It can be quite a search for your ultimate night's sleep. How many hours of sleep do you actually need? It is said that you need an average of 7.5 – 8 hours of sleep, but this does not apply to everyone. One person 'does' better on less sleep, while the other is not yet sufficiently rested with a night's sleep of 8 hours. It is not only the hours that you lie in bed with your eyes closed that are important. The way you sleep and your sleep needs are also important to be able to start the day refreshed and rested in the morning.
And did you know that the way you sleep and your sleep needs also change over the course of your life? Children naturally need more sleep than adolescents and adults. But as an adult, your sleep needs can also change due to changes in your body. As a result, the need for a mattress can also change. Take a look at the examples below from me, you might recognize some signals.
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Let's start with the number of hours of sleep you need and the way in which you can determine for yourself whether you are getting enough sleep during your night's rest.
In fact, it is very simple to determine how many hours of sleep you actually need, just by trying it out. Doing an online test to see if you are getting enough sleep is of course not possible. But the way one that I've noticed how much sleep I need on a daily basis is by literally trying it myself. What do I feel if I sleep 6 hours a night and what if I work extra hours? Am I actually more rested and fit?
Each night consists of 5 sleep cycles of light sleep, deep sleep and dream sleep. And each cycle lasts about 90 minutes. But because everyone is different, our sleep needs are also different. This is how I tried it:
Do you wake up every morning around the time your alarm is set? Then you can assume that you go to bed at the right time. If you can't wake up in the morning, you know for sure that you are going to bed too late. In that case, try to go to bed half an hour earlier for the next 10 days. This way you repeat my test for yourself and you can ultimately assess how many hours of sleep you need.
Not only the number of hours you sleep is important, but also the way you sleep once you are in bed counts. A suitable mattress can help with this, so listen carefully to your own body.
I can still remember that 10 years ago I always liked to snuggle up to Frank. I was an ice cube in bed and he was a heater. Great to warm myself up! And even when the children came over and crawled up to me, there was nothing wrong, just pleasant.
Until I went into early menopause. I started sweating profusely at night. Even now I still feel warm in bed very quickly. I've turned into a stove. I prefer not to touch anyone when I am sleeping. The warmer I get, the faster I wake up and that is of course not conducive to my sleep. Because even if I sleep enough hours, if I keep waking up and sleep restlessly, this does not benefit the quality of my sleep. So I still don't wake up rested. The choice of a mattress can influence your temperature at night, I never knew that.
In addition, I am a back sleeper and I only recently found out that I have a different mattress need in terms of support than Frank, who is a side sleeper. Did you know? I found this out when I did the Swiss Sense mattress guide. And also that there are choices in terms of mattress if you suffer from an allergy, which is good to know for Lotte.
Are you not sleeping well? Then it may just be that you are not lying on the right mattress (for you). Try this mattress guide and find out which type of mattress is ideal for you. †
If you listen carefully to your body and learn to recognize your body signals, you can also fulfill your own sleep needs. For example, I used to switch off with a cup of tea and a book just before going to bed. Now I prefer to exercise before going to sleep by taking the dog for another walk and I do some work in my bullet journal. Together with the right mattress, this forms the basis for a good and undisturbed night's sleep.
Do you have sleeping rituals where you can switch off well? Then testing how many hours of sleep you need is a breeze! Especially with the biggest changes in your life, it is important to look at your sleep needs. Because with small children at home or teenagers who go out, you are guaranteed of sleep deprivation. And what if you can't fall asleep because you're so cold? So make sure that your basic needs are well provided for in order to wake up rested in the morning. Are your mattress, pillow and duvet tailored to your personal needs? Then you basically ensure a good night's sleep. And then you can even miss some hours of sleep every now and then because of a nice party or small children 😉 .
In collaboration with Swiss Sense
