We’re all guilty of not getting enough Zzz, but did you know how much a lack of sleep can damage both your mind and body? 

Research has shown direct links between getting a good night’s sleep and maintaining a healthy weight, proper heart functioning, and better mental health - such as lower depression and anxiety, compared to surviving on just a few hours’ shut-eye.  

As purveyors of the finest bedding at affordable prices, for us it’s a genuine tragedy to hear about people not getting a good night’s sleep, and therefore a proper use of our gorgeous sheets. It’s in our interest to help you get a good night’s sleep, and the most out of your new Whisper sheets! 

So, with that in mind, here we share our top five tips to help you get a restful night’s sleep:

Get into the rhythm!

The circadian rhythm, we mean. 

Whether you think of yourself as a creature of habit or not, our bodies are incredible machines that can be trained to do pretty much anything - and the same applies to bedtime. It’s important to get yourself into a gradual rhythm over time, practicing relaxation techniques such as taking a bath before bed, reading a book, or listening to your favourite podcast to wind down. 

How ever conscious you are of your habits, your body picks up on the small cues your brain is sending it - like “dinner, chamomile tea, pyjamas, bed = time to go to sleep”. The consistency and perseverance is key here; don’t worry if you’re not dropping off like a baby after the first few times. Our bodies are amazing but they need time to adjust, and in a short while, your body will learn that series of activities equates to bedtime. 

It’s also important to mention here that the consistency of going to bed around the same time every night, and waking up at the same time every morning. This routine massively contributes to the quality of your sleep, so, as tempting as it is to have a lie-in on a Sunday, try to not get up too far away from your normal time - as your body will be punishing you for it come Monday morning!

Learn to meditate

This is a big one you’ll probably ready on most sleep help blogs, but there’s a reason for it: we spend so much of our busy lives with our brain constantly whirring - thinking of work to do, friends to meet, things to buy, places to go… that it’s important to learn precisely how to switch off at night. We have an incessant stream of mental activity throughout the day, that by the time we go to bed, it’s actually a challenge to switch off (for most of us!)

Going to sleep with a clear mind will help you fall asleep quicker and into a deeper sleep as the night goes on. 

Read more on this blog post by Mindful.org to learn how to meditate and more about its benefits: https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/

Invest in the right bedding 

Ok, we might be a little biased here - but it really is important to invest in the right bedding. From the mattress and your pillows, to your bed sheets and pillowcases. Have you ever tried going to sleep on a thin mattress, lumpy pillows, and threadbare sheets? (Eurgh, sounds like a nightmare to us!) Going to bed comfortable, and sleeping right for the whole night is not just important for your quality of comfort, but for your health too (bad back? Get a new mattress).  

Don’t be put off by the price; it’s a rare investment you won’t have to make again for a long while, so spend a bit extra on something you know that will last, that’s made ethically, and that will guarantee you the health and touch of luxury you need in your life. 

Shop our range of high-quality cotton sheets here

Try natural remedies

Sure, we all know a chamomile tea (or Pukka’s Night Time blend: https://www.pukkaherbs.com/shop/organic-teas/night-time/) can help calm us down and get us feeling a bit more relaxed before bedtime, but if that’s not doing the trick for you, try taking a couple of Magnesium tablets each night, and spritzing a bit of lavender pray on your pillow. We recommend the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray from This Works: https://www.thisworks.com/deep-sleep-pillow-spray.html. 

Manage your lighting

You probably already knew that sunlight produces Vitamin D in our bodies, but what you probably didn’t know is that this is such a fundamental vitamin we all need, and our daily intake is vitally important to how we go to sleep at night. (And when we say sunlight, we’re talking about actual rays of sunshine from the sky - being indoors but near a window does not cut it!) The clever team at Lumie have created intelligent lighting with settings to help you wake up easily, mimicking natural sunlight, as well as a muted sunset theme for easing into your bedtime routine: https://www.lumie.com/products/bodyclock-spark-100?pr_prod_strat=copurchase&pr_rec_pid=1379750576206&pr_ref_pid=10045495176&pr_seq=uniform

We sincerely hope the tips shared here will help you improve your sleep hygiene and get a better night’s sleep, because without a good night’s sleep, how will you enjoy your new Whisper sheets? ;)

Happy sleeping!