IKEA sleep survey shows that 55% people in Estonia feel at least partially dissatisfied with their life-work-sleep balance. However, every fourth does not consider sleeping a priority, while almost a quarter of the respondents only devote up to 6 hours to the night’s rest. The sleep counselor Kene Vernik shares her thoughts about what steals our precious minutes of sleep and reveals how to protect it.
Life-work-sleep balance
The sleep expert has noticed a sad tendency that people do not consider sleep as a priority, often sacrificing it for the benefit of career, work, studies, family, thus only increasing the group of people with chronic sleep deprivation. Kene Vernik says that a healthy balance prevails when we divide the day into three approximately equal parts – 8 hours to work, the same amount of time to sleep and to other activities. The connection between our sleep and the time spent awake is reciprocal. This is why burnout at work, dissatisfaction with one's job, too intense or insufficient physical activity, unhealthy diet, relationships with others can affect the quality of sleep, while the insufficient or poor sleep can have a negative impact on productivity, physical or emotional wellbeing.
Sleep has its enemies
K. Vernik reveals the main enemies of a good sleep:- Caffeine. It is recommended to drink coffee only once a day, preferably in the morning.
- Alcohol. Do not drink alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol disrupts your sleep cycle and you might wake up earlier than anticipated.
- Blue light. Blue light suppresses the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and therefore you should not use electronic devices 2-3 hours before bed.
- Sports. The best time to exercise is in the morning or the afternoon.
- Filling meals. Your dinner should be light and not too late. Filling meals right before bedtime could cause a food hangover the next morning.
“75% of people who suffered with COVID-19 had sleep problems. The main sleep disorders were insomnia and other disorders related to sleep pattern disturbances. During the pandemic, the percentage of chronic insomnia has increased, which affects mood but could also cause anxiety disorders and depression.”
Kene Vernik, sleep counselor
Kene Vernik, sleep counselor
Keep the bedroom for sleep
A good night’s rest needs a good atmosphere. The room you sleep in must be ventilated, cool, dimmed, quiet, and uncluttered. Furthermore, you should keep the bedroom for nothing else but sleep. Working, having fun and sleeping in the same room leaves no psychological and physiological connection with your bedroom as a space for falling asleep and waking up well rested. So you should leave all your smart devices, TV, work, and negative thoughts outside the bedroom.
Less light for the night
The research shows that every tenth in Estonia is unable to fall asleep due to too much light in their bedroom. The light tricks our bodies into thinking it’s time to wake up or makes falling asleep harder. This is why complete darkness is the best environment for sleeping. The bedroom should be so dark that you would not be able to see your hand if you held it up 30 cm away from you. Block-out curtains and blinds can make a big difference by keeping the light out. According to the sleep specialist, the bedtime lighting should be warm and less intense.
Time to make your bed
52% in Estonia say that a comfortable pillow and duvet can help them fall asleep. Pick a pillow and a duvet that make you feel the most comfortable. Hard and high pillows are better for back and side sleepers, the soft ones are a good choice if you usually sleep on your stomach, while ergonomic pillows are designed to give your head and neck the right support no matter your sleeping position. No less important is the duvet. As the seasons change, your duvet should change as well. The light warm duvet is a good choice for summer if you often feel warm while sleeping, and the extra warm duvet is great for winter.
Bedtime rituals
Before going to bed, try to pamper yourself with some repetitive and soothing rituals: drinking herbal tea, listening to calm music, meditating, reading, or writing down the emotions and thoughts that have accumulated during the day.
“A good night’s rest depends not only on bedtime activities, but also on our behaviour during the day. For a regular sleep-wake rhythm, it is important to spend enough time in natural light, to eat regularly and to be active. The amount of stress experienced that day can also affect our sleep. Every day, both weekdays and weekends, we should go to bed and get up at a similar time to improve the circadian cycle that helps us fall asleep and wake up.”
Kene Vernik, sleep counselor
Kene Vernik, sleep counselor
More inspiration for your bedroom
Getting the right amount of quality sleep is vital to set you up for tomorrow. But did you know that good night’s sleep has a lot to do with how you prepare for it? Get ready to get rested with our tips and tricks!