Despite what social media might make you believe, the pursuit of well-being is not just about sheet masks and handstands on the beach. There are many ways to optimize health that don’t involve exotic foods or endless workouts.
The primary well-being factor is undoubtedly sleeping better at night. Whether you struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep or not, feeling less tired can have a positive impact on health, weight, mood, work performance, and more. And since a good part of the day is spent sleeping, it’s best to do it well.
From restructuring your daily routine to be less active at night, to investing in a comfortable mattress, and of course, acquiring a good pajama and making it a daily habit, which will be infinitely better for staying cool during the night than the old habit of sleeping without clothes. Here are some ideas on how to start having more restorative sleep as soon as night falls.
Schedule your day differently
One of the best ways to prepare for an excellent night’s rest is to spend your waking hours doing things that improve, not hinder, your time in bed. For the most part, that means packing the first part of the day with more excitement (exercise, caffeine, and a hearty, nutritious meal) and adopting gentler habits in the hours after work, such as wearing pajamas suited to the current season.
That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious meal like burgers and beers after work—just that sleeping well is important, and the nighttime routine shouldn’t rely solely on heavy workouts or late meals with lots of alcohol; it should also include wearing appropriate attire; wearing pajamas.
Establish a relaxation routine
Try to stop being that man who constantly looks at his phone or TV right before falling asleep. The blue light from screens has the same effect on the brain as sunlight. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends creating some distance between the digital world and the world of dreams by establishing a bedtime routine, like when you were a child (only much cooler).
Change clothes, shower, stretch, put on your pajamas, meditate, spend time with your partner, read. Do something to relax your mind and body that isn’t staring blankly, mouth open, at a device.
Simulate the conditions of a "luxury hotel"
It’s often common to feel like you sleep better in a nice hotel room than at home. A large, cool bed and a pajama to your liking could have a big impact on a happy rest. Also key are decent curtains for the windows, centralized air conditioning, and a pleasant ambient scent that promotes tranquility and calm. Of course, it can be difficult to turn a rental apartment into a five-star place, but even lowering the thermostat can help create a more optimal sleep environment.
Sleeping in a cooler room can even improve metabolic health. As for simulating that characteristic "nothing" scent of luxury hotels and spas, you can try a diffuser with lavender essential oil, which studies show promotes more restorative sleep.
Sleep in a cooler bed, literally
If you still sleep on a memory foam mattress that causes excessive sweating, with unbearably suffocating jersey sheets, you’re sleeping poorly. A good night’s rest starts with a mattress that provides support but doesn’t suffocate, and thin, breathable sheets are recommended, whether you prefer cotton bedding.
There are mattress models designed with state-of-the-art cooling materials that work together from the cover to the core to keep the sleeper cool all night. They include a removable, washable cover that helps you feel fresh when you lie down, plus two layers between the cover and mattress that allow heat and moisture to be removed more effectively.
All this works together with a unique material that seems to detect and know exactly what the user and their body need and adapts almost magically so you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, with fewer tosses and turns. This creates maximum pressure relief for deeper, more refreshing sleep. Additionally, wearing a pajama that suits this modern marvel and the user’s preference is a real plus.
Use technology to soften the edges
You don’t need to be a sleep scientist to know that going from bright lights to total darkness when falling asleep and waking up to the emergency siren of an old-school alarm clock or landline phone are unnecessarily harsh ways to enter and exit sleep and rest. Smartphones, smart home devices, and even smart lights are here to help with their softer, gradual sounds and lighting, which can be programmed to fit your schedule and sensitivities.
It’s 2021: drowning out noisy neighbors with white noise, softening the glow of that blue fluorescent bulb with ambient bedside lamps, and turning on a sleep meditation app instead of counting sheep is what’s trending.
Sleep hours: quantity or quality?
Most people sleep between six and nine hours per night, which means they spend about a third of their lives sleeping. That may seem like a lot of time, but in reality, humans sleep less than all other primates, the group that includes monkeys, apes, and humans.
That’s what a new analysis looking at the impact of sleep on evolution says. The new research suggests that humans have evolved to sleep less but also to sleep very deeply and with better quality rest. This may help explain humanity’s success as a species.
To understand if human sleep is unique, experts compared the sleep patterns of 21 primates whose sleep patterns had already been analyzed. They concluded that humans have the deepest sleep of any primate. Besides observing how long the animals slept, they looked at how much time they spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This is when dreaming occurs and when the brain consolidates memories into long-term storage.
Humans slept less, but without a doubt, it was higher quality, more restorative sleep. Today, it would be unthinkable not to accept recommendations from studies like these. Using methods and items that facilitate rest should not be dismissed. One of those items is the pajama; a perfect ally.
Visit our website El Búho Nocturno and you can enjoy the pajama you like the most.