Winter comes with not only lower temperatures, but also with a whole lot of changes that leave their own impact on our habits, especially our sleeping ones.
The dropping temperatures not just outside but also in our homes can cause multiple issues. Frozen pipes can burst and may leave us potentially frantically searching websites similar to https://makeitdrainplumbing.com/service-area/studio-city-plumbing-services/ or asking around locally for some possible assistance in fixing the issue. Other issues such as leaking roofs and poor central heating could affect our living situations and may also cause us to become stressed and might affect our sleep as a result.
So how to cope with the dryness and the cold that perturb your sleep? Keep on reading to find some answers!
A warm bed means a warm and peaceful night
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The more sheets and blankets, the better! If you’re the proud owner of an adjustable bed like the Layla Plus, you need to make sure that your bed seems inviting and warm so that you set the mood for sleep as soon as possible.
In order to make your both fluffier and more breathable, try putting blankets one over another instead of covering yourself with only one big and large-sized blanket. That way, if you ever happen to feel too warm at some point during the night, you could always get rid of one or two layers.
Just like we said in our article about sleep and summer, try going for linen sheets rather than synthetic ones, as those first ones are much more breathable which is essential for keeping your body temperature under control. For winter, you can also choose sheets or blankets made out of cotton or even bamboo. Just make sure that the first sheets directly in contact with your body are soft and not scratchy.
Of course, it is impossible to talk about warmth in bed without evoking heating pads as those are highly effective, and fortunately cheap! If you want something more sophisticated, you could always invest in electric blankets which will help you effectively beat the cold weather.
A warm body means an even more peaceful night
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Nightfall should mean it is time for your daily hot cup of your favorite beverage (which doesn’t contain caffeine!) during winter. Not only does it help you get warm, but it also makes your brain realize that it is time to get ready for sleep. This will no doubt put you on track for deep sleep and sweet dreams. People usually advice:
- Hot decaffeinated tea with honey as it helps soothing down your mind and your body
- Hot lemon water as it warms your throat and your whole core
- Hot cup of milk, preferably with honey
- Coffee is not advisable unless it’s decaffeinated
Related Reading: Best and Worst Drinks for Sleep
To get your body warmer, you can also choose to wear several layers of clothing in order to keep the warmth inside and not let it get away from your body. Of course, don’t forget the cozy socks as those will make you feel all fluffy and comfy but also much warmer!
Last but not least, remember you could always ask your partner for some cuddles to keep each other warm at night!
Your house too has to stay warm!
Not just your bed and your body, but your whole house has to stay warm too in order for you to sleep better.
There are many ways for you to make sure that you will come back to the warmth and not a stinging cold.
Firstly, if you think that your house is not warming up as well as it should, then you might want to call a furnace repair team, to get an inspection, you might be able to find one here or you could look for local recommendations. By getting the problem fixed you might be able to feel warmer at home, and your furnace could even possibly become more efficient for the winter months. If you don’t want to waste too much money on heating while still respecting the environment, then try purchasing an electric thermostat that you can set by yourself. If you use heating oil to warm your home then you can save money on it by checking out websites like https://paylessforoil.com as well as others, so you have the option to save money no matter what type of heating you use. You could for example choose to keep your house warm only when you are inside and not in bed yet as your sheets and blankets will do their part of the job to keep you warm enough throughout the night. You could also get try to find ways to keep the cold, dry air out of your house by covering all of your windows and isolating your walls from the outside. Putting thick tape all around your windows is a good way to block freezing air from coming inside. You can also put tower under your doors and windows for the same effect. Moreover, if you really don’t feel like the temperature inside your house is rising, maybe opening your oven while it is turned on may heat up the air a little bit. Of course, if you want to try this tip, then make sure you will switch off the oven before you go to bed. And last but not least, let’s not forget about the miracles caused by space heaters as these can warm you up instantly as soon as you switch them on. And while it is true that they are quite useless when it comes to heating up the whole house, they stay remain very effective when it about getting your own space warmer – for instance near your bed.
Avoid catching colds!
There is no need to explain how it is more likely for you to catch a cold during winter than during the other seasons; people who have the flu tend to transmit it more easily as skin contacts between people increase during cold season.
And that actually may hinder the quality of your sleep, as when you are sick, you tend to lose some hours of sleep.
That is why you need to make sure you keep your immune system in check in order to avoid catching colds, so that you can be assured that you won’t have to deal with any type of sleep deprivation because of some illness.
Stay healthy
How can we forget about the whole stay healthy speech when we are talking about sleep?
During winter, we all tend to get lazy as we don’t feel like leaving the warmth of our house to go for a run or for a short walk. But you have to remember that it is essential for you to get your blood flowing in your body if you want to sleep well. If you really cannot stand the cold, sign up for some indoor activities so that you can exercise without having to fight off the freezing air. Even some work out sessions in your own house during your free time can have amazing benefits on your body.
Besides, winter makes you also sort of neglect your eating habits. You either loose appetite because of the cold, or eat much more than usual to fight off your low moods or to heat up your body. Nevertheless, make sure to stay away from alcoholic drinks and heavy, greasy meals that will badly affect your sleep.
Replace dryness with humidity
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The dryness brought by winter usually leads to many negative effects on your body: your skin is either painfully crackling or just straight up itchy, your hair condition is catastrophic, and all you feel like doing is getting out of your freezing body. On top of that, dry air also affects your throat and nose as your vessels clog up and your muscles become swollen, thus causing you to snore and making it harder for you to breathe comfortably, which worsens your sleep.
That is why it is necessary for you to humidify the air you sleep in. You can for instance get yourself a humidifier from a store or a pharmacy. Try leaving it overnight as well as during daytime when you are not home so that your house stays humid.
If you don’t wanna spend money on a humidifier, you could always try making your own by hanging wet towels or putting cups and bowls of water all around the house. Basically, just try putting as much water as possible indoors. Another way to do that could be by not closing the door of your bathroom when showering so that the humidity isn’t stuck in the bathroom only. You can also try looking into a furnace or HVAC system that comes with an inbuilt humidifier and temperature regulator. If interested, you can take the assistance of a professional HVAC expert who can provide you with various options according to your budget.
Get Enough Light
As we have talked about keeping your immune system in check before, it is essential to mention the importance of sunlight in this section. You may not know it, but getting your body exposed to sunlight is necessary for you to get the amount of vitamin D you need. Vitamin D helps strengthening your immune system and staying in a positive mood. So if you feel like you are not getting the sun exposure you need, make sure you get out for some time during the day and spend some minutes or even hours outside, basking in light. That way, you will find yourself feeling happy rather than gloomy at the end of the day, which enables you to sleep faster and much more comfortably.
Get yourself the right mattress
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If you keep on tossing on your bed, trying to find the right position to fall asleep but unable to do so, then you might think about changing your mattress. Even the best memory foam mattresses are often forgotten once they are bought, when in reality, they play a huge part in the quality of your sleep. Try to see if your mattress is too hard or too lumpy, and get yourself the mattress you feel the best sleeping on. If you are not low on budget, you could choose to invest some money into an adjustable bed and the proper mattress that comes with it in order to allow yourself to find the best position to sleep in. We have talked plenty about adjustable beds before, you can always check our other articles regarding them.
http://www.thebest-mattress.org/8-cold-weather-tips-better-sleep/
https://www.ahbeard.com.au/sleepcoach/conquer-the-cold-with-4-quick-winter-sleep-tips/
https://sleepbetter.org/tips-to-sleep-better-despite-the-winter-cold/