Our sleeping patterns vary largely throughout the many phases in our lives. From a young age and right up to teenagers, we can’t get enough. Then we move towards adulthood and we have work or children vying for our attention at all hours and far less time to sleep. And finally, in our later adult years, we may find ourselves with more time on our hands but perhaps lacking the ability to get a restful night’s sleep.
According to the UK Health Centre, “as we get older we will experience less slow-wave sleep and less REM sleep and this is thought to be due to the lack of growth hormones which would normally control NREM sleep”. Added to this, sleep disturbances may become more acute in older adults. While the amount of sleep required by each adult varies largely, lacking sleep can play a big role in a whole host of different health problems such as heart issues, high blood pressure, diabetes, and of course your mood.
When it comes to feeling fab over 50, sleep should be one of your main priorities. Nothing will make you jump out of bed and seize the day quite like a good night’s sleep. By creating the right sleeping environment, you’ll find a solid eight hours or more will be quite achievable and you will hopefully be feeling vibrant, fresh, and wonderful. If sleeping is what we spend one third of our life doing, then why not feel fabulous during those hours as well? We’ve put together a list of tips that will help with making your surroundings more sleep-friendly.
The perfect bed situation
One of the most important factors of a good night’s sleep is of course the right bed elements. A bad mattress or bed frame can not only cause back, neck, or knee problems, but it can also be the root of uncomfortable temperatures while sleeping. And although there are positions to avoid getting sore in bed, a mattress change can be the simplest solution. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat – and this may be the case with some memory foam mattresses. If you are particularly fond of memory foam, opt for a company known for its quality and perhaps something that guarantees temperature control. The variety in sheets, duvets and bedspreads is huge and choosing one to suit your climate, preference and home temperature can be difficult at the best of times, but trial and error is the greatest way to discover your ideal solution.
A relaxed lighting option
Lighting plays a crucial role in creating the right sleep environment. Although some people are more sensitive than others towards harsh lighting, all of us are affected on some level or another by light when we’re sleeping. Whether it’s morning light seeping through the curtains, or flashing electronic lights from chargers throughout the night, all of these may affect the quality of your sleep. Darkness is important for sleeping because it signals to the body that it’s time to sleep and the natural hormone called melatonin is then released into the body, which in turn helps relax muscles and lower temperature. So, plug out those chargers, cover the standby lights and close those curtains!
Rearrange your room
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of arranging items in your environment to get the best possible harmony out of your surroundings and create a natural flow. There are various tips that can be incorporated into your bedroom in order to improve the Feng Shui of your room:
- The location of your bed: while there is much controversy around which direction your bed should face in (north, south, east, west), most agree that the bed should be as far away from the door as possible but the door should also be visible from your bed.
- Clear your headspace: the area above your head should remain clear to encourage an uncluttered mind.
- Colour carefully: choosing calmer colours such as grey, blue, soft green, and lavender can help create a relaxed environment.