I was really interested to read an article in The Daily Mail reporting results of a survey carried out by the hotel chain, Travelodge.  They reported that “Almost 90% of the participants had trouble sleeping due to the temperature of their bedroom”.

Do you experience issues sleeping due to your bedroom temperature? Do you sleep with your window open or closed, with a light duvet or lots of blankets?  We’re all different when it comes to what temperature we find comfortable at night but did you realise just how important a factor temperature is, in helping us to get a good night’s sleep and avoid being sleep deprived?

The process of sleep and solutions to aid sleep initiation

When we sleep, a reduction in core body temperature is a part of the sleep-initiation and sleep maintenance process. A room temperature that is too warm or too cool can prevent your core temperature from lowering to its ideal place for good sleep.

In an article on Mercola.com¹ , Dr Mercola suggests that taking a hot bath 90-120 minutes before going to bed may help you sleep better.  The reason for this is that after a hot bath, your body temperature will naturally begin to fall, which helps your body prepare itself for sleep.  As explained, this drop in temperature is necessary to start the sleep process.  He also notes the importance of the temperature of your extremities, our hands and feet need to be warm to induce sleep.  Simple solutions if you suffer from cold feet at night are to wear warm socks and use a hot water bottle.

The National Sleep Foundation recommend that the temperature in a bedroom should be between 15 and 19 degrees centigrade at night² but, this may not be the ideal temperature for you, so a bit of trial and error may be needed.  Not only that but our body temperature fluctuates during the course of the night and many people share a bed with a partner who has significantly different temperature requirements  at any one time.

If addressing all those issues sounds rather like a Rubik’s cube, take comfort in the knowledge that there are technologies incorporated into bedding to create the ideal sleeping environment for each individual: for example, the KenkoDream quilt incorporates ceramic-coated, reflective fibres to provide a natural way to absorb excess heat from the body or the environment and gently reflect it back as required, thereby maintaining a constant temperature which is neither too cold not too hot for each person using it. As an added bonus, this also provides negative ions, creating a feeling of deeper relaxation.

Share your experiences of the effect temperature has had on your sleep and let us know what you do prior to going to bed, to transform your room into a sleep sanctuary.

1. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/19/Do-Cold-Temperatures-Improve Sleep.aspx.

2. http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/six-tips-design-the-ideal-bedroom-sleep

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If 15% of households are ‘mobile only’, logic would tell us that, despite the scathing remark about households with landlines only being those belonging to “Mums and Dads”, the remaining 85 % of households still have landlines.

• Leading sleep clinics are now advising people to switch off all electronic devices in the bedroom before going to bed, in order to treat the insomnia that has reached epidemic levels. (For more info see: https://www.soothingspaces.co.uk/health/light-electronic-gadgets-interferes-sleep and https://www.soothingspaces.co.uk/health/exposure-tvs-computers-disrupts-childrens-sleep )
• It is often impossible to contact those who live in ‘mobile only’ households because their phones are frequently on silent, being charged or (hopefully, at night!) switched off, which could be dangerous in an emergency.
• Many people actually prefer to speak on a landline when possible because (a) the sound is better or (b) they don’t like the effects of prolonged exposure to a mobile phone. This includes some who are electro-sensitive, which I understand is now a recognised medical condition; whilst this is only diagnosed in a small number of people, it is likely to be affecting many others without having been officially diagnosed. (See also www.es-uk.info and www.powerwatch.org.uk )
• The statement fails to take into account that, not only (as admitted later in the presentation) “some places can’t rely on mobile internet at all” but also many areas have poor, intermittent  or otherwise unreliable mobile signals altogether.

Of course, mobile phones are incredibly useful and most of us can’t imagine life without them, despite the drawbacks outlined above; however, let’s not write off landlines – and those who use them –  as dinosaurs who will shortly be extinct! (And please do also be aware of the importance of protecting ourselves against mobile phone microwaves.)

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“Amanda really supported me in creating the atmosphere I wanted; she suggested colour schemes which worked really well which I would never have thought of. I became aware that my home is a reflection of what is going on inside me, so when my house was cleared, I felt cleared emotionally, too.” Tina Bolyos, Design Consultant

Making a space into your sanctuary
Is there a room you’d like to turn into a work space, or a relaxation room – but you don’t know where to start?

