Whether you’re a true morning person or a natural night owl, you’ll occasionally find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. While switching off Netflix, avoiding late-afternoon Red Eyes, and doing yoga before bed can help calm your senses, many individuals still find it challenging to close their eyes (and sleep well) all night.
The good news is that you can influence your sleep cycle to get some shut eye. How? By investing in essentials that help improve sleep quality. Below is a roundup of the best sleep essentials to make sure you have a restful sleeping space to go to every night.
Comfortable mattress
When it comes to physical comfort, nothing is more critical than your sleeping mattress. The choice of mattress will determine whether you will snore like a baby or toss and turn all night. If your mattress has been there since you constructed or shifted to your apartment, it might be time for a replacement. Other red flags to watch out for include waking up several times at night to adjust your sleeping position or feeling achy in the morning.
There are several types of mattresses in the market, but we recommend the following for a good night’s sleep:
Inofia Sleeping 8 inch Hybrid Comfort
Sweetnight Queen Mattress-Queen Size Mattress
King Mattress, Sweetnight, Ventilated Memory Foam
Distraction soldiers
If you’re a light sleeper, it can be a struggle to get some interrupted sleep with all the light and noise coming in. However, you don’t have to wait for distractions to end — you can kill them by getting a few essentials. The most important of these are the earplugs that will conceal traffic, roommate and snoring sounds. We also recommend getting an eye mask to keep those bright lights out of sight. Lastly, get a humidifier to enhance the air quality in your room. The right one will also act as a silent dust soldier, keeping debris away to help reduce morning allergies and stress.
If you’re looking for options, consider getting the following models and make:
Better Sleep Moldable Silicone Earplugs for Sleep
Concave Molded Night Sleep Mask
Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier, 2.5L Essential Oil Diffuser
Blankets and Sheets Made of Natural Materials
Sheets and blankets play the essential role of keeping us warm. However, too much warmth can make us wake halfway during the night (in loads of sweat). So, to prevent overheating and staying cozy throughout your sleep cycle, choose sheets and blankets made with natural materials. A few good materials are wool, linen, and cotton. In comparison to polyester and other similar synthetics, these materials trap less body heat because of their breathable nature. It’s also a good idea to keep two sheet sets at your disposal as you’ll need to wash one every week.
Here are a few good options for natural blankets and sheets:
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Whisper Organics Organic Cotton Throw Blanket
Perfect Fit | Cool Wool Extra Plush Down
European Made Pure Linen Sheets Set
Blackout curtain
If you’re located in a remote area without a streetlight within a short distance of your residence, you can ignore this tip and consider yourself lucky (very lucky!). But if you reside in a bustling city with a chicken sign or fancy streetlights right next to your house, it might be worth looking into a blackout curtain. This essential will make your room womb-like (dark and comfortable), so you sleep like babies do.
Here are a few blackout curtains to look into for getting a good night’s sleep:
NICETOWN Blackout Curtain Panels Window Draperies
Deconovo Room Darkening Thermal Insulated Blackout
A good book
We all have those days where we mentally feel tired come evening. Hence, taking some time to unwind is the secret to getting a good night’s sleep. While everyone has their own way of taking a breather, you can’t deny the impact of a good read. Reading can significantly lower your stress levels and works even better than sipping a cup of tea or listening to music. Just make sure to get a physical book instead of reading articles on your iPad. We say this because the light from electronic devices can hinder the body’s ability to generate melatonin (the hormone that puts us to sleep).
Below are some interesting books that can help you sleep well at night:
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Fan
Some homeowners buy fans to use them as noise machines (blocking ambient noises to get better sleep). For the majority of people out there, it serves the purpose of keeping the body cool as you go to bed. The wrong temperature inside a bedroom setting (either too cold or too hot), can make the night time routine iffy. A cooler room is the deal solution for many people, and a fan would help in case the thermostat setting can’t be changed (or you’re looking for ways to reduce your electricity bills).
There are several kinds of fans in existence, but the best options include:
Lasko 3300 20″ Wind Machine Fan
HONEYWELL Dreamweaver Sleep Fan, Black
Woozoo HD18NU Whole Room Circulator Fan
Sunshine stimulation clock
A lot of people feel alert and struggle to get a good night’s sleep when they have their alarm on for waking up the next day. Maybe gradual brightening of the room could help reduce the false sense of alertness. That’s where a sunshine stimulated alarm clock can be a blessing in disguise. These alarm clocks start to gradually produce light 30 minutes before your designated alarm time, and keep increasing in brightness until the user basks in a yellow sunlight. Manufacturers of these alarm clocks believe this helps the body wake up comfortably (as almost by preference).
Here are 3 sunlight stimulated alarm clocks worthy of your attention:
Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with Sunrise Simulation
HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock, Smart Wake up Light Sleep Aid Digital Alarm Clock
hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock – Digital LED Clock with 6 Color Switch
Stainless steel bottle or mason jar
Hydration is important for staying asleep, but when you wake up at night, you’re less likely to make your way to the kitchen. And even if you manage to force yourself out of bed, going back to sleep can be a nightmare. The solution to this is to keep a glass of water on your side table, making sure it’s within reach. A mason jar or a stainless-steel bottle will work if you’re clumsy and knock things over
Consider the following models and make:
Premium Stainless-Steel Water Bottle
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Conclusion
That’s it. You now have everything to make your bedroom a sleeper’s den. Make sure to share these essentials with your relatives or anyone who struggles to get a good night’s sleep. They’ll thank you for it. Sleep well and get your routine (and health) back on track.