Getting the Best Nights Sleep

Why a good night’s sleep is importantSleep is required for the body and mind to rest and make the necessary running repairs that are essential to keep you going every day. At night, while you sleep, your body deals with all those minor ailments and niggling problems that you are not even aware you have and prevents them from turning into major health issues. At the same time, your mind is taking the opportunity to ‘catch up on its paperwork’ and make sense of everything that happened to you during the waking hours. It files things away so you can find them when you need them, while, at the same time, mulling over problems and questions that have been raised, with the aim of providing you with solutions and answers the following day. In short, sleep allows your body and mind to restore themselves and prepare you for the next day. Without good quality sleep, you’ll never perform to your maximum when you’re awake, no matter what it is you want to do.
Conditions and environmentA lot of people place their trust in various sleeping strategies that they’ve come up with over the years, such as having a glass of warm milk before retiring. While these may help, they are secondary to your sleeping environment and conditions. These are often overlooked, but are of essential importance in giving you the best possible chance of a good night’s sleep.
Room temperatureWhatever the time of year, you must ensure that the temperature is comfortable; that is, at such a level that you don’t even notice it. If you get too hot or too cold, a restless night will ensue, so check the heating in the room as well as the duvet or other bedclothes. 
NoiseMake your sleeping quarters as soundproofed as possible. Noise coming from the outside or other parts of the house will keep you awake or keep waking you up.
LightCheck that your curtains or blinds are closed properly so you don’t get such irritations as light from vehicles going up and down the road sweeping through your bedroom.
Mattress A soft, saggy mattress isn’t going to do anyone any favours as you’ll keep rolling back into the dip. Furthermore, it’ll give you a bad back which, in turn, will make it even more difficult to sleep. You need a firm, but not too hard, surface to sleep on. What’s comfortable for one person will not suit another, but the mattress should give plenty of support.
PillowsWhether you have one pillow or two, the choice is yours, but whatever you do, buy good quality feather pillows. They may seem expensive at the time, but they last longer and give your head and shoulders the proper comfort and support they need. 
Bedroom decorationYour bedroom should be haven of calm, so take the time to decorate it in such a way that you feel comforted and relaxed every time you go in there. Pay particular attention to carpets and curtains, which are good insulators against noise and cold, while the colour scheme should make you feel tranquil.
Sleep well!