{Ad. This post is in conjunction with TEMPURยฎ but all thoughts are my own.}
Sleep. We can never seem to get enough, can we? And when we do, it’s not necessarily good quality sleep. I’ve been researching how our sleep cycle affects our sleep quality, and trying some new ways to sleep better. Read on to see if you can pick up any sleep cycle tips to help you sleep better, for longer, and actually wake up feeling refreshed for once!
Good Sleep is Not Just About the Hours
I think most of us think the length of time we sleep is the most important thing, but actually, this is only part of the bed time story. If you’re tossing and turning all night, it’s a sure sign you’ll be groggy ( and dare I say it?) grumpy the next day. Whereas a shorter period of deep and restful sleep will leave you feeling restored and refreshed.
What is a Sleep Cycle?
In a typical night you’ll go through up to six sleep cycles, each lasting around an hour and a half. Within each sleep cycle there are four stages of sleep.
The first stage (also known as N1) being dropping off, and this usually lasts a few minutes, being quite light sleep. In the second stage (N2) your temperature drops, muscles relax and breathing and heart rates slow down. This stage lasts up to 25 minutes in your first sleep cycle and can get longer as the night goes on. Next comes the third stage (N3) which is deep sleep as you relax further, lasting up to about 40 minutes. This is the restorative sleep we need to recover from our day. The final stage is REM sleep, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement, as your brain is much more active. This is where you’re likely to get more vivid dreams.
Always Fall Asleep on the Sofa?
My husband and I have a long-running joke that I invariably fall asleep on the sofa, mid-film. It happens at around 10.30 every Friday and Saturday night. I now know that’s because that must be when my first sleep cycle starts. Unless my husband wakes me up before I get to stage 2 or 3 of a sleep cycle, I really struggle to wake up. I now admit defeat and go to bed earlier, to make the most of my first sleep cycle, in the comfort of my bed.
What Can You Do To Improve Your Sleep Cycle?
There are quite a few simple ways we can all improve our sleep cycles, and here are the ones I find work really well. Let’s start with making your bedroom a more restful space.
1. Get The Light Right to Boost Your Sleep Cycle
Having the right amount of light is crucial to sleeping well. If it’s too light, it disrupts your circadian rhythm. Dim lights in the evening to mimic the sun setting. This can help you get ready for sleep, as the fading light gives your body the green light to start making melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleep. We can help the process by dimming the lights in the evening, and using a blackout blind, especially in summer when it stays light later. I have a sunset/sunrise alarm clock that really helps in winter.
2. Ban Screens from the Bedroom
The blue light that comes from our phone and tablet screens keeps us up. Sleep experts recommend we ban screens in the bedroom. As we don’t have a landline, I don’t like the thought that I can’t be contacted in case of an emergency. So I leave my phone on the other side of the room, so I can’t be tempted to check it!
3. Pick the Perfect Pillow
Getting the right pillow is crucial. I have had many failed attempts: too soft, or too hard (I feel like Goldilocks!) But I have finally got it right with my new TEMPURยฎ Comfort Pillow.
It’s made from thousands of medium feel TEMPURยฎ Material micro-cushions, that give pressure relief. It comes with a 30 day trial and 3 year guarantee for peace of mind, as well as peaceful sleep. And best of all, I no longer wake up with a crick in my neck. Game changer!
4. Keep Your Cool and Get Cleaner Air
It’s better for quality sleep to be cooler, rather than warmer. So choose a thinner duvet, and layer on a blanket if needed. Always got cold feet? Me too! Sometimes bed socks are the only answer. Using natural fabrics like cotton and linen for bed linen and clothes are more breathable and help stop you get overheated overnight.
A fan can also work wonders in heatwaves, but if you want to take your air to the next level, I recommend an air purifier. Not only do they help stop the spread of airborne viruses like Covid and flu, they also help with hayfever and that ‘stuffy head’ feeling you sometimes wake up with when your air is stale. Just make sure it’s nice and quiet!
