Sleep Tips for this Winter

Winter should be the easiest time of year to sleep. Get out your favorite comforter, put on the flannel sheets, and snuggle down like a bear getting ready to hibernate. At least, that’s how you would like it to be. Your bedding and pillows would be perfect, and your body would be at the perfect temperature. Sometimes it takes some work to create a sleeping space that you can truly enjoy, but when you have all the right ingredients, it’s a recipe for a good night’s sleep.

Have you ever slept in winter clothes? Some people feel that pajamas are not enough when the cold winter nights hit. If you are wearing a wool sweater to bed, you might want to focus on ways you can increase the overall temperature of the room, rather than increasing your bedclothes. No matter how warm you are on the outside, if you are not heating your home properly, you’re more than likely going to be breathing cold air.

When you sleep in cold air, it constricts your airways. When your airways are constricted, less oxygen gets into your system. This can increase the chances of waking up during the night, feeling out of breath, and feeling fatigued when you wake up in the morning. Worse yet, if you have asthma, the cold air can trigger an asthma attack. If the room in which you sleep cannot be warmed any more than it already is, and you are still experiencing problems, consider getting a face mask made specifically for cold-air breathing.

Also make sure you thoroughly check all bedding, pillows, and pillowcases when you take them out of storage. It’s a great time to check your pillows and determine if they need to be replaced. Additionally, everything should be cleaned thoroughly to make sure all of the allergens that may be clinging to them from fall are washed away for winter sleep.

Visit our Sleep Tips page for 17 more useful pieces of sleep advice!