Improve Your Well-Being with a Good Mattress
For many people, being healthy is a matter of keeping a healthy weight and eating the right foods. The truth is, there are a ton of different factors that play into your overall health. You may not even be aware of many.
One of the most important parts of being healthy is sleeping well. Sleep gives your body a chance to repair itself and allows you to tackle the day ahead without worrying about crashing in the early afternoon. You should be getting about eight hours of good sleep each night. If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, I suggest that you change up your routine. You could do a yoga flow before you go to bed or do 1o minutes of meditation. A new mattress also
may be exactly the change you need.
How Sleep Effects Health
If you eat too much fat, chances are you will simply gain weight. Sleep, on the other hand, has a much more vague effect on your health, much like stress. No matter what sort of health problems you’re having, there is a chance that it’s due in part to you not getting enough sleep.
Not sleeping enough has quite the effect on your brain. A lack of sleep can put a damper on your memory, make it harder for you to concentrate on tasks, and cause your mood to change suddenly. It also puts you at a greater risk for accidents if you deal with heavy machinery or drive often.
Your brain isn’t the only thing affected by a lack of sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, you put yourself at risk for higher blood pressure, diabetes, and weight gain. In fact, simply sleeping eight hours each night can be a crucial part of a weight loss plan.
What Effects Sleep
We often think of sleep in a binary way. When you’re tired, you sleep; if you aren’t tired, it probably means you don’t need to sleep at the moment. The truth is, there are a number of factors that affect how tired you are and how well you sleep.
Staring at a phone or TV shortly before going to bed is one way to keep yourself awake. Blue light from these devices makes it difficult for you to fall asleep even if you haven’t been exposed to it for a bit. Napping is also a killer when it comes to sleep. If you take a two-hour nap every day, chances are you won’t be very tired when it’s actually time to go to bed.
Other factors that affect sleep include drinking alcohol or coffee or eating shortly before bed, stress, and lack of a good mattress. All of these things must be addressed if you want to sleep better.
Upgrading Your Mattress
One of the best things you can do to make sure you sleep better is invest in a quality mattress. There used to be a time when mattresses were very expensive and your options were somewhat limited, but there are almost endless configurations on the market today. Whether you want a mattress that’s firm, soft, cooling, supportive, or anything else, you can find an option that works for you.
The key to finding a good mattress is understanding what you like. Some people like a firm mattress that supports your body and has solid, supported edges. For others, a cooling mattress with an ultra-soft feel may be the best option. There really is no best answer; as long as you choose a mattress that offers the features you’re looking for, you’re well on your way to sleeping better.
Contrary to what some might believe, memory foam is an option as well. Memory foam mattresses used to be a luxury that few could afford. There are tons of them on the market now. If you’re willing to do your homework and compare some of the different memory foam mattresses, you should have no problem finding one that fits your budget.
If you don’t want to buy a whole new mattress, a simple mattress topper can work wonders as well. There are mattress toppers that are made out of memory foam, feathers and other materials. These toppers simply fit over the top of your mattress like a sheet, then your sheets go over the top of that to provide a nice, clean look.
Getting enough sleep can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Simply investing in a new mattress and changing a few habits can transform the way you sleep.
Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!