In a world where there is so much information on what we should eat and how much exercise we should be getting, the one thing that still baffles many of us is how to get a good night’s sleep!
It’s not uncommon for many of us to wake up throughout the night or even battle with bouts of insomnia, the trick to a great night’s sleep remains a perplexing puzzle… until now!
Lake District Hotels has teamed up with Sealy to provide you with top tips so you can conquer a great night’s sleep once and for all. All our hotel beds across the group are provided by Sealy in order to provide you with optimum levels of comfort as you enter the land of nod.
1) Keep to your sleep routine
Try and get into a rhythm with your sleeping pattern. If you stick to a similar sleeping and waking time each day it will help you avoid ‘social jet lag’ which makes it harder for you to drift off.
Once your circadian rhythm is intact, it’ll help you feel much more awake throughout the day and you’ll begin to feel tired when you’re supposed to. Usually, it is best to work this around your working hours and will vary from person to person.
2) Avoid technology before bed
In today’s day and age, banishing the technology before bed seems like a somewhat impossible task, however if you train yourself to switch off the screens, it’ll prepare you for a great night’s sleep ahead.
The artificial blue light emitted from device screens can delay the release of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin and result in wakefulness. We recommend swapping your tablet for a good old-fashioned book prior to bed.
3) Exercise in the morning
Research suggests that getting regular exercise in the morning after you wake will do wonders for not only helping you sleep at night, but helping you get up in a morning! Lucky for you, when you stay in the Lake District, the Lakeland fells are your playground – so, you can easily get up and out for a stroll after breakfast!
By boosting your metabolism first thing, your body will be ready to rest when it comes to bedtime.
4) Get the right room temperature
As much as we may hate getting into bed in a room that’s too cold, we all know the struggle of trying to get to sleep in a room that’s just far too warm. At least when you’re cold, you quickly warm up once you slip into the sheets!
The optimum temperature for sleep is between 16-18°C, so if you’re going to be out all evening, make sure your room temperature is set to this so the room is the ideal sleeping temperature upon your return.
5) Turn your phone off
As already discussed, screens and sleep do not go together. Not just because of the blue light emitted by your phone, but also because of the amount of nuisance notifications you can get throughout the night.
Whether you’ve got family in Oz that just had to show you this cute dog video they found on Facebook, or your close friend has had one too many sherbets and fancies a catch up at 2am; no notifications are good when you’re trying to get to sleep, so switch it off – or at least turn ‘do not disturb’ mode on. Alternatively, you can ask reception to arrange a wake-up call for you.
6) Have a bath
Not only are they incredibly relaxing, but having a bath has been shown to facilitate a great night’s sleep. The rapid decrease in body temperature immediately after a bath mimics the natural decrease of your body temperature as it prepares itself for sleep.
This will help you drift off much quicker and is a great way to ease those achy muscles after a day on the fells.
7) Drink herbal tea
As much as us Brits love our English breakfast tea, evidence suggests that a cup of herbal tea is what we should be sipping before bed. Herbal teas do not contain any caffeine which straight away eases the wake-sleep process, plus herbal teas such as Chamomile contain the amino acid, glycine, which helps your muscles relax.
Herbal teas are also excellent for calming any stressful thoughts which is aided by the way they engage your senses. When staying at the hotel, make sure you ask about our impressive selection of herbal teas at the bar.
5 FACTS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE LAKES →
8) Unpack properly
Although many people cannot see the benefit in properly unpacking when they’re only staying somewhere for a brief amount of time, studies have shown a correlation between having a messy room and getting a bad night’s sleep.
When arriving in your room, make sure you unpack your belongings into drawers and wardrobes – even if you’re only with us for the one night!
9) Limit yourself to one nightcap
The association between alcohol and having a restless night’s sleep is already well established, so try restrain yourself as the evening progresses. Studies strongly show that alcohol causes you to spend less time in REM sleep which is the deepest stage of sleep. Our body is completely paralysed apart from our eyes which can move, hence the name ‘Rapid Eye Movement sleep‘.
This is the most restorative stage of sleep and the longer we spend in it, the more refreshed we feel when we wake up. Drinking alcohol before bed only tricks people into thinking they are getting a better night’s sleep as they may fall asleep faster, but the quality of sleep they are getting is reduced.
10) Make your bed a sleep oasis
Help give yourself a great night’s sleep by making your brain associate your bed with sleep only. Try to avoid using your bed as a rest area for watching TV or doing work.
This will only make you become more restless the more time you spend in bed and you will find it less comfortable when you do decide to go to sleep. With training, it also makes your brain send signals that it is time to go to sleep once you do slip into bed.
Book your next Lake District retreat today
All of our hotel bedrooms have been designed with you in mind and the reason we chose Sealy is to provide you with the great night’s sleep that you deserve. Therefore, you can rest assured that you will be well rested and energised enough to make the most of your time exploring the Lakes.
Discover our 6 Lake District hotels and book your escape today.
