Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

I recently took part in a sleep survey for Silentnight and while filling out the form I realised just how disrupted my sleep pattern has become over the years.

Becoming a parent is the start of a magical and wonderful journey, but it can also mean the end of having a good night's sleep.  With the early days of night feeds to the interrupted sleep that comes with a bed sharing toddler, a peaceful night sleep soon becomes the stuff of dreams.  Throw the worry of teenagers into the mix and we become so out of sync with our natural sleep cycle, that a good night's sleep becomes even more elusive.

Although we can't control those times when our children need us at night time, there are things we can do to make the most of the hours of slumber that we do have at our disposal when our little ones are tucked up safely in bed!

Tips for a better night's sleep

• Make your bedroom a relaxing place.  It's your sanctuary.
• Keep it peaceful, cool and comfortable.  
• Make sure you have a good quality mattress.  Check out the new rolled Silentnight mattresses for a convenient way of buying and handling a new mattress.  We bought ourselves a rolled memory foam mattress and it is brilliant.  It's amazing how compactly they are packaged, and then they spring up to full size on the bed.  Memory foam is just so comfortable too!
• Make sure it is dark in your bedroom to promote melatonin production.  Avoid watching TV in bed or using backlit e-readers.
• Associate your bed with sleep (and the odd spot of romance!!), so your body gets a powerful cue at night time.  Don't use your bed to do anything stressful like paperwork or revision!
• A light carbohydrate based snack can promote sleep.  Try a banana or cereal. Avoid a heavy meal before bed and don't eat spicy or acidic foods.
• Even if you can't sleep, try to relax, breathe deeply and visualize a restful place. Don't panic!  Focus on all the physical sensations you can feel such as the duvet on your skin and the sound of your breathing.
• Avoid caffeine in the evenings.
• Try to keep a good sleep routine with a regular bedtime.
• Make sure you get sunlight and exercise during the day to promote restful sleep at night time.
• Give some remedies a try.  I was sent some Better You Magnesium Oil Goodnight Spray from Silentnight to test out to see if it improved my sleep.  It is a unique combination of magnesium and essential oils to help promote deep muscle relaxation, a sense of wellbeing and promote a peaceful sleep.  It made my legs feel very relaxed and smelt very relaxing.  I can suffer with aching joints and restless legs that can keep me awake, but the spray and a quick, gentle massage relieved the symptoms. It meant one less thing to hinder falling asleep! I have recommended this product to my parents as I was so impressed with it. (Available from Amazon.)

Hopefully by following these tips we can improve our slumber and wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. I live in hope of rediscovering the joys of a good night sleep...I just need to stop my Ian from waking me up with his snoring and get Freddy to stay in his own bed all night through and I'll be sorted!!  Sweet dreams!!

My Bedroom Dreams

Once upon a time my bedroom was a place for peaceful, childhood slumber.  A place to dream of wondrous and magical things, as vivid and as exciting as a child's endless imagination allows.  A bed filled with stuffed toys for cuddling and keeping any hint of monsters far away.

Later, it became a place for teenage solitude.  Away from parents, away from rules and regulations.  A place to hang out with friends, listen to angsty music and grow in the privacy of my own space.  With posters adorning the walls and shelves lined with books that would later shape my mind, my room helped me turn into who I would become.

Then came romance.  A love nest.  Somewhere to be alone with a loved one, safe, secure and happy in the company of the one I loved. A place for first kisses and the warm glow of  new romance.  Scented candles softly glowing and Endless Love playing on repeat to set the mood.

Being carried over the threshold saw the beginning of a new adventure.  Married life. The marital bedroom was a place for decision making.  Late night chats planning an exciting future together, snuggled in the security of each other's arms. A future full of possibilities lying ahead of us.  A wedding photo hanging on the wall.  Ornaments on the window sill.

Pregnancy made my bedroom my safe haven.  A cocoon to snuggle up inside at the end of each day.  Resting and waiting as the baby inside me developed and grew.  Extra cushions for comfort.  A cot positioned beside the bed in readiness for the new arrival, a promise of the changes to come.

A new baby brought sleepless nights, night time nursing and silent moments where I gazed upon my tiny miracle and felt the enormity and wonder of motherhood.  My bedroom was our sanctuary at 3am.

By the time that my fifth child came into my life, my bedroom had become a dumping ground for the kids' toys and clothes that they bring into my room with them as they seek me out to ask for things.  An overspill from their own bedrooms. My much loved bed has become a trampoline or a place to play hide and seek beneath the covers.  They play video games and watch TV in my room so my bed is always dishevilled by the time I get to crawl under the duvet at the end of a busy day.  My youngest wakes up most nights so his cotbed stays by our bed for convenience.  My sanctuary has become a family room. Some days the curtains don't even get opened in my rush to get up and out on the ever hectic school run.  I don't think I've had a full night's sleep for years.

With the cost and responsibilities of having five children, my bedroom has been sorely neglected and in dire need of some tlc.  The brown and beige paintwork is tired, the decor is shabby and there is a distinct lack of anything 'pretty' or feminine to mark it as my space.  My room is functional, but not personal, relaxing or tranquil.    Where once I had framed, family portraits hanging on my wall and beautiful wicker baskets on my shelves I now have a utilitarian storage unit holding plastic boxes filled with functional things.  The gorgeous co-ordinating bed linen  and cushions that once graced my bed have given way to mix and match duvet covers and fitted sheets. Spilled drinks, kids with tummy bugs or leaky nappies have ruined most of my luxury bedding.  Practicality and necessity has taken over from beauty and comfort.  I have no sanctuary anymore, nowhere to unwind and relax and simply be me.  I'd love to reclaim that space again.

My Drab Bedroom

A new colour scheme would be a simple yet uplifting start to a makeover.  Goodbye brown, dark and dreary, hello fresh and clean.  Natural hues would add a beautifully, delicate look. New lighting and fitted blinds would brighten up the room, inviting natural sunlight into our lives.  A beautifully framed mirror would reflect the light, opening up the room giving the illusion of extra space.  Luxury bedding, soft furnishings and rugs would give a fresh new look and add a subtle splash of colour.  Soft femininity would remind me of the woman behind the mother.  Shabby chic, vintage furniture would replace utilitarian storage units. A feature wall would add a striking statement and add a boldness that pays  tribute to the vibrancy of my remembered youth.

A wonderfully comfortable bed at the heart of the room would once again become a place to dream, to grow, to love, to reminisce, to relax, to unwind and to simply be. A comfortable space would help sleep to find me.  A room makeover could makeover my very being.

My Dream Bedroom by wendymcd83 on Polyvore

This blog post is part of the Silentnight Spring Bedroom Makeover Challenge.