As we enter a new year many of us will make making (and trying to stick to) New Year’s resolutions. A good night’s sleep should be someone everyone should be able to enjoy. We know that life can be stressful and sometimes you just can’t sleep but the wrong bed (or mattress) shouldn’t be causing you to miss out on valuable sleep. Considering that the average person will spend between a quarter and a third of their lives in bed, it is only common sense that a good bed represents an extremely sound investment. Here’s our top tips to look help you get the best sleep in the New Year.
Are you sure your bed is providing the support you need?
Although many will blame their troubled sleeping on stress, light or noise, a huge number of people are simply unaware of the massive impact their bed is having on their sleep. Often, people will be completely ignorant of the poor quality of their bed until they go on holiday, for example, and sleep in a good bed. It is important to remember that mattresses don’t last forever, and if yours has lumps or dips, if it creaks, clangs or squeaks, or is simply over 8 years old, then your bed is probably failing to provide you adequate comfort and support. If this is the case, you owe it to yourself to get a new one.
Is your bed the right size?
Another common issue experienced by people is that their bed is often too small to accommodate them comfortably. Whilst this can be a problem for tall people according to The Bed Warehouse Direct, especially if the bed has a footboard, the main problem here is people being disturbed by their partner. In a standard double bed (135cm wide) each partner gets just 67.5cm of individual space. That’s less than the width of a cot. Although it’s obviously important to make sure you have sufficient room for it, buying a larger bed is something you certainly won’t regret.
Your Body Shape
Certain body shapes are best suited by particular mattress types and it’s wise to consider your own body shape when selecting a new mattress or bed. Higher shoulder to waist ratios or hip to waist ratios require softer more responsive springs and fillings to be able to respond to these body shapes. Squarer body shapes with lower ratios can require a firmer mattress to offer an appropriate level of support.
Body Weight
It’s pretty obvious that the firmness of any mattress is relative to the weight of the individual sleeper. Consider your own weight when judging the firmness rating of a mattress. In general the heavier a person the firmer the mattress required to offer the essential posture support.
Sleep Position
Whether you sleep on your back, side or front can influence the appropriate mattress choice. Front and back sleepers should avoid overly soft options as the natural curve of the spine can be distorted. Side sleepers should avoid overly firm options as the hips can be pushed out of position.
“Soft or firm?”
The comfort level of a new mattress is a totally personal choice. Soft, luxurious beds offer no less support than firmer orthopaedic models so don’t be put off this type of feel. Think back to a really great night’s sleep, perhaps in a hotel; what type of feel did that bed have? Try and think of a firmness rating from 1-10. As a guide for an average size person less than 6 would feel soft, 6-8 medium firmness, an 8 upwards a firmer feel.
“My partner’s a pain…”
Whether you recognise it or not, if you share your bed, your quality of sleep may well be being disrupted by your partner. Perhaps your partner moves around a lot in their sleep, perhaps they have to get up earlier than you and wake you up in the process, perhaps there’s a large disparity between your body types, whatever the issue, a good mattress will be able to resolve the problem.
They key is in the type of mattress construction chose. Rather than putting up with poor quality sleep and continual tiredness or banishing your partner to another bed altogether, why not simply invest in a good quality mattress? Whilst in a substandard mattress, movement on one of the side of the bed will be felt on the other, a good mattress will absorb movement, ensuring that the sleep of both you and your partner can continue undisturbed.
Whilst most people in this position will immediately think of memory foam mattresses (which will do the job superbly), ‘pocket sprung’ mattresses are also more than able to provide the necessary support whilst ensuring the comfort of both partners. In pocket spring mattresses each spring is individually encased, meaning it’s not directly connected to any surrounding springs. As a result, movement on one side of the bed will not transfer to the other.
Without quality sleep, your body will be running on reserve power, leaving you more irritable, more susceptible to illness and generally less effective. As a result, poor quality of sleep can not only affect your personal relationships, it can have a result in a distinct drop in productivity at work, and leave you unable to maximise the pleasure and benefits of social activities and exercise. A new bed really could be just the boost that you’ve been looking for in your life.
