6 Ways Your Bed May Be Sabotaging Your Sleep

WHY YOUR BED MAY BE YOUR SLEEP’S WORST ENEMY.

We’ve all been there. The night that seems to never end as we flip and flop like a fish out of water and the minutes blur into hours of restlessness.

Discounting physical issues like backaches and headaches, or caffeinated choices that undermine the ability to power down naturally — just how much does your bed have to say about your quality of rest? Turns out, quite a bit!

 Here are six ways to better your bed game and get the rest you need.

1. SAGGING MATTRESS

Unlike your favorite flannel shirt or pair of hiking boots, a mattress is one thing that doesn’t get better with use and age. Sagging mattresses make it hard to change position or get comfortable. Worse still, worn-out mattresses don’t provide proper support for a body at rest.

If your mattress sags, particularly if you have an indented “nest” where you or your partner sleep, try flipping it and turning it head to foot. Mattresses can be quite heavy and awkward to move, so don’t attempt this alone.

If that doesn’t help and your bed is nearing or has surpassed the recommended lifespan, which is 7 to 10 years for most foam or hybrid mattresses, it may be time to go mattress shopping.

2. NOISY BED

That vintage or antique bed frame may be beautiful and fit your design style sensibilities to a T, but it might also be the cause of interrupted sleep if it creaks with your every move. Squeaking caused by an aging innerspring mattress can be just as disruptive and may signal that it’s time to look for a new mattress.

Either way, do your inner sleep-child a favor by investigating and eliminating the noise in your furniture or mattress. Sometimes that’s as simple as tightening up the joints.

3. MATTRESS MELTDOWN

Although foam and latex mattresses are one of the most revolutionary innovations to come to the mattress industry in decades, consumers of early versions often complained of being overheated at night.

If this is true of your bed, try adding a cool-gel or all-feather topper over your mattress to put some space between you and the foam. Newer generation memory foam and latex mattresses incorporate cool-sleep technologies to minimize heat build-up and keep temperatures more level.

4. WRONG PILLOW

Do you know people who travel with their own pillow? They’ve learned one of the most fundamental aids to a good night’s sleep: a pillow that fits your sleep style.

If your pillow is too high, too low, too soft, too hard, too hot or too lumpy – you need to give yourself the thumbs up to purchase a new pillow. Start with organic, natural materials and go from there to accommodate your sleep style — side, back, or stomach.

Travel Tip: When you find the perfect pillow, buy two so you have one to bring with you on the road!

5. UNCOMFORTABLE SHEETS

Sheets, pillowcases, blankets and comforters all play a pivotal role in sound sleep. While some people enjoy the smooth softness of microfiber (and appreciate the economical price point), others find that natural-fiber bedding breathes best and allows the body to better adjust during sleep.

Similarly, some synthetic comforters can act like a layer of plastic-wrap over you, trapping heat and humidity under the covers and making you downright uncomfortable.

If this sounds like your sleep experience, try replacing synthetic blankets and bedspreads with all-natural fibers like cotton, linen, or hemp. Options include blended fibers for easier care.

6. BED PLACEMENT

Is your bed in the same place it’s always been? Time to get creative! Moving the bed away from a drafty window, cold exterior wall, noisy hallway, or light-seeping window shade could tweak your sleep experience in the right direction.

Moving the bed also gives you the chance to clean out underneath where dust and all those forgotten things have long hidden. Feng Shui says that a clean under-bed contributes to a healthier you!

SO…

If you’re not sure where to start with your sleep renovation, start from the ground up by making sure you have a solid foundation and supportive mattress. Then work up to the finer details of sheets, pillows and room arrangement.

By focusing on these things one at a time, you’ll make a better nest for more perfect rest!