People are celebrating World Sleep Day, but what's it all about?

 

World Sleep Day is an annual, global call to action about the importance of healthy sleep which is something we're super passionate about here at Trtl.

It’s organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society and aims to lessen the burden of sleep problems that exist in society, through better prevention and management of sleep disorders. 

As the name suggests, it celebrates the restorative nature of sleep. It also aims to raise awareness of important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education, social aspects and driving.

Each year, World Sleep Day is held the Friday before Spring Vernal Equinox. What is the Spring Vernal Equinox? It’s when the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night is almost equal, though not quite. 

This year’s Vernal (Spring) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is Wednesday, March 20 and World Sleep Day 2019 takes place on Friday, March 15. The slogan for this year’s World Sleep Day events is, “Healthy Sleep, Healthy Aging”. And there are good reasons for that.

To celebrate World Sleep Day, Trtl are taking a look at some of the benefits of sleep including how sleep can help you stay healthy and alert for longer, meaning you can enjoy your travels and adventures for years to come! 

 

How To Sleep Well In Order To Age Well 

 

 

Want to look younger for longer? It turns out sleep could be the key ingredient to feeling great and looking youthful. But according to Dr. Erik St. Louis, Co-Director of the Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, it can also be crucial when it comes to your wellbeing. 

He says, “For most adults, getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep tonight might be the most important thing we can do to improve our future physical and mental health.

“Children need even more sleep for optimal learning and play. Recent research has shown the importance of adequate amounts of sleep for brain health, since during sleep, the brain washes away toxins that can potentially damage the aging brain that accumulate during the day while we’re awake.

“Sleep also keeps the brain’s wiring and connections healthy and working at their best, especially when learning and remembering new things from earlier in the day.”

 

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

 

 

The right amount of sleep for you depends on how long you need to be sufficiently rested and alert the following day.

Ideally, it should be uninterrupted and continuous.

For most of us a healthy 7 or 8 hours sleep per night is a basic human need. It's considered essential to your overall health and well-being. It’s also what most doctors recommend. That’s because a lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can be known to have a significant impact on our health in the long and short term.

It can have a negative effect on our attention span, on our memory recall and on our learning. Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can also leave us vulnerable to accidents. Insomnia affects 35-40% of the adult population. Studies also show that people with insomnia suffer from more symptoms of anxiety and depression than people without insomnia.

Scientists have discovered that sleep could be the one of the keys to living a longer, happier and healthier life. Yet, for many of us, getting a good night’s sleep isn’t as easy as it looks. This is often as a result of our hectic lifestyles.

Aid your own sleep with our new Trtl Pillow Plus, which is perfect for commuting whether by plane, train, as a passenger on a long car or bus journey. Portable, light and compact, the Trtl Pillow Plus provides scientifically proven, height adjustable support for your head and neck while you're asleep. The Trtl Pillow Plus also includes a carry bag as standard, which can clip on to your hand luggage. Click this link to find out more about the Trtl Pillow Plus, and to sign up for launch notifications so you can be first to know when this is available!

 

How To Sleep Better, Happier and Healthier

 

 

To celebrate World Sleep Day, we’ve listed 10 top tips below to help you rest better and enable you to benefit effectively from the restorative nature of sleep. 

1. Stick to a regular routine for bedtime and for when you wake up each morning. 

2. If you like a nap in the afternoon or early evening, limit the siesta to no more than 45 minutes. Away from home or on the move? Try the Trtl Travel Pillow, specially designed to aid your ability to sleep anywhere, anytime.

3. Limit your alcohol intake in the hours prior to bedtime. Don’t smoke as cigarettes often include stimulants and will inhibit your quality of sleep.

4. Avoid food and drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea and many sodas as well as chocolate, up to six hours prior to your bedtime. Try decaffeinated coffee or caffeine free drinks instead.

5. Avoid heavy meals including spicy, or sugary foods up to 4 hours before bedtime. A light snack is perfectly okay. 

6. Exercise regularly, but not directly prior to going to bed.

7. Use comfortable bedding.

8. Eliminate as much light as possible and try to keep any distracting noise such as loud ticking alarm clocks or street noise to a minimum.

9. Choose a room temperature setting that is comfortable for sleeping. Keep your room well ventilated. 

10. Don't use your bed as a makeshift office. This will only stimulate your brain and keep you awake in the middle of the night.  

Meet all of the above guidelines to increase your chances of a great night’s sleep and restlessness should become a thing of the past.

 

To summarize, want to stay healthy and looking beautiful for longer? 

 

 

Duration: The length of sleep should be sufficient for the sleeper to be rested and alert the following day.

Continuity: Sleep periods should be seamless and undisturbed.

Depth: Sleep should be deep enough to be restorative.

In other words, get a good night’s sleep and if you like to take naps do so in moderation with your Trtl Pillow Plus to make sure you get the right amount of sleep and quality of sleep.

Night, night from the team at Trtl Travel.