We all know that a good night’s sleep comes as highly recommended as a nutritious diet, regular exercise and fresh air. But, sometimes, just sometimes, that coveted 7-9 hours of quality kip doesn’t quite happen, does it?
Although the experts still aren’t quite sure why humans sleep in the first place, they do agree that the benefits, when it comes to consistently getting a restful night’s sleep, are countless. So, what does your body do with all this time spent resting?
Well, it performs repair and maintenance across every part of the body, from encouraging a healthy heart, and regulating blood sugar levels, to restoring our immune system, helping with stress relief and improving athletic function. And it isn’t just our physical health that reaps the benefits when we manage to get our head down. We all know the impact a bad night’s sleep can have on our mood the following day, so it goes without saying that rest impacts our mental health, function and mood too.
But what do you do if sleep eludes you? Well, one of the first things you can do is address the environment within which you sleep – your bedroom. Making sure it is a place you not only want to go to sleep but that is geared up to help you drift off, is vital. Addressing smell and sight are where you should start. And darkness is essential to sleep - the absence of light itself lets the body know it is in fact time to rest.
We are all different of course, but most people sleep best in a dark, quiet, cool room. Too much light and noise can disturb our slumber or keep you awake, far from the land of nod, in the first place. Eliminating unwanted light should be one of the first things you look to do when addressing your sleeping environment, followed by noise and temperature.
Darkness is so important, that we choose to stock Bloc Blinds – because we know that they are the absolute best in blackout solutions. And therefore, the absolute best in helping you get a good night’s sleep.
Award-winning for a reason, Bloc Blinds allow you to create bedroom darkness for high quality sleep during the day or night, and no matter the season. Fitting windows up to 1800mm x 1500mm, and with Bloc XL available for larger windows, the side rails along the top and sides of each Bloc Blind firmly secure the fabric in place, preventing light escaping along the edges into your room. A bottom seal creates a barrier between the bottom of the blind and the window sill too, blocking out additional light.
Custom made, Bloc Blinds come in a wide range of colour options and high quality fabrics. The side rails even come in three different colourways, so you can secure the most seamless look in your home. Child safe, because they are chain free, they will also reduce heat loss making your home more efficient.
The Sleep Foundation offers these top tips for a better night’s sleep:
Create a quality sleep environment
Make a consistent sleep schedule
Avoid screens before bed
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine before bed
Exercise during the day