The Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep

Having a good night's sleep is essential if we want to enjoy good health, as it provides the energy we need to get through a busy day as well as refreshing us physically and mentally. Unfortunately, many people find it hard to get enough quality, uninterrupted sleep, and this is especially true of pregnant women. Worries about pregnancy and parenthood and physical discomfort during this time can all have an adverse effect upon our sleep patterns, but here are three ways to have a better and more fulfilling night's sleep.

Clear Away the Day's Stresses

We live in a fast-paced stressful world and being pregnant brings its own concerns on top of the worries that we all face. Scientists recommend that we should have around seven to nine hours of sleep every night, but stress is one of the main factors which can prevent us from achieving this target. Don't lie awake worrying about bills, family problems or relationship issues, but instead devote at least ten minutes before going to sleep to a peaceful meditation. Focus your eyes on a spot on the ceiling and try to clear your mind of everything. This will be hard at first, but with practice it will become easier, and you'll be amazed at the difference it can make to your sleep patterns.

Invest in a New Mattress

Too many people try to sleep on old mattresses that are either too hard or are too worn and simply don't provide the support your body needs. This support is especially important during the latter stages of pregnancy, so it makes sense to invest in a high quality mattress such as the Brentwood Home Oceano from mattress specialists Sleep Sherpa. When you have a perfectly sprung mattress under you, you'll notice a real difference and won't have to keep waking up to turn over or re-position your body.

Keep Away from the Mobile Phone

Do you always like to check your emails or social media account? You're certainly not alone in that, but it can be incredibly detrimental to your chances of a sound sleep. Mobile phone displays utilize blue light, and looking at it before attempting to sleep suppresses the hormone melatonin which is central to our sleep patterns. Put simply, the blue light fools our brain into thinking it's daytime which can make it much harder to get to sleep after looking at it.

There's also a risk of radiation causing headaches, or worse, if we have our mobile phone too close to our body. The best advice is to switch them off at least 30 minutes before going to bed and use something else as an alarm clock. When you sleep well every night, you'll notice a huge difference in how you feel, and your energy levels will remain high for longer throughout the day. That's why having a high-quality mattress, not using a mobile phone before bedtime and clearing all thoughts from your head before turning off the light can make a huge difference to your overall health. That's good news for you, and good news for the baby you're carrying.