Leading UK sleep expert Nick Littlehales claims that buying the most expensive mattresses is a waste of money and it's better to go to bed later than early at night. With his findings, he dispels certain myths and truths about sleep.
Sleep is one of the main components of a healthy life, if we don't sleep well it has a strong impact on our health. In the long run, it is precisely poor sleep that can harm your health!
"V I have been my life for the past 30 years devoted to sleep, i.e. studying sleeping habits. I've consulted stars like David Beckham and Christian Ronaldo on how to sleep better or get more rest, and I've found that most stories about getting enough sleep are just nonsense." he says Nick Littlehales, the UK's leading expert in the field.
He believes that we should reject the strictly written rules from various professional books and adapt them to ourselves, with some important comments that he discovered and confirmed in practice.
Don't buy the most expensive mattresses
“First of all, you have to understand that there are very few regulations in this industry. Anyone who wants to can call the product "orthopedic", and such a mattress does not have to pass a single test." says Littlehales. This is also why you need to be very careful here! Do not blindly believe that everything they say when they sell you a mattress is true. Search for years, thoroughly test the mattress and ask about the experiences of other people, your friends. Realistically, a mattress should be replaced every 10 years, and expert tests show that there is not much difference between those that cost 500 euros and those who cost 1,000 euros and more.
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Forget sleeping on your stomach and back. Only one pose is correct!
“The only sleeping position I recommend is sleeping on your side, it's simply the best for your body and its alignment. In addition, it is more difficult to snore in this position,” says Littlehales.
Littlehales advises people not to sleep on their dominant side (meaning if you're right-handed, you should sleep on your left side). In this position, the knees should be gently bent, and the spine, neck and head should be in the same plane. If they are, then there should be a clear hole of six inches or more between the head and the mattress.
How do you know if a mattress is too hard or too soft?
If you feel that your head constantly sliding towards the mattress, i.e. down, that means the mattress is too hard. If, on the other hand, while lying on your side, you feel that your side sinks into the mattress, the mattress is definitely too soft.
Throw away the pillow or get a thin one
By the time you find a good mattress for yourself, your old pillow will likely become overstuffed. But pillows they are a habit that is hard to break. If you really need it, use only shallow ones and remember to replace them every two to three years at the most. It is better that they are newer and made of inferior material than expensive and supposedly orthopedic and old. A lot of our secretions accumulate in the pillows. They get dirty incredibly quickly. It is also good if they are washable. So you will be able to use them for a longer time.
Don't go to bed (too) early
Most people think they don't sleep well if they don't get eight hours of sleep or if they don't always go to bed at the same time. But realistically, this is nonsense! He explains how, although it may sound strange, delaying sleep by extending a ritual before it, such as reading a book or taking a shower, causes a jump one sleep cycle. Which in principle is not bad because the other four can then be stronger.
