What makes you sleep well?

“Early sleep and early wake up makes no regrets,” says sleep expert Natalija Berzina. She has been specializing in sleep and now is here to show you how to sleep well, saving both time and... calories.

IKEA co-workers are also participating in the good sleep experiment this September and October. Here they share which IKEA products have helped them improve the night‘s rest.

Jānis Klieders, IKEA HR Business Partner

"The pillow KLUBBSPORRE is perfect if you like medium soft. The pillow’s best thing are warm and cool sides. Previously I was waking up at nights to turn sides of the pillow to ensure it is cool enought, no I do not need to do it."

Endžija Rita Plotniece, IKEA Restaurant Cashier

"The bed sheet NATTJASMIN and duvet cover FJÄLLHAVRE feels very soft and it makes sleeping so comfortable. And the thing that I like the most is that mattress cover GRUSNARV just perfectly covers up the imperfections that is my mattress. I am really excited about it."

Anita Eglīte, IKEA Translator

"When I sleep with FJÄLLHAVRE blanket, I sleep better and wake up less at night because it is breathable, so I sweat a lot less when I sleep. In addition, I have a sensitive skin, so it is important that I can wash the blanket at home at 60 °C."

Sintija Šmite, IKEA Availability and Support Specialist

"The mattress cover GRUSNARV is moisture-proof and with a soft surface, thus allowing the mattress to last longer. This mattress cover acts not only as a mattress protector, but also as a tool to keep the sheet in place, so when you wake up, the sheet is exactly where you go to sleep."

Sandra Emīlija Daugule, IKEA HR Business Partner

"This pillow GRONAMARANT is very comfortable and fits the shape of the head. I would definitely recommend it to people, who sleep on their backs or sides mainly."

The golden rule
Apply the golden rule of three-thirds to your sleep: divide your day evenly into 8 hours for sleep, 8 hours for work and 8 hours for rest. “If at least one third suffers, unfortunately others will suffer too,” says sleep expert N. Berzina. According to her, a person with poor sleep is less able to work and does not have the energy for quality rest. Equally, if you work too hard and suffer the lack of rest, it is impossible to sleep well. Therefore, the specialist advises to sleep for at least 7 to 9 hours.

Less sleep, more calories
The expert says that even one lost hour of sleep can affect your body. It will take four well-slept nights to get this one hour back. Scientific studies also show that when there is a lack of sleep, a person consumes an average of 200 kcal more the next day than a well-rested one. So, if you don't want your body to crave for sweets or an extra portion of food, try to sleep for at least one hour longer.

Sleeping like a log isn't a must
Some people think that quality sleep is when you fall like a log and open your eyes only at dawn. But in reality it is absolutely normal to wake up 5 times at night. “The older you are, the more times you can wake up at night and the longer it takes for you to fall asleep. There is no need to worry about that. Take it with calm, because when you get upset, your body releases stress hormones and it becomes even harder to fall asleep,” advises the sleep expert.

“"Don't wait too long in bed to fall asleep - if you can't fall asleep for more than half an hour, get up and do some peaceful activities until you feel like sleeping, then you can go back to bed”.

Natalija Berzina, sleep expert

Tips for better sleep
1. Create your bedtime rituals: take a shower, have a light snack, etc. You've read it right, it is not recommended to go to bed when you are hungry as a hunter. Bananas, ripened cheese, cottage cheese, milk and turkey are the products that can help you fall asleep. However, it should be a small bite rather than a large portion of food.
2. Get more light during the day. To fall asleep more quickly, you need to get enough light during the day. Go outside every day, especially if you are older, since the natural sunlight helps to release more sleep hormones at night. Reduce light in the evening as much as possible and avoid any sources of it during the night using the blackout curtains.
3. Warm up the body, cool down the room. It is much harder to fall asleep when you feel chilly. Warm up by taking a bath, drinking a cup of tea, putting a heater or a pair of socks on your feet. Your bedroom, on the contrary, should stay cool, ventilated and unlit. A TV, a phone and other devices that emit blue light will scatter the dreams.
4. No caffeine, smoking or alcohol before going to bed. Before going to bed, preferably during the whole second half of the day, you should not smoke or consume alcohol and caffeinated beverages such as coffee, coke or black tea. It is wrong to believe that alcohol helps to fall asleep. Yes, it makes you feel sleepy at first, but you will wake up in a few hours, since the alcohol metabolism products have an irritating effect that distorts the architecture of sleep.