5 hacks for a better night’s sleep

It’s all too easy to clock up excessive screen time these days, with many Australians binging TV shows, playing video games for long periods, or scrolling social media on their smartphones all day – often simultaneously. Digital distractions can keep us up past an appropriate bedtime, plus impair our ability to switch off once we’re in bed.

It’s fine to indulge in your favourite media, but try to avoid screentime within one hour of bedtime. Don’t use any electronic devices in bed or watch TV from bed: you need to train your brain that getting in bed means going to sleep.

You can also invest in some blue-light blockers to help stave off late-night alertness. Blue light is emitted from the sun to help keep us alert throughout the day. But at night, when we absorb the artificial blue light from electronic devices and certain LED and fluorescent lightbulbs, our brains are tricked into thinking it’s daytime. This reduces our production of the sleep hormone melatonin and messes with our circadian rhythm, impacting overall sleep quantity and quality.

Luckily, anti-blue light products may allow the body’s melatonin production to function without interference. Some of the most popular blue screen blockers include eyeglasses, screen stickers, or colour-adjusting screen software built into mobile phones. computers and other electronic devices. These devices either filter out blue light rays or adjust screen colours towards the warmer end of the colour spectrum after sunset.

Keeping your bedroom cool has a positive correlation with quality sleep. Our body temperature naturally drops at night, so a cool bedroom reinforces that it’s time to sleep. Cool temperatures also stimulate melatonin production, which promotes sleep.

Experts generally agree that the ideal bedroom temperature for sleep is between 15 and 19°C. If you don’t have air conditioning in your bedroom, or don’t want to keep it on all night, try turning on the fan and investing in bamboo viscose bed sheets, pillows and pyjamas. This ultra-soft material is cool to the touch and highly breathable. Blackout curtains can reduce heat entering through windows (which you should leave cracked open for fresh, cool night-time air), while a humidifier will get rid of the dryness that results in a hot, stuffy room.

Finding the right mattress for you and your sleep style can be difficult. Which mattress size and support suits you best can depend on varied factors, like whether you sleep in the same bed as a partner and what sleeping position you favour.

Heading to a mattress retail store can help you make a good choice, since there are sleep experts on hand to walk you through the options best suited to you. For example, Snooze Profiler® technology helps take the guesswork out of  choosing a bed that may better suit your needs and preferences, with recommendations on mattress firmness, pillow height, and more.

You should avoid eating late meals or consuming caffeine after midday to improve your sleep.

Caffeine – commonly found in tea, coffee and energy drinks, but also in chocolate, soft drinks and sports supplements – is a stimulant that prevents drowsiness. The Sleep Health Foundation reports that caffeine effects can last up to 7 hours and takes up to 24 hours to be eliminated from the body. Consuming caffeine can make it harder to go to sleep or cause you to wake up more often during the night. Try limiting your caffeine consumption to no more than 400mg per day and avoiding taking caffeine every day.

Meanwhile, eating too close to sleeping can put stress on your digestive system. You may experience heartburn, acid reflux and interrupted sleep. High-sugar foods can also increase your body temperature, which negates your efforts to keep your room cool. Eat dinner at a reasonable time (several hours before bedtime) and keep any post-dinner snacks small and light.

Changing your bed linen according to the season can help keep you comfortable throughout the night.

In summer, choose natural fibres like bamboo, linen or cotton for their light, cooling qualities. Linen is very breathable, while bamboo (or a cotton-bamboo blend) is soft, cooling and moisture-wicking. Lightweight cotton is another summer favourite.

In winter, layer extra blankets, a winter duvet or a quilted bedspread to prevent heat loss during the night.

In spring and autumn, you can mix and match to find the most comfortable result. Try a bamboo or linen sheets with a heavier duvet.