#WeLoveSleep Tempur Event

I find it shocking that we spend 1/3 of our lives asleep. It’s crazy when you think about it, 33.3% of our lives just gone! I think we all see time quite differently. Some of us are live in the moment people, and others spend our time looking back at the past wishing and regretting. Well I am a person who loves to think forward, always excited for what’s to come. Either way, it is vital that we spend one third of our time on sleep that we so desperately need. In this post, I’m going to share a few memories from the #WeLoveSleep Tempur event including Dr Nicola Barclay’s expert talk on sleep.

Merrell and I were thrilled to be invited along to the talk and event held at the Royal Institution of Great Britain on a December evening. The location, being one of scientific education, was perfect as the company Tempur is founded on the science behind a good night’s sleep.

Dr Nicola Barclay was the guest speaker for the evening, and she explained how her job involves the investigation of factors to do with insomnia as well as sleep patterns.

She showed us the ins and outs of REM sleep and went into detail about why not only sleep is so important, but also the right amount. It is recommended that we receive 6-8 hours. She mentioned that studies have shown that having more than this can actually be detrimental to your heath- an increased risk of heart disease and BMI issues. But sleep is also an individual thing, your body knows how much it needs.

A few stand-out facts from the #WeLoveSleep Tempur event:

Our cells in the hypothalamus receive information when we sleep including retinal indicators of light which tell us that it’s time to wake up. This is called a Circadian rhythm, basically why we wake up a few minutes before our alarm.

Cotton sheets are better than synthetic materials for dispelling heat as you can’t get to sleep easily when too hot. The optimum temperature is 20-22 degrees. Check out this guide for more on the best bed sheets.

Having a bed that supports you is absolutely key. This is especially important for people with pain and sleep apnea.

Don’t look at your clock if you wake during the night- imagine you have all night left as this will help settle you again.

Leave worries and work outside the bedroom. Don’t take your phone to bed with you, remove it as it’s something associated with the daytime and being awake.

A few from the Q and A session:

Question 1: Snoring, what can be done about it?

There are three causes for snoring: tongue, nose and facial areas. The best thing to do is find out what type of snorer you are with an online test!

Question 2 (my question): I find that having the TV on helps me sleep better rather than being in complete silence- why is that?

The reason for this is habituation, and also the use of TV as a distraction. This helps many people to switch off and block out their own thoughts and work etc. I found out that Dr Nicola falls asleep to the TV also, so now I don’t feel like it’s a bad thing!

We had such an incredible, informative night at the #WeLoveSleep Tempur event, we even were lucky enough to take a Tempur pillow home too, plus a Tempur teddy which I named Barnabus!

Sleep well, and leave a comment down below if you liked!

Saharasplash x

Keep on reading, the next post is all about Cadburys Chocolate!