Ladies, do you often find yourself tossing and turning at night? Do you wake up feeling tired or aching all over? Do you wake up more than three times in the middle of the night? And when you wake up at night, do you stay awake for more than 20 minutes before being able to get back to sleep?
If your answer is ‘yes’ to even one of these questions, then you’re most likely not getting quality sleep at night. No need to worry, though. There are ways you can help yourself regularly get a good night’s sleep. And sometimes simply satisfying four of your five senses will do the trick.
Sense of touch
First, pay attention to your sense of touch. Start with your sleepwear. The clothes you wear to bed should be comfortable, so choose sleepwear made from soft and breathable fabric like cotton, linen, and wool. It’s basically the same—soft and smooth—for your bedsheets. Be sure to use bedding that has a minimum thread count of 200. When it comes to the mattress and pillows, you should select based on your preference or needs.
For example, if you prefer sleeping on your side and you weigh less than 130 lb, an extra soft mattress is best for you. Or if you have recurring back pain, it’s a good idea to get a lumbar pillow to support your lower back while you sleep. And don’t forget the temperature in your bedroom. The ideal temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 67 °F.
Sense of hearing
Second, don’t overlook your sense of hearing. While it’s impossible not to have any noise in your room, there are some things you can do to mask the sounds that can disrupt your sleep. For one, you can use earplugs to block out sounds. You can get thicker curtains and a plush rug or carpet for your bedroom—as soft surfaces absorb sounds—as well.
Your bedroom, however, doesn’t need to be completely silent for you to regularly have a night’s sleep. In fact, you can even use sound to mask the noise. You can, for example, play soft music in your bedroom to drown out the sound of cars passing by your house at night. Obviously, you should also put on silent mode or turn off gadgets, particularly your smartphone, if you don’t want the ping of alerts to wake you up at night.
Sense of smell
Third, mind your sense of smell. Will you be able to sleep well if your bedroom stinks? Well, probably not, so you better make sure that your room at least doesn’t smell bad. And one easy way to do this is by keeping your room clean! You should also open the windows, preferably every day, to air out the room. Then, if your AC is due for a replacement, consider getting a unit with an air purifying system, plasma filter, anti-allergy filter, etc., to help ensure the air in your room (and house, for that matter) is clean. And while shopping for an AC unit, you might as well get an essential oil diffuser. Essential oils such as lavender and chamomile will not only make your bedroom smell heavenly; they will also help you relax and prepare your body for sleep.
Sense of sight
Fourth and last, give importance to your sense of sight. For starters, your bedroom should be appealing to you, so you can regularly get a good night’s sleep. Of course, your room will be nice to look at if it’s clean and tidy. You can also add color to your room to make it more inviting and conducive to sleep at the same time. Painting your bedroom walls a nice shade of blue, for instance, can help you fall asleep more easily as the color is said to have a calming and relaxing effect.
Then, eliminate light sources that can either prevent you from falling asleep or wake you up in the middle of the night. So draw the curtains closed, turn off the lights and TV, and, perhaps most important, refrain from using your gadgets, especially your smartphone, when it’s already time for bed!
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
For sure, all of you ladies know the many health benefits of getting quality sleep at night. So if you’re having trouble getting a good night’s sleep, then you better address this problem now. You can start by simply satisfying four of your five senses: touch, hearing, smell, and sight.
Sleep well and stay healthy, everyone!
