Sleep better with the right mattress and sleep routine
Courtesy Emma

This article is a sponsored partnership between Reader’s Digest NZ and Emma Sleep

The right mattress is an investment in good health. An old mattress can start to lack adequate support, which can lead to sleep problems at night, as well as contribute to aches and pains during the day. According to the Sleep Foundation, poor sleep can cause a range of health problems, including memory dysfunction, a weakened immune system, obesity, diabetes and even cardiovascular disease.

Recent innovative improvements to mattress research and manufacturing ensure support and comfort for every kind of sleeper. German mattress innovator Emma Sleep is a leader in sleep research, whose scientifically engineered mattresses are improving the sleep experience of millions of sleepers globally. Its research is guided by the belief that a better night’s sleep is the foundation of a healthier lifestyle.

“Mattresses start to deteriorate after eight years,” says Theresa Schnorbach, a sleep scientist at Emma Sleep. “Your mattress is past its best when: it starts sagging, you have night sweats, it is noisy, it has a smell, your allergies are aggravated at night when you sleep, you wake with aches and pains, and you sleep better when sleeping away from home.”

Before you test out quality mattresses, consider these points – will you be sharing the bed with a partner? Are you suffering from back pain? Do you have chronic sleep issues? Having this information will help you narrow down potential choices as you research which mattress best suits your sleeping needs – consistent support and comfort every night.

Today, mattresses are available in a number of materials, each one offering different levels of spinal support, comfort and longevity. From memory foam, latex, coils, pillow-tops to hybrid and adjustable, each one offers different health benefits. Emma Sleep is a global leader in mattress research and development, with a dedicated team of sleep researchers constantly exploring new technologies to ensure a better night’s sleep. The Emma Comfort Mattress uses high-quality German-made contouring HRX memory foam and polyfoam to create point-elastic caving suitable for all body shapes. This ensures superior stability throughout the night by keeping the sleeper’s spine straight, while also providing support and bed pressure relief. The mattress also has thermoregulating features giving a cooling effect on the body. The award-winning Emma mattress provides optimal spinal alignment, a feature that has earned the company multiple consumer and industry awards in Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia and Asia since launching on the market in 2015.

Briefly testing a mattress in a shop before purchasing is not the best way to commit to one of your body’s most important health investments — one you’ll spend around 2555 hours a year (or 106 days) using. Emma Sleep leads the market in business-to-customer delivery. All Emma Sleep mattresses are backed by a 10-year warranty, delivered free of charge in a sealed box, and enjoy a 120-night trial at home so customers can be certain the mattress is right for them. All returns can be made free of charge, and are donated to the Salvation Army.

Once the mattress is sorted, it’s important to create a sleep routine. Here are some tips to help build a nightly routine for a healthy night’s sleep.

Create a transition routine. This is something you do every night before bed. It could be as simple as putting the dog out, switching off lights, heaters or fans, washing your face and brushing your teeth. Or it could be a series of yoga or meditation exercises. Regardless, it should be consistent. As you begin to move into your ‘nightly routine’, your mind will get the signal that it’s time to chill out, physiologically preparing you for sleep.

Figure out your body cycle. Do you ever find that you get really sleepy at 10pm, that the sleepiness passes, and then by the time the late news comes on, you’re wide awake? Some experts believe sleepiness comes in cycles. Push past a period of tiredness and you probably won’t be able to fall asleep very easily for a while. If you’ve noticed these rhythms appearing in your own body clock, use them to your advantage. When sleepiness comes, get to bed. Otherwise, it might be a long time until you’re ready for sleep again.

Hide your clock under your bed or on the bottom shelf of your bedside table, where its glow won’t disturb you. That way, if you wake up in the middle of the night or have problems sleeping, you won’t fret over how late it is and how much sleep you’re missing.

Change your pillow. If you’re constantly pounding it, turning it over and upside down, then your poor pillow deserves a break. Find a fresh pillow from the linen cupboard, put a fresh case on it and try again. Pillow manufacturers, such as Emma, recommend replacing your pillow every two years. Sleep experts also recommend sleeping on pillows that have a height of between 10.16cm to 15.24cm to offer the best head and neck support when lying flat on your back.

Sleep alone. Your sleeping partner can be a key cause of sleep disruption. He might snore, she might talk in her sleep. According to Theresa Schnorbach, studies have demonstrated that people who usually slept beside a partner showed fewer discrete movements during the nights when they slept alone than on nights when they shared a bed. “People who sleep alone naturally experience fewer disturbed nights’ sleep that comes as a result of snoring, sudden movement or regular awakening from a significant other,” says Schnorbach, “which ultimately lead to sleep fragmentation and lower sleep efficiency.”

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