My New Year’s resolution this year is to get some sleep. Now, you might not think this is the hardest change I can make in my life. But as someone who has spent the last 6 years being woken up almost every night by my two little party animals, sleep has become the most important way I can take care of myself a little.
Sleeping is not a problem for me. I can fall asleep seconds before my head hits the pillow. I’m not kidding! My problem is staying asleep. And on the rare occasion that one of my kids doesn’t wake up needing me in the middle of the night, my own body finds a way to sabotage what could be a decent night’s sleep. So when I read this article about good sleep hygiene, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make some much-needed changes to my bedroom in the hopes that I can get that elusive good night’s sleep I’ve been dreaming of.
Clear the space
Firstly, we know that tidying and cleaning up your space always improves mental wellbeing. But it’s not just that, a proper clean can freshen up your room, removing dust and dirt that could affect your breathing at night. I’m sensitive to dust, so this is something I do regularly, focusing on the space under my bed. I never fail to be disgusted by the dust that accumulates!
Renew your bedding
Once the underside of the bed is clean and clear, we can focus on what’s on top. There’s nothing better than freshly laundered linens. And while I’d like to be able to put clean linens on my bed every night, logistically it’s just not possible. So instead, I fake it. A nightly lavender mist on pillows between washes can help give that freshly laundered feel, as well as help create a relaxing environment for falling asleep.
Hide your technology
It’s well known that screens make it difficult to sleep, and I’m guilty of reaching for my phone in the middle of the night when I’m having trouble getting back to sleep. While I like to keep my phone in the bedroom just in case, it doesn’t need to be in plain sight. Instead of using my phone to check the time, I have an alarm clock with a sunrise function. This not only shows the time, but also helps me wake up gently in the mornings with a gradually fading light. A much more peaceful way to start the day than a blaring phone alarm.
Use your decor to create calm
I feel like I’ve decorated my bedroom in a calm and relaxing way, but there are definitely some improvements to be made. Adding some softer textures, like curtains over my blinds, would not only help create a more comforting environment, but would also help me block out the street light from outside. I actually have curtains that I bought two years ago, but I never got around to putting them up. So please hold me accountable and shout out to me on Instagram to do so. Otherwise, it might be another two years until I put them up!
The perfect mattress
Now, let’s talk about my biggest obstacle to getting a good night’s sleep: my mattress. I’ve often woken up in the middle of the night in too much pain to even roll over. So perhaps the most important change I’ve made to getting a good night’s sleep has been switching to the Simba Hybrid Mattress. Unlike my old foam mattress, this one uses a combination of springs and foam to allow for better spinal alignment and pressure relief. Something my lower back desperately needs!
So far, I’ve only slept on this mattress for one night, but incredibly, even with two kids in bed with me and the fire alarm suddenly going off at 12:15am, I still slept very well! I know that doesn’t sound like the perfect 8 hours, but after panicking over a potential fire and getting everyone back into bed, I quickly managed to get back to sleeping for a full six hours – even after anxiously Googling why fire alarms go off when there’s no fire for 20 minutes! And I can honestly say, I can’t wait to get back into bed tonight.
