This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sleep Number for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Did you know? According to research, it takes 30 days to break a bad habit, so in honor of Better Sleep Month in May Sleep Number is challenging their fans to create some good sleep habits and break some bad ones. How will you #CommitToSleep during Better Sleep Month?
According to a recent Sleep Number® survey, Americans are getting an average of 6.7 hours of sleep which is well below the recommended 8 hours. I know I’m even further below the recommended number of hours…usually closer to 5 hours per night.
While I am probably not the idea person to be giving sleep tips, I can tell you for sure that I am a person who NEEDS sleep tips, so I have gathered a few of my favorite tips (ie – some things that I do and swear by, and a few of the things that I know will help ME #CommitToSleep this month!)
Tips For a Better Night Sleep
- Cut the caffeine – Resist the urge to have another Coke past early afternoon. Even though you might not feel the effects of your 4:00 pm soda, your body might still be effected by it.
- Power down – experts suggest stepping away from all electronics (computers and mobiles phones, TVs and more) an hour before bed time. This is a challenge for me, as I tend to get my best work done after 10pm.
- Set an alarm…to go TO bed – most of us are used to setting an alarm to wake up each morning. In my case, I have to start waking kids up at 5:00 am every weekday. My wake-up time is non-negotiable. So my go-to-bed time should be non-negotiable, too.
- Add white noise – I have a hard time sleeping when the room is too quiet. I sleep much better with a consistent white noise in the background, like the sound of a fan or a noise machine. I actually love using an app on my phone (“brown” noise is my favorite).
- Black out – studies say that blue lights (like small lights from electronic devices and alarm clocks) interrupt sleep. Do yourself a favor and turn them over, cover up the lights, or turn them off all together (who uses a traditional alarm clock, anymore, anyway? Keep the bedroom dark and you’ll sleep better!
- Create a sleep routine – kids have a bed time routine, so it makes sense that adults should have one, too. Stick with your routine, even if it’s as simple washing your face and brushing your teeth and getting dressed in pjs to get your body and mind prepared for sleep.
- Get comfortable – being comfortable in bed makes a huge difference in sleep quality. Our Sleep Number bed has helped us immeasurably get comfortable at night, especially since my husband and I have such different comfort needs.
Last week, I talked about Sleep Number®’s SleepIQ® Technology, which allows you to track your sleep right from your bed. I visited a Sleep Number® store where I was shown the pressure my body was feeling on the mattress I was laying on.
The first image shows my body laying on a very firm mattress. As the employee took the firmness down, I could see that pressure being reduced, but most importantly, I could FEEL the difference. My body likes a soft 25, but as the associate reminded me – numbers don’t matter. Comfort does. And my body is comfortable at 25.
About SleepIQ® technology
When you know how well you’re sleeping, you can make better decisions about your sleep habits and routine. Sleep Number® makes tracking your sleep easy – with their new SleepIQ® technology, you have nothing to wear, nothing to turn on. All you have to do is sleep. And I like sleep.
Sensors inside Sleep Number® beds work with advanced DualAir™ technology to measure average breathing rate, average heart rate, movement and bed presence to show you the quality of your sleep.
You can use the data collected to make changes to improve your sleep, such as your Sleep Number® setting, or your daily routines like diet and exercise.
Enter the Sleep Number #CommitToSleepSweeps
Enter Sleep Number’s sweepstakes by sharing your commitment on Instagram or Twitter with hashtag #CommitToSleepSweeps, or by visiting the sweepstakes landing page at SleepNumber.com/CommitToSleep (get more details by visiting the link).
Ready to give Sleep Number® a try? Check the Sleep Number store locator for a location near you!
How do you plan to #CommitToSleep for May’s Better Sleep Month?
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