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Advice & Tips for Better Sleep

7 Tips For a Better Night's Sleep

Words by  Sophia Freeman

March 21, 2023

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Between the staff members at Button & Sprung we have decades of experience in the bed & mattress industry and we know that there’s no single ‘miracle cure’ when it comes to improving the quality of your sleep. Instead, it's the subtle changes to your lifestyle and ensuring that your mattress is providing you with proper support that will significantly help. To get you started on your journey to the land of nod, we’ve put together our top-tips for achieving your best night’s sleep…
Find the right fit
The single most important factor in helping you to achieve a good night’s sleep is a supportive mattress. As you get older, and sleep less deeply, you become aware of discomfort on your shoulders and hips, often tossing and turning during the night to relieve the pressure. Furthermore, movement during the night can wake you and your partner. A mattress, like a piece of clothing, should fit your unique shape and weight. It should contour to the curves of your body, supporting your pressure points (shoulder and hips). Ideally you want to be held in a ’neutral’ position when asleep - meaning that your spine is supported horizontally throughout the night. There is a common misunderstanding that firm mattresses are better for your back. If a mattress is too firm, it will work to push your spine upwards and out of line, creating pressure points at your shoulders and hips. Equally, if a mattress is too soft, your body will bow into it – putting pressure on your lower spine. We don’t track customer age by mattress tension, but if we did it would show that customers pick softer mattresses as they get older.
If possible, go large
It doesn’t matter how supportive your mattress is - if it’s too small for your needs, you’re not going to sleep well over the long term. It’s so important to have enough space for you and your partner to spread out (even if you have the most loving relationship). If you’re starting a family, you’ll likely be finding more bodies appearing in bed down the line. Rule of thumb: You should buy the biggest bed and mattress the room can comfortably accommodate.
Natural bedding
Always go for bed sheets and duvet covers that are made from natural fibres, rather than man-made synthetics or poly-cotton. Crisp cotton and soft linen are naturally breathable materials that will let air pass through, helping to prevent you from overheating during the night. Similarly we would advise opting for duck or goose down bedding along with a natural mattress protector. The Secret Linen Store are renowned for the quality of their pure linen bedding and hand-made, naturally filled duvets and pillows.
Two duvets
Your partner tossing and turning, pulling the duvet over to their side of the bed during the night is a frustrating experience. There’s an easy solution to this: invest in two separate duvets - so you have one each (Single or Double sizes work well, depending on the size of your bed). This is a common trick in Scandinavia, and even allows each of you to opt for a heavier or lighter tog duvet to better suit the temperature you sleep at.
Stop the scroll!
It’s proven that using electronic devices such as smartphones before bed can disrupt both the quality and duration of your sleep. The bright light emitted by the screen and never-ending notifications on social media can work to over-stimulate the brain making it harder to fall asleep. Engaging with the devices can also delay the time we actually fall asleep. Try to limit use of technology before bed by setting yourself a cut-off time. Even better - ban smartphones and tablets from the bedroom - and invest in a traditional alarm clock!
Keep your bedroom cool & dark
According to the experts, your body is designed to sleep in a cooler environment. As the day turns into night “our body temperature naturally drops, signalling that it’s time to slow down and get some rest. By keeping your bedroom cooler, you’re reinforcing your body’s natural instinct to sleep. If the room is too hot, you could potentially block that signal and causes it to take longer for you to fall asleep”∗. To keep your sleep environment cool, think about turning the thermostat down before bed, and opening a window. If it’s hot outside, close the blinds and use fans to get the air circulating. The air will also help evaporate sweat that forms on your body while you’re sleeping. Black-out curtains not only block out early morning sunlight, but they’ll also keep your bedroom free from artificial light pollution from streetlights and passing cars, helping you to achieve a deeper and longer sleep.
You are what you eat
Whilst it’s a no-brainer that consuming stimulants such as sugar and caffeine before bedtime will keep you up–bear in mind that saturated fats and processed carbohydrates can also have a detrimental effect on sleep. A diet rich in vegetables, fibre and foods containing unsaturated fat (such as nuts, canola oils and avocado) has been found to promote a better and deeper sleep. Interestingly, a growing body of research is drawing attention to a cyclical problem; that your diet can affect the quality of your sleep and the quality of your sleep can in turn impact on your nutritional choices. Don’t get stuck in the cycle and remember that when you’re not getting enough sleep, resist the impulse for foods that give a ‘quick fix’ (usually fast foods high in sat fats and sugars) and instead opt for the healthy option! In addition to this, eating slightly earlier in the evening will give you body enough time digest food before bedtime.