Let’s talk about the importance of sleep and why we should make the most of those precious hours that give us the time to switch off, rest up and re-energise for a new day!  There’s nothing more frustrating than desperately needing sleep and not being able to get it.   

Here at Trtl, sleep is our ‘thing’.  We take pride in creating products specifically to improve sleeping and comfort in addition to providing comfort when we travel ensuring a well rested journey.  We know the significance and benefits of a good sleep.  As you may already know, we created the one of a kind Trtl Pillow which has been massively popular.  This encouraged us to then introduce other products like the Trtl Sleep Mask to help travellers get that perfect balance for a great sleep wherever they are.  Here are some tips we hope will help.  

What is so important about getting a good sleep?

Even though sleep does vary from person to person, it’s believed that the average adult requires 7 hours of sleep a day.   Sleep is so important for not only our physical health but our mental health too.   If your body is deprived of sleep, it can affect both your immune system and your mood. 

Due to COVID-19,  many are finding their sleeping habits have changed whether you are one of the luckier ones who have been sleeping better or you are unfortunately struggling to get a decent night’s sleep.  With there being so much uncertainty and lack of routine due to the pandemic, it’s understandable if you are finding yourself a bit restless during the night.  It’s so important to have a clear and calm mindset when going to bed for the night.  Read on to see our top tips for a good sleep!

Top tips to prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep

• Try to relax before bed - There are several things you can do to unwind before bed and everyone has different ideas of relaxing. Here are a few popular and easier methods we would recommend.

• Read a nice, easy-to-read book
• Take a warm bubble bath (perhaps light a few candles to create a chilled ambience)
• Enjoy a warm cup of calming herbal tea - Camomile is highly recommended
• Take up meditation or bedtime yoga - both perfect to clear your mind and destress.  There are some excellent yoga poses for bed in this article by ‘Calm Moment’ - 5 Best Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep Better 

• Ensure you have the correct night-time essentials
• Bedding is super important - making sure you have the correct mattress, pillow and duvet that suits you best.  Having an uncomfortable mattress and pillow that don’t satisfy you will not only result in lack of sleep but potential aches and pains around your body.  The following article by The Sleep Judge has excellent advice for those currently looking for new bedding! - Guide to finding the right bedding for you.
• Try a sleep mask and/or ear plugs! - if you are struggling to stay asleep due to noise or if you have unwanted light coming into your room, these are fantastic solutions!  You can check out our sleep mask here and what’s even better is that it comes with a pair of ear plugs! - Trtl Sleep Mask

• Know when to give up! - If you are not asleep after 20 mins of being in bed, get up!  Even if it’s for 15 mins to have a warm cup of herbal tea or to sit on the couch and read something light-hearted (no television or scrolling through Facebook!).  Lying in the dark in bed waiting to fall asleep can do the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.  It causes frustration and worry which results in activating your mind making it harder to fall asleep!

Things to avoid when looking for a good night’s sleep

There are certain things that are known to be unhealthy before sleeping.  

• Screen time - It is recommended that you should turn off screens 1-2 hours  before bed due to the Blue Light you get from your cell phone, tv, tablet. According to SCL Health “The blue light emitted by your cell phone screen restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle (aka circadian rhythm). This makes it even more difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next day.” You can read more about the impact of blue light here -  Why It's Time to Ditch the Cell Phone Before Bed.  Alternatively, should you need to look at your phone before bed, there is a ‘night shift mode’ option on your cell phone that changes the blue light to a warmer tone that is gentler on your eyes.
  
  
• Caffeine - this is no surprise to anyone really.  Caffeine is known for waking you up and giving you a boost therefore it’s definitely advised to hold off on the caffeine for at least 6 hours before bed. It is also known to be a diuretic which encourages urination resulting in disrupting your sleep.
  
  
• Exercise late at night - Exercise is an important thing and highly recommended.  In fact, exercise is recommended to those who are struggling with sleep however, ensure you exercise earlier on in the day and not right before bed.  It’s suggested that you should not exercise 1-2 hours before bed as it awakens your mind and also your body.
  
  
• Napping after 3pm - Even a 20 minute nap can give you enough energy to last your right through till late at night affecting your sleep! It’s advised not to nap 6-7 hours before you go to bed. (We know how tempting a nap is no matter what time of day!)
  
  
• Large meals late at night - Light snacks at night are ok, but if you are looking at eating a meal an hour or 2 before you go to bed, it’s not going to do you any favours.  When we eat, we get a burst of energy and we also require to be active in order for the food to digest.  Not only can eating before bed make you more active and restless but can cause indigestion resulting in a disturbed sleep.

Sleep is really important to everyone’s health, no matter what your current health status is. Not getting enough sleep or a good sleep can affect your mental and physical health and it’s clear that right now; we really need to be looking after our overall health. It’s always important and should be a top priority but more so now than ever before!

We hope these tips have been helpful for you all. However, we are sure that there is plenty more sleep advice out there, so if you have any you wish to share with us, please do via our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter or by emailing us at hello@trtl.co.uk and share your thoughts.