Sleeping Through The Seasons
Much like many people have seasonal clothes (unless you live in perpetual sunshine / snow) we need to consider how our sleep changes with each season and what we can do to try and get the best night's sleep.
For the purpose of these musings I shall use a northern hemisphere weather approach and for those people living south as it were, you can turn my advice on its head.
Spring – this typically brings the best sleeping weather. The days are getting longer, the bitter cold is lessening and you can probably open a window at night without watching all your hard earned dosh float out of the window. So some things to consider:
- Change out your heavyweight duvet or remove the top eiderdown or comforter
- Open a window and let some lovely fresh air in
- Change the sheets to either jersey or cotton
- Set the alarm half an hour earlier
This last one may cause some unease but with the clocks going forward in this season start preparing your body. Plus also the birds are up and helps one ease gently into the day.
Summer – so now depending on where you live the window may be flung open all the time or the air conditioning may be running full time. A few pointers
- If you have even the teeniest breeze open the window and turn the a/c off so much better for everyone
- If it’s stuffy and hot, bring in the fans or better yet have one installed above your bed they circulate the air
- If you live in an area where it’s just impossible not to have the a/c on, make sure you have plenty of plants in your bedroom they help enormously with air quality
- By now you will be using an ultra-lightweight duvet or just sheets
- Change the sheets to linen, they are gorgeous to sleep in
- Set the alarm an hour earlier
Yes I really did say that! Not from any sense of having fun with you, but honestly even those of us who intensely dislike mornings (I admit I am one of those people) getting up with the birds on a beautiful summer morning has to be one of the most motivating and joyous freebies ever.
Autumn – again good sleeping weather when the weather cools especially the nights and here we would advise the following
- Don’t be in a huge rush to change out your duvet your body does better sleeping in slightly cooler temperature if anything just pop the flannel sheets on first
- Keep that window open until the snowflakes blow in, well ok perhaps that’s a bit too far but until it’s very chilly
- Look forward to the clocks going back, because hey who doesn’t enjoy an extra guilt-free hour in bed!!
Winter – can be tough depending on your climate. Long dark days with rain and perhaps snow
- Oh just throw everything at your bed, hop in and hibernate until Spring…..
- Just having a laugh, pop the flannel sheets on and if in really cold climates pop on a flannel duvet cover too
- Change out to the higher tog duvet with more feathers and down in it
- Place a wool blanket at the end of the bed for your tootsies
- Rather than turn up the heating, consider borrowing your Aunt Agatha’s brass bed warmer, fill with hot coals and place in the bed or for a less tricky solution use a hot water bottle. Again try and keep the air around you a little cooler it will mean a better night’s sleep
One thing to ponder is we advocate natural fabrics and materials, (you may have guessed that already with our silk and cotton luxury robes) but I have found that linen, cotton, wool, feathers, down etc adjust to the body better, there is less discomfort and more even regulation of temperature.
Happy sleeping !
Look Gorgeous, Feel Fabulous - Sophie