How Much Is Too Much – A Guide To Finding Your Sleep Sweet – Spot!

Whether it’s taking a nap at Creche, sleeping your way through puberty or finally getting to bed after a never-ending workday, sleep is essential at all ages. Sleep allows the body and mind the much-needed time off in order for you think, move and act efficiently, allowing you to not only dodge the spanners life may throw at you, but even throw a few back. Here are some few guidelines to help figure out just how much sleep you should be getting, as well as some tips on how to make them happen.

Here is a general guideline on the recommended hours of sleep you should be getting according to your age:

At first, this grid may seem somewhat scary, however you should also consider that this is based on scientific research and does not necessarily account for the reality of almost all of our daily lives. Sure, all of would love to be getting 8 hours of sleep every night, but doing so when having to fulfill family obligations, perform well at your place of work, maintain healthy relationships and find some time to sneak in a few episodes of your favorite series, finding these 8 hours of sleepy-time does seem like a near-impossible task. However, do not lose hope, even if these 8 hours are unattainable for you, there are ways in which you can improve the hours of sleep you do get simply by improving your sleep hygiene (sanitizing before bed doesn’t count FYI; although good for you for keeping it clean). This means making some simple adjustments to your bedroom environment and sleep-related habits. 

1. Try and maintain a consistent bedtime throughout the week. By going to sleep at the same time every day, you will begin developing a steady sleep-cycle which will make falling asleep a whole lot easier.
2. Having a pre-sleep routine will also aid falling asleep much faster 
3. Minimize screen time before bed. Although watching the news before bed may help keeping you informed on the happenings of the day, engaging with any content, specifically distressing content before bed will undoubtedly keep your brain active making falling asleep much more difficult. To cut a long story short; TVs/phones/ iPad/laptops before bed = less sleep for you.
4. Caffeine may be your friend, however, limit this friendship to the earlier hours of the day. Caffeine in the later hours of the day will keep you up – so be conscious of when you choose to crack that cappuccino. 
5. A good mattress is a must. A comfortable mattress can be the single difference between a good night’s rest and tossing and turning until the early hours of the morning. 

How to choose the right mattress you ask? You’ve come to the right place! Simply head down to one of our stores either online or in person and we’ll have all your mattress matters managed in a matter of minutes. MMMMMM – sounds miraculous!