5. Choose the Right Mattress
You spend most of your time in bed, or in your shoes, so these are really important to get right! Getting the right support from your mattress to keep you comfortable from dusk to dawn couldn’t be more important. Hopefully well beyond dawn, if you get your sleep cycle correct! TEMPURยฎ developed an innovative mattress material, designed for the best sleep possible. In fact, it’s the only mattress and pillow recognised by NASA for improving quality of life, thanks to its proven pressure relief. I think we can all agree we need pressure relief in our lives!
6. Have a Sleep and Exercise Routine
It’s not always easy if you have kids, or unusual work patterns. But going to sleep and waking up at around the same time is better for your body than laying in at weekends after a late night. I’m still working on this one!
Regular exercise also plays a huge part in our sleep cycles. So since discovering my new found love of cycling, I’ve found this also helps with sleep. Walking is another free exercise that helps wear my body out so we can sleep well. I try to always hit my 10,000 minimum step count, and that’s easier when the kids are at school as that is the right amount for the school run. At weekends, we love a family bike ride. Walking and cycling are great ways to get your sleep cycle into gear.
Now that my kids are at secondary school and I don’t need to do the school run, my walking has gone down so much. I felt so sluggish and tired with no energy, yet I struggled to sleep. It highlights just how tied together exercise and sleep cycles are. Gentle, low octane exercise like cycling (unless you’re training for a race!), yoga or pilates is great before bed as it can help you relax.
6. Write It Down
Keeping a notepad and pencil by your bed may help you to sleep better. You can scribble down any to-dos or things that are playing on your mind. I used to make notes in my phone, and aside from exposing myself to more sleep-disrupting blue light, the notes made no sense in the morning anyway as I was ‘sleep typing’. My note pad is still often nonsense but it’s better than disturbing my sleep cycle.
7. Don’t Clock Watch
Clock watching is not very good for making you sleep better. It makes you do that awful mental maths working out whether you have had enough sleep if you have to get up in 3 hours. If you can’t sleep, it’s can be better to ‘reset’ your sleep cycle by getting up for a few minutes.
8. Ban Caffeine in the Afternoon
This one is common sense, but it’s worth mentioning. Drinking caffeine in the form of tea or coffee or caffeinated soft drinks in the afternoon can adversely affect our sleep cycles. Caffeine is also present in chocolate, hot chocolate, energy drinks, some protein bars and shakes, and painkillers.
If you have a cup of tea at 4pm, the caffeine will still be in your system well after 9pm! Since stopping drinking caffeinated tea after 1pm, I’ve been finding it easier to get to sleep. I make my own chamomile and mint tea in an infuser in the evenings, and that is a much better option.
9. Don’t Drink and Sleep
Alcohol can also be a sleep disruptor; personally I fall asleep on the sofa after a glass of wine. But although alcohol can make us fall asleep quicker, it cuts down on the amount of more restful, Rapid Eye Movement stage of your sleep cycle.
10. Have a Relaxing Bath
It may be a bit of a cliche, but a relaxing bath with scented candle light and lavender-scented bath salts or bubbles really does get your body relaxed and ready to sleep.
11. Read a Book to Ease Into Your First Sleep Cycle
This is related to banning phones in the bedroom. It’s time to step away from doom scrolling on Twitter and pick up a nice old fashioned book instead. Although I do love challenging books, I find that reading an old favourite, or something that doesn’t need much brain power is best to calm down a busy brain.
How TEMPURยฎ Are Supporting Women’s Cycling
I’m not the only one to benefit from improved sleep cycles with TEMPURยฎ mattress technology. TEMPURยฎ are partnering with women’s road cycling team DROPS Le Col, showing their commitment to supporting athletes with their exercise and training.
TEMPURยฎ has a long history of supporting athletes, including tennis legend Serena Williams, to ensure health through high-quality sleep. The DROPS Le Col riders have all been given TEMPURยฎ mattresses and pillows to boost rest and recovery at home, and on the road.
I wish this inspirational team all the best for the season ahead, and beyond.
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