Martin Seely, the sleep expert at CEO at MattressNextDay, said: ‘While Spring is a natural mood booster, many Brits feel sleepier during this season. Firstly, many people’s bodies didn’t adjust to the clock change last month. A person’s sleep-wake cycle is very responsive to consistency, so if you’ve found that you’re going to bed later due to the light nights, then you’ll naturally be more tired the following day.’
‘Secondly, you may find that the excitement of longer and warmer days has led to you forgetting to prioritise sleep. When Springtime arrives, there’s a new sense of optimism about the number of things you can complete in a single day and having the mental energy to do it all.’
‘However, if you are supposed not to log seven or eight hours of sleep per night, in that case, you’ll slowly start to feel the consequences of sleep deprivation, ironically making you feel anti-social after socialising so much. Instead, try not to spread yourself too thin and prioritise sleep if you’re feeling an afternoon slump.’
‘If you also find yourself making the most of a pub garden after work, it may also be impacting your sleep. While heading to a bar for some beers is all fun, you should stop consuming alcohol within two to three hours of your bedtime. Although alcohol can make you feel sleepy due to its sedative properties and make you fall asleep more quickly, your sleep quality that night will be lower. You’ll feel excessive daytime sleepiness the following date.’
Seven ways to make your room more sleep-friendly this Spring ️
Keep an eye mask near your bed to improve your internal body clock
Did you know that light is the most important external factor affecting your sleep? It plays a central role in regulating your body’s internal clock by signalling to your brain when to be alert and when to rest.
Throughout the day, you should expose yourself to as much light as possible to bring on the feeling of alertness, however, as the day goes on, you should close your curtains to block out the light nights and instead use ambient lamps. Your bedroom should be virtually black by the time you get to bed, so your brain knows it’s bedtime. If your blind or curtain situation doesn’t allow this to be, keep an eye mask near your bed to block the light out.
Remove all clutter to reduce your body’s stress hormone (and make some extra cash from doing so!)
The average person spends around a third of their entire life in bed, so your bedroom should be a relaxing sanctuary that enables you to switch off and sleep. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that many studies have shown that a messy bedroom leads to a poor night’s sleep and increased anxiety. This is because a disorganised environment reminds our brain of an uncompleted job which is not what you want just before bedtime.
So why not make the most of your bank holiday and spend some time decluttering? Place everything into three separate piles – keep, donate, and sell. For any items in the keep pile, work out where you will put them as you go. Everything should be stored neatly in a drawer or container.
For your donate pile, place it straight into a carrier bag and once finished, keep your bag near your front door so it serves as a reminder to take it to a charity shop. And finally, for your sell pile, make the most of the long weekend by uploading the items onto eBay or Facebook Marketplace to make some extra cash.
Move your bed to this secret spot which encourages the highest quality of sleep
Now that you’ve decluttered, you should have more room, making it the ideal time to move your bed to the best position for sleep – along the longest wall. As your bedroom should only be used for sleep and sex, placing it in this focal point encourages you to use it for only these two reasons.
However, placing it here will also allow you to fall asleep faster, as when it’s alternatively placed near a door or window, you can be kept away from sounds and shadows. Plus, sleeping under a window is also likely to lead to a cold draft, making for an uncomfortable sleep.
Have one of this sleep-inducing, spring scented candles on your bedside table
Did you know that specific scents have the power to significantly affect your mood, reduce stress and relax your muscles? Naturally, these are all things you want before going to sleep, so we recommend purchasing a spring candle in one of the following scents:
- Neroli – This is an airy and citrusy scent with hints of honey and orange. It’s well-known for easing stress, stabilising blood pressure, and alleviating sleeping problems.
- Lavender – The calming powers of lavender are well-known for lulling people into a peaceful slumber, so many purchase pillow sprays in this scent. However, lighting a lavender candle before you get into bed can bring on its sedative properties, encouraging deeper sleep.
- Rose – Research shows that the scent of roses is naturally relaxing and potentially helpful for relieving your stress levels. However, most surprising of all – the rose scent is shown to help improve your learning while you’re sleeping, making it perfect for students.
Place books in this colour on your bedside table to promote peace before bedtime
The relationship between colour psychology and your sleeping pattern is certainly no secret. Psychologists and sleep experts agree that the colour choices in your bedroom impact your well-being; however, did you know that this includes your book of choice, too? You should remove your darker books from lighter-hued ones on your bedside table as they are more likely to promote peace before bedtime. Some suggestions include:
- Blue – This soothing colour has tremendous power to manage stress and slow down your heart rate, both of which help you switch off.
- Green – Because this colour symbolises nature, it’s a highly soothing colour to surround yourself with before bedtime. Pick books with beige greens and pale-yellow greens as these are the most stress-reducing shades and elicit earthy energy.
- Pink – This romantic colour helps promote peace – so much so that feng shui experts believe that pink promotes a balance of your energies, perfect for when you need to drift off.
Choose lighter bed linens to help regulate your body temperature
There’s nothing quite like packing away your winter bedding and changing it to spring. We tend to have thicker duvets and bedding to keep us warm in winter. But, as it gets sunnier, we don’t need those as much. So, to get into the positive spring mindset, opt for lighter bed linens.
Plus, lighter bed linen will help you regulate your body temperature if you tend to sweat at night. It’s essential to choose this type of bedding during spring and summer as night sweats can disturb your sleep and significantly impact your mood. Also, remember to wash your bedding once a week in spring and summer to remove any build-up of bacteria if you are prone to sweating.
Buy a snake plant to help regulate a healthy airflow in your room
Placing plants around your home can be an instant mood boost; the best plant for the bedroom is a snake plant. Unlike most plants, they have a rare ability to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen both during the day and throughout the night. In turn, this helps regulate a healthy airflow around your room, which makes it easier for you to relax and fall asleep, but it also improves the quality of your sleep.
Those that suffer from allergies that keep them awake at night will also benefit from having a snake plant in their bedroom. Not only do they convert carbon dioxide, but snake plants add moisture into the air, which helps lessen the impact of airborne allergens, such as dust. Their leaves are also smooth, meaning that they collect less dust than some rougher leaved plants.