Clutter and Storage 
Do you have rooms or areas which are cluttered, too busy or need to be changed, but you’re stuck with ideas for what to do? Do you have storage space which needs reorganising but it feels like an insurmountable task? Do you need help deciding what to keep and what to throw away?

Creating balance 
Our team can help with practical ideas to enable you to get the best out of any space. This can include ideas about storage, design and colour schemes or even your garden and will also incorporate the key aspects of Feng Shui and energy balance.

Not only will the end result work better on a practical level, but you will find the newly designed space works in harmony with you as an individual.

Good design is about people and how they live their lives. Good design expresses who we are.

Interior Design can be offered on its own or as part of our Sleep like a Baby programme. To contact us to discuss your requirements, emailamanda@soothingspaces.co.uk or call Amanda on 07970 521 787 or 020 8420 7271.

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“Thank you for the feng shui consultation, report and Helios rebalancing device. I had my first proper night’s sleep in this house last night, so I think it has taken a few days for the change in resonance to come into effect. I feel hopeful and more confident now.”
Janet Brady, Businesswoman, Oxfordshire

Are you half awake at night and half asleep all day?
Do you lie awake at night, with your mind racing?
Do you have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning?
Are your energy levels affecting your concentration at work?
Is lack of sleep affecting your life and ability to cope with stress?

What’s stopping you from leaping out of bed every morning, feeling as fresh as a daisy?
How can you improve your energy levels and focus during the day?
To find out, click here for our free Great Night’s Sleep guidelines.

Sleep is as necessary to the body as food.
A good night’s sleep is actually about the quality of our sleep.
Are you are getting the kind of sleep you need?

If you’re suffering from the effects of poor quality sleep, you probably feel as though you’ve tried everything that might help.
Or perhaps you are too exhausted, stressed or plain busy to do anything about it!
Or maybe you’ve been feeling exhausted for so long that it feels normal.

There are many hidden factors which can contribute to these problems, preventing you from feeling calm, clear and able to cope with the ups and downs of life.

There is a solution.
Feng shui is a method of promoting harmony within ourselves by creating balance in our surroundings.

Our modern lifestyles and environments have disconnected us from our bodies’ natural rhythms. With the help of Feng shui, your bedroom could become your sanctuary: a tranquil, nurturing place that promotes deep, restful, restorative sleep.

It could change your life.

Contact us so that we can create your own personal sleep, energy and stress rebalancing programme.

We use a wide variety of techniques, according to your needs, including:- addressing diet, lifestyle, furniture arrangement & colour scheme, Feng Shui and neutralising Geopathic stress & electro-magnetic pollution where relevant.

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“Since having a consultation with Amanda, we now look forward to getting into bed, where the energy provides a welcome sense of relief from the day’s activities. We find ourselves more quickly falling into deeper sleep than before.” Roger and Sylvia, banker and Pilates teacher

• Are you having problems getting to sleep, waking up at night or sleeping fitfully?
• Do you wake feeling groggy, take a couple of hours to kick-start your day or experience a drop in energy during the afternoon?
• Are you fed up with trying to get your grumpy teenager out of bed in the morning?
• Do you lose your rag easily, feel anxious or find you can’t concentrate on your work?

What’s stopping you from leaping out of bed every morning, feeling as fresh as a daisy?

How can you improve your energy levels and focus during the day?

Take a Cat Nap – a personalised phone consultation with Amanda!

For a taste of how improved sleep and stress management can make a difference to your vitality, performance at work and personal life, your Cat Nap will include:

• an analysis of the quality of your sleep
• how this is impacting on your life and vice-versa
• how you can make simple changes that will help you break the vicious circle and get you back on track

How it Works

You submit your booking form.

• I email you our short questionnaire to fill in.
• I prepare your personalised action plan.
• You call me at the agreed time for a 20-minute phone consultation, jam packed with tips, tricks and information.
• You are charged a fixed fee of £30 directly to your phone bill – no other payment is made.
• The call is automatically cut off at 20 minutes to ensure that you do not incur any further charges.

Click here for a booking form for your Cat Nap to find out how you can change your sleep patterns quickly & easily so that you can start to benefit from increased energy and improved concentration.

Not sure if this is for you? Click here for our free Great Night’s Sleep Test

Need more information? Email amanda@sleepforlife.com or call Amanda on 08707 607 789 or 0845 009 5983.

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