Sleep..
When looking back at hugely important elements of my life, I would say sleep is at the top of the list.
Since learning about its impact on health & peace of mind I can't emphasize enough the importance of sleep and getting good quality sleep.
I suppose I never gave any reasons as to why we sleep, Or the repercussions not getting enough of it
Now I focus on asleep as much as I'm putting fuel in a car quite simply without it I can't perform the daily tasks at work or caring for my family
So many people are looking to supplements, superfoods and training regimes or quick fixes to enhance their current sleep situation, but little do they realize now that there is an almost magical solution out there.
Although sleep is free there is certainly a place for investing in it.
Like the right mattress, pillows and bedding in general. Also think about your room, ensure its warm and dry. This Including fitting some new blinds in your room, perhaps a fan to keep you cool during the summer, I tell people it could cost you the same as your holiday weekend away. But ultimately you will end up sleeping in your bedroom for years maybe even decades.
And that is a Better return on investment than a week away in Queenstown.
Personally, for me it starts with a good quality mattress.
To me.. bed is the most important, sacred yet personal space in a home.
It's a retreat from the world, as a busy mum and entrepreneur it's the most cherished place in my home.
Until you have truly had a proper luxury bedding experience, you won't know what I mean.
Think of the most comfy hotel bed you have ever slept in.. And triple that feeling, as most hotels use crappy cotton sheets.
It starts with the bed, the mattress and base. Invest in a good bed.
We only recently purchased a new bed, we got a Firm mattress, I would say go with Firm - to Medium and most importantly make sure its a Low Partner Disturbance Mattress. They are designed to minimize partner disturbance, It has been amazing, I used to feel sea sick with the tossing and turning in our old bed.
And yes, size matters! Go for the biggest you can afford, you'll never regret having room to spread out comfortably. We went for a New Zealand Californian King. It's 2m Square & I'm loving it.
In my mind Sheets are the most important piece of any bed, but one purchase I'll never regret is my mattress topper - It was the best investment of my life. I went for a Down/Feather one that is 415g+8240g weight. Yes they are about $800 but worth every penny!
Never skimp on a quality Mattress topper. It's almost a mini mattress in itself. I never realized the difference it would make, it's like sleeping on a soft feathery cloud. But I cannot stress enough to Invest in the best you can afford. Feather and down filled and go for a premium heavy weight. Trust me you won't regret it ever!
Sheets - I had a comment left on my Facebook page once form a lady saying "all we do is sweat and sleep in sheets " why spend this amount of money on them"
This absolutely baffled me.. Sleep is the most important time of any living creature's life. It's when our bodies recover, grow and recuperate.
When selected your sheets always go for natural fibers, I would always recommend 100% Pure Flax linen, but if you're not completely in love with linen like me go for 100% pure cotton.
How our sheets will help you sleep better.
1 | Flax Linen breathes, this helps regulates your body temperature. According to the National Sleep Foundation, your body temperature is "a key part of what regulates the circadian rhythm, this determines when your body is ready to go to sleep and when it's ready to wake up."
2 | Linen absorbs 20% more moisture than other fabric, So you always wake up feeling fresh, dry and sweat free.
3 | Linen is anti-static & anti-allergic, so its recommended for people with skin diseases or eczema.
4 | Linen has a light massaging effect because of the distinct texture its both soft & crisp and the same time.
Always get the best quality sheets you can afford, Anything that is next to your largest organ.. your skin for that many hours a day needs to be ??
If I could give one piece of advice when purchasing linen.. go for the real deal.
We have so many cheaper linens available from homeware stores now in some beautiful colours, nearly all of them are made in China.
Always inquire as to where the Linen is Manufactured, chances are if they don't openly tell you on the website- they are hiding the fact it's made in China. I have done extensive research into Linen factory's all over the world, including Asia and India Both markets are completely unregulated, meaning they have very little or no standards or rules about how the product is made.⠀
Including child labor, terrible working conditions, massive amounts of nasty chemicals used in the processing of the Linen + no respect for the environment... This is why I have made a commitment to only sell True European Linen.⠀
Next find out the gsm or weight of the linen.
Our European Linen is made from 190gsm fabric over against most others available that are only 160gsm.
Remember like anything, you will get what you pay for. Our factory in Europe has been make linen since 1921, now 3 generations later its still a family run company with deep rooted heritage and knowledge that has been passed down.
I'm sure any investment you make in your sleep setup will be returned.
Now to the Fun part.. Dressing your bed.
You may think having a pretty duvet is all about the ascetics of your room, but there is so much more to the humble duvet than we give credit for.
Yes, they have to be beautiful.. They are on display. But how often are is the top sheet kicked off and you are left sleeping under your duvet cover?
Make sure its soft and comfy!
Its becoming very popular now in NZ to go without a top sheet altogether and sleep just with a fitted bottom sheet and duvet cover.
If you are European, you probably already do this... But for us new Zealander's wanting to Ditch the flat top sheet get the best quality you can afford, and make sure its pure, Natural fibers. You will thank me when you encounter a blissful night's sleep and wake up feeling fresh and sweat free.
Which brings me to duvet inners...
Yet another pricey investment but well worth it. If you like a bit of weight on you while you sleep
Always get the best you can afford, and you will have it for life.
in recent years I have heard of many people becoming a custom to sleeping with a pregnancy pillow. It sounds a bit strange but they say it has completely revolutionized the way they sleep. They often comment that they find themselves waking up in the exact position they went to sleep in. It's amazing how something so simple can have such a positive impact on your daily life.
My Story by SHANNON VESTAL ROBSON
I had been thinking of buying Linen sheets for a while, they were all upward of $200USD, this was a major deal. But I hesitated in the store; the sheets didn't feel that soft. Linen is naturally nubby — it's part of its look — but I started to worry that I was making a social-media-inspired decision, not buying something I actually wanted. That only lasted a couple minutes. I grabbed them and had them washed and, on my bed, faster than a Hollywood engagement.
At home, they looked great; so far, so good. But the real test was that first night's sleep. My husband and I both woke up the next morning shocked!! But, like, shocked and so well-rested. Neither of us even woke up once to use the bathroom or even remembered stirring.
Had we been exceptionally tired? Nah. It was the sheets!
It was the sheets the next night, and the next, and the night after that. No they are not crazy-soft, but they are . . . magic.
It's the only way to describe it. Fine, it's not the only way, but it feels like magic when you realize one small change has given you the best night's sleep in years.
My assumption is that the whole natural-fibre thing that keeps you cool or warm is the key. My husband is a hot sleeper who usually kicks off the sheets and duvet at some point in the night, and my body goes hot and cold like Goldilocks in the night. I'm either freezing and need another blanket or waking up sweaty, no matter what season it is.
After two months of using the linen sheets, no sheet kicking or blanket adding, or night sweating has happened. The sheets seem to regulate your body temperature, so those fluctuations that would normally wake you up don't. This was just my theory after thinking about why we were sleeping so well, but it actually might be backed up by science. According to the National Sleep Foundation, your body temperature is "a key part of what regulates the circadian rhythm that determines when your body is ready to go to sleep and when it's ready to wake up."
The linen sheets seem like they just keep you comfortable and asleep no matter what.
And the question of how soft they are now? After a few washes, they do seem to be softening up, and at times, I've woken up and felt like they were spun silk. But that's just probably because I was having an amazing dream in the coziest bed ever.