The Importance of Sleep

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Despite the recommended guidelines stating that we should aim for at least eight hours sleep a night, most people struggle to achieve this. Whether it’s a new baby, or struggling to shake off tension from work, the stresses of everyday life can eat into our precious sleep and can have huge consequences…


What can happen if I don’t get enough sleep?
Irritability
After a poor night’s sleep, you can feel less than prepared to face the day ahead of you. If you’re a mum like me, you’ll understand how difficult it can be running after your kids while you’re running on empty. As a result, you may experience extreme mood swings and find yourself lacking in patience, getting frustrated at even the simplest of tasks.

Health Problems
During sleep, your body is given time to heal and recuperate. If you struggle to sleep, or your sleep is interrupted, you limit the time that your body has to heal, making you more susceptible to illness. While a lack of sleep can lead to poor health, it can also be a sign of underlying health problems, so if you are persistently losing sleep you should always speak to a doctor.

Lack of Concentration 
Health advisers cannot stress the importance of a good night’s sleep before important events like exams or driving tests. However, a lack of concentration can even effect everyday tasks. If you’re focusing on how tired you are, you can find yourself unable to fully concentrate on the task in hand, spending time daydreaming. If you are in a position of responsibility, like driving a car or caring for your children, your lack of concentration could potentially be dangerous, as you find yourself getting distracted.

How can I get more sleep?
Comfort
‘I couldn't get comfortable’ is one of the most common reasons that people have for not being able to sleep. Mattresses generally tend to have a 7 year lifespan, although many people are guilty of using theirs for much longer than this. If you are one of these people, you could find that your mattress isn't supporting you as well as it should, so it is time to invest in another.

Memory foam mattresses, available from Zleeps, are the best on the market at the minute, as they are specially designed to mold around your sleeping position. If you’re not sure if this type of mattress is for you, Zleeps offer a 60 night trial as standard so you can make a well informed decision. You’ll end up questioning why you didn't switch sooner, as you sink into the super soft cushioning after a busy day.

Remove Distractions
After heading up to bed with the full intention of going straight to sleep, we find ourselves picking up the iPad and messaging, browsing and tweeting (or blogging in my case). It is distractions like these that can seriously affect our sleeping patterns. Excluding such gadgets, as well as smartphones and laptops, from your bedroom will remove the temptation to use them, helping you to get to sleep sooner.