Have you heard of sleep hygiene? If not, let me fill you in. Sleep hygiene refers to a variety of things that you can do in order to ensure you have good, quality sleep, which of course is required for you to be alert when necessary, to be productive and to maintain a good quality of life. In essence, it refers to your bedtime rituals or night time habits.

Too much or too little sleep isn’t good. It’s important to ensure that your body gets the right amount of sleep as this will affect your alertness and your productivity.

Have you ever been in a meeting, or to a movie or even whilst playing with your child, felt yourself physically present but mentally absent? It is often because you are tired and sleepy. When this happens, you are not at your best. It is important to be present mentally and physically wherever you are and with whoever you are.

Here are some ideas to improve Sleep Hygiene:

Avoid foods close to bedtime that will disrupt your sleep, e.g. spicy or fatty foods. Everyone processes food differently, so be more observant about which foods disrupt your sleep and avoid having them close to bedtime.

Avoid stimulant beverages such as caffeine and/or energy drinks – whilst this is the norm for many people, I personally can have an energy drink or cappuccino before bed or in bed and fall asleep – it really doesn’t keep me awake and if I have such in the day, it’s because I like the taste – even if I wanted them to keep me awake, simply doesn’t

Establish a bedtime routine – when Kayden was born, we did this, so that his body prepared for the routine and knew that it was bedtime. As adults, we should do the same to prepare our bodies for sleep time. You don’t have to be 100%, but try to shower/bath around the same time. If you exercise, read, or have another hobby, do those things around the same time where possible.

Pillow Talk – If you’re going to have conversations in bed, leave the stressful and emotionally draining conversations for outside of the bedroom. See the bedroom as a place of relaxation.  Don’t have or start conversations that you know will require deep thought…keep it light…calm and stress-free

Create a Sleep Sanctuary in your Sleep Environment

This may seem like it’s a given but it’s not – there’s just so many things that hinder your sleep pattern in your environment that you don’t even realise. I challenge you to have a look at your bedroom – then ask yourself how you can declutter and when you do, you will find a sense of relief!

Here are some ideas to make your sleep environment cosier:

Lights – If you don’t have a dimmer switch, use bedside lamps that are dim and switch off the main bright light. Use eye masks to ensure darkness if your curtains are not thick enough to create the right amount of darkness.

Electronics – Turn them all off. I have never had a television in my bedroom and I will never encourage it. Dedicate the bedroom to sleep and intimacy. The lights from electronic devices are not good in the bedroom as they trick your brain into thinking it’s daylight again, it uses a strong wavelength of light. Invest in a pair of SleepSec – read about it here.

Pillows – If you have ever slept on an uncomfortable pillow, then you will know the pain and discomfort associated with it. Some people are so fussy about their pillows that they carry them around when travelling.

For most of my life I have been using duck feather pillows, however, I recently attended the launch of the new Kramerville Vencasa Store and I fell in love with the Malouf scented pillows, specifically the lavender! Oh, what a scent-sation!

Check out the details by clicking here but let me add that you have to physically touch and feel this pillow to understand why I am in love with it. These are pillow goals!

The Bed

Also at the Kramerville Vencasa Store launch, I got to “test-drive” some of the beds. I wish I didn’t do that because it’s not in the budget at the moment to have such luxurious beds, but, who says I can’t have desires right? With sleep being so important to our health, one can certainly consider a good quality bed as an investment.  Tempur….Magniflex…Sealy…these are some of the brands that you will find at Vencasa stores.

Did you know that The TEMPUR material was originally developed by NASA to relieve the pressure experienced by astronauts during lift off? It is these pressure relieving qualities which provide the core benefits of TEMPUR.

When I sat on the Tempur beds, I kid you not, it felt as if my butt was being cupped, I wondered as I woke up, who would notice my butt print when I woke up. Seriously, these beds conform to the shape of your body.

Have you ever been in a hospital or visited someone in a hospital? Those beds that are mechanical and controlled with a remote – have you secretly wished to have that at home? Well, your wish may have just been granted by Tempur beds…except it’s like on a whole new level….! The only thing I like about a hospital bed is the fact that it can adjust, it’s never been comfortable so I perhaps should have not used that example…but I think you get my point, right?

The innovation from Tempur is outstanding. One of the beds even allows two people on the same bed to use different settings, at the touch of the remote. I’m not going to get all technical and give you those details here but I would like to recommend that you have a look at the specifications/features here but even better, to go to a store and experience it for yourself!

Bed goals………bed goals…yes, of course! Why not!

More photos from the Store Opening event:

The Bedding

How do you feel when you get to your hotel/lodge and the bedding doesn’t look, feel or smell great? It’s not lekker, right? Well then, why should your own bedding in your home be any different?

I am a firm believer that if your bedding isn’t clean, neat and fresh, that it will affect your mood and the entire ambience of the room and let me not spell out the ripple effects of that….yes…! I mean… you need to have good quality sleep, with good quality bedding….right? What were you thinking? Hahaha…I do like the way you think.

People, Spring is here! Pack away the winter pyjamas, winter shoes, and winter bedding. It’s time to brighten the room with bedding that creates a fresh and cosy feel. Last week I attended the launch of the Volpes Spring/Summer range and oh my word…just like every time I walk pass or into a Volpes store, I immediately fall in love with the unmistakeable inviting fragrance that tells you it’s Volpes, even if you were blinded. Then the fantastic sight of the beautiful variety of bedding, curtains, bathroom accessories and other home décor, makes me feel inspired for new looks in our home.

As a side note, but an important note, did you know that Volpes is a South African brand? Volpes has been around since 1929! Volpes is based in Port Elizabeth and manufactures most of their own products, creating and contributing to employment in South Africa!

By the way, foliage and botanicals and all things floral are synonymous with Spring and Summer – and this trend continues this season. I personally don’t like floral bedding but I must admit that I have seen some beautiful designs in the store, so best you have a look yourself.

You can always stick to your pastels and plain colours and just touch it up with a few trendy floral accessories, without going overboard.  There’s just so many looks to fall in love with of the Volpes Spring/Summer range – but here are some of my favourites:

If you prefer a scented candle, then light one. If you prefer soft, relaxing music, then play some. Whatever you do, enjoy and relax. Create that ambience to positively affect your mood and to allow you to sleep well.  Sleep hygiene is as important for children as it is for adults.  Look at what works best for you and your family and then create that slumber sanctuary!

Here are some photos from the event last week:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Whilst all of the above ideas serve as suggestions to enhance your sleep sanctuary, it is advisable to seek professional medical help if you have serious sleep concerns.

---