Here at The Bed Shop we know that owning a good quality, comfortable bed goes a long way towards ensuring a restful night’s sleep. However, with the hectic pressures of modern life, we sometimes need a helping hand to unwind and prepare for sleep. So, to help you drift off naturally and easily, our experts have got together to share these tried and tested techniques with you.

General Sleeping Tips

• Avoid taking a nap during the day
  Taking a daytime nap can affect your ability to sleep at night because it affects your body clock. If you are so tired that you must nap, then try and nap as early in the day as possible and try to limit your nap to thirty minutes or less.
• Avoid alcohol
  Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for several hours before bedtime. Although alcohol may initially act as a sedative and help you to fall asleep it can interrupt normal sleep patterns and cause you to wake during the night.
• Avoid Caffeine
  Although a hot drink may help you relax before bedtime, avoid caffeinated drinks as caffeine is a stimulant that may prevent restful sleep.
• Don't smoke
  Nicotine is a stimulant and can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
• Avoid Medicines
  Many over-the-counter drugs disrupt sleep and prevent a good nights rest.
• Darken your Bedroom
  Try to keep your bedroom dark while you are sleeping so that the light will not interfere with your rest.
• Exercise early in the day
  Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, try to take exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and taking exercise before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.
• Avoid TV before bed
  Watching TV stimulates the brain and makes it more difficult to clear the mind and fall asleep. Try to avoid watching TV or doing anything associated with work, anything that will cause you to worry or anything that will stimulate rather than relax you.
• Change your bedtime
  If you are suffering from sleeplessness consistently, try working out how many hours you are actually sleeping and then working out what time to go to bed, to sleep constantly while in bed. For example, if you regularly sleep for six hours and need to get up at 7am, then go to bed at 1am, once you are sleeping all the time you are in bed then you can increase your sleeping time, go to bed earlier in stages until you are sleeping for the desired time every night.
• Use bed socks
  Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body and can cause you to wake in the night. A study has shown that wearing socks to bed can reduce night waking

Improving your sleep environment

• Get a Bigger Bed
  If you are disturbed by a restless bedmate, switch to a king-size or even superking size bed. You may even consider a pair of linked singles that can be separated if you are having difficulty sleeping.
• Get a Better Bed
  The more comfortable and supportive your bed is, the more likely you are to sleep well. Pocket sprung and Memory foam beds are generally more supportive and therefore likely to provide a better nights rest.
• Get New Pillows
  Your head is the heaviest part of your body and needs the support of a good pillow to ensure a good nights sleep. Old or flattened pillows may not give enough support to your head and neck and cause you to wake during the night.
• Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary
  Ensure your bedroom is associated with rest and that you feel snug, secure and relaxed in your bedroom environment. Make sure you enjoy your surroundings, this could be improved with a stylish bedstead or headboard Avoid using your bedroom for working or anything other than sleeping and resting, it should be your sanctuary from the rest of the world.
• Keep your bedroom peaceful and comfortable
  Make sure your room is well ventilated and the temperature consistent. And try to keep it as quiet as possible.
• Hide your clock
  Being able to focus on the time and worrying that you are still not sleeping will not help you fall asleep. Make sure that the time is not visible when you are trying to fall asleep.

Improving your pre-sleep ritual

• Regulate your Sleep Times
  Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, including weekends. Keeping a regular schedule will help your body expect sleep at the same time each day. Don’t oversleep to make up for a poor night’s sleep – or a late night, this can disrupt your body clock and disrupt you regular sleep pattern.
• Incorporate bedtime rituals
  Listening to soft music, sipping a cup of herbal tea, just sitting quietly for a while, or whatever routine works for you, informs your body that it's time to slow down and begin to prepare for sleep.
• Avoid late heavy meals
  Eating a heavy meal before bed can cause indigestion, make it uncomfortable to lie down and interfere with your normal sleep cycle. Try to eat your dinner at least two hours before bedtime, or just have a light supper.
• Write down your thoughts
  Anxiety excites the nervous system, so your brain sends messages to the adrenal glands, making you more alert. Write down your worries and possible solutions before you go to bed, knowing that you can deal with them tomorrow will help you clear your mind, relax and sleep
• Go to sleep when you are sleepy
  When you feel tired, go to bed do not try and stay awake as this may prevent you from sleeping later.

Back to sleep

• Visualize
  Focus all your attention on your toes, count sheep jumping a gate or visualize walking down an endless stairwell. Thinking about repetitive or mindless things will allow you brain to shut down and allow sleep.
• Get Up
  Don't lie in bed awake and fret about getting back to sleep. Go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy. Worrying about falling asleep will actually keep you awake.
• Avoid Stimulation
  Don't read anything job related or watch TV as this will stimulate your brain and make it more difficult to sleep. Don't expose yourself to bright light, the light will cause your brain to think it is time to wake up.