleep … so enjoy your sleep and SleepWell.

If you think this blog was useful to you then please leave your comments. Critics are welcomed too.

Buying A Mattress

Fact: A person spends almost 1/3 rd of his lifespan on a mattress. And this truth makes selection of the right mattress, the most important & crucial factor for a good night’s sleep.

In this blog, we will discuss some of the key points to consider before buying a new mattress. The factors to be considered during selection are explained in layman’s language, making things clear and easy to understand.

(1) ‘Best mattress’ ?

The answer is a matter of individual preference and suitability. What's best for me may not be best for you. Truly, when it comes to mattresses, the concept of ‘one-size-fits-all’ just doesn’t work. As we are all built differently and have diverse preferences towards comfort and support, how can the same type of mattress be ‘best’ for all of us?
Each person has a different body posture and hence, each individual requires a different type of mattress. This means, the best mattress for a person is the mattress in which one finds the maximum comfort.

(2) Requirement:
You need to understand your specific requirement before buying a mattress. For this, take into account, the following:

·       Your lifestyle – active or sedentary.

·       Your body weight.

·       The number of hours you work.

·       Mode of transport to your workplace

·       Total hours of travel.

·       Mattress preference of your partner (above points applicable to partner as well)

(3) Support & Comfort:
The upper layer of the mattress should be flexible in order to take the shape of the natural curves of your body, so that the entire body experiences comfort. Whereas the lower layer of the mattress should be firm/stiff so that it provides optimum support.

It's important to find a mattress which meets both your support needs and comfort preferences.

(4) Soft or Firm:
The mattress should be neither too soft nor too firm, it should have a proper combination of both, which is ideal for your Comfort & Support. Check all available options of mattresses to ensure which mattress suits you the best. Again, the perception of firm or soft differs, from person to person.

(5) Proper Mattress = Proper Sleep:

Yes, your entire day depends on a good night’s sleep. A mattress well-suited to your requirements is essential to make sure that you are well-rested. As it’s said, ‘A Good Day depends on a Good Sleep’. If you have been tossing and turning at night or are suffering from back pain when you wake up, then I guess you need to review the comfort / condition of your current mattress.

(6) Cost of new mattress:
The quality of sleep – sound and unbroken rest – is a critical factor in your overall well-being. It can affect your physical and mental state and also your productivity. Accordingly, we urge you to invest in your rest and spend the required amount on a good mattress to ensure that your individual comfort and support needs are being met. Be sure not to short-change yourself out of a quality night's sleep, buy the best mattress you can afford. The average person spends one-third of his life on a mattress, and so a good mattress plays an important role in our lives.

We are people who will buy a mobile phone for Rs.20,000 which is used for 2 to 3 years. But when it comes to a mattress, we generally want to spend as less as possible as we do not attach much value to it. If you were to buy a mattress for Rs.20,000 and use it for 10 years, it works out to just Rs.2000 a year or just Rs.5.50 per day. Is that expensive? Not at all.

(7) Sleep-Test your Mattress:

The best way to try a mattress is to take the ‘SLEEP’ Test.
Select a mattress.
Lie down in your normal sleeping position.
Evaluate the level of comfort and support.
Educate yourself about each selection.
Partners should try each mattress together.

Inside a store, we Indians (especially women) become very conscious of ourselves and hesitate to lie down on a mattress. I suggest that you try not to feel awkward or embarrassed, as there is nothing to feel awkward about. For example, when you don't think twice about taking a car for a test-drive, you shouldn't think twice about ‘SLEEP Testing’ a mattress. You can lie down on the mattress for several minutes and assess how well it provides support, how comfortable it is for you. The only way to tell if a mattress is right for you is to lie down on it to check the comfort and support levels.

Also, it would be wrong to seek advice from your relatives, friends or neighbours about the mattress you should buy, because they would simply tell you their choice (the mattress they have bought for themselves/they feel is best). But, as mentioned earlier, what’s best for them may not necessarily be best for you. After all, it’s your need, comfort and choice which should be the decisive factors for buying a mattress and not someone else’s opinion. To cut it short, it’s YOUR CALL because it is YOU who would be sleeping on the mattress.

(8) Where to buy:

One should buy from a shop/showroom where you have good and informed salespeople. Because they would guide you properly in choosing the right mattress, keeping in mind your specific needs. The shop should have plenty of mattresses on display, with arrangements such that you can sleep-test the mattress you like. It is advisable not to buy a mattress simply by checking the Mattress Sample, as you will never come to know the comfort and support levels of a mattress, just by checking such a sample. As we Indians generally don't change our mattress frequently, one should always select the right mattress from the right store.

Available Brands:
Kurl-on, Sleepwell, Springwel, SpringFit, Centuary, Libra, CorFom, Raha, Restonic, etc.

Personally, I would suggest SLEEPWELL as it matches most of my needs & requirements. Remember, your sleep is important. So choose your mattress wisely and don’t try to save money in matters where your health is concerned. And don't hesitate to Sleep-Test your Mattress.

Relevant Quotes:

·      Mattress is the best routine to sleep         - SleepWell

·      If you want to dream, you need to sleep - Ashish Kothari

·      The only interesting thing in my bedroom is the new mattress - Sachin Kadam

·     One who says "I did not wake up FRESH this morning", hasn't slept on a good mattress - Pankti Shukla

If you think this blog was useful to you then please leave your comments. Critics are welcomed too.