These Scandinavian Sleep Suggestions for a Restful Night
This year on March 15th, it was World Sleep Day - an annual event organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society (formerly World Association of Sleep Medicine) since 2008.
The goal of World Sleep Day is to celebrate the benefits of good and healthy sleep and to draw society's attention to the burden of sleep problems and their medical, educational and social aspects while promoting the prevention and management of sleep disorders.
It was estimated in 2019 that sleep deprivation cost the US over $400 billion a year with other first world countries also recording losses.
Scandinavia has some suggestions to help improve our quality of sleep
Separate duvets
In the countries comprising Scandinavia, it is normal to have your own duvet when sharing a bed. This comes with some benefits such as heat regulation - and not fighting about who is hogging the duvet!
When you have separate duvets, it can help each person maintain their body temperature when lying side by side without heating the other partner up. This is important as our body temperature is one of the key ways our bodies understand that it is time to sleep.
Separate mattresses
When two people share a bed, they may have very different opinions on what type of mattress they prefer - it could be texture, springiness or hardness of a mattress. It is unlikely that they will totally agree.
Ideally, there could be two mattresses covered with one flat sheet, keeping both partners happy and comfortable.
Low lighting
In Denmark, they have a culture of keeping things cosy or hygge. There is evidence that low and warm lighting can have a calming, relaxing effect and where sleep is concerned, it helps to synchronize the circadian rhythms. The problem when exposed to bright lights before bed is that this can signal to the brain that it is daytime which can then lead to melatonin production being inhibited.
Melatonin is that hormone which gets released in the evening to signal that it is time for bed but if this is inhibited, those affected can find it harder to fall asleep, possibly leading to lower quality sleep.
Having a cool bedroom
As a nation, Scandinavians have a shared belief on the importance of fresh air as well as spending as much time outdoors as possible.
As well as keeping the bedroom cool, it is advised to air your duvet(s) for at least four hours once a week. Keeping a bedroom between 16 and 18 degrees C or 60 to 64 degrees F will help with sleep quality.
The association between fresh air and better sleep and wellbeing is widely shared across the Nordic countries. For example, generations of parents leave their babies to sleep outside in almost all temperatures - and especially when cold. The prams are well insulated and the babies sleep in layers of warm clothes with Scandinavian parents believing it helps their children sleep deeper and longer.
Bathing or having a sauna
We are all aware of the sauna culture enjoyed in Finland and in the same way, having a warm bath or shower can help to reduce your core body temperature before bed - necessary to fall asleep.
This is because our blood comes to the surface of the skin after such a hot bath or shower, allowing a process of rapid cooling once completed and leading to a rapid drop in core body temperature. This can be particularly helpful if someone is feeling too warm or has been exercising in the evening.
Our own piece of advice is H-Sleep Aid Formula
Sleep Aid Formula is a natural product with homeopathic ingredients to ensure that symptoms of sleeplessness are tackled naturally.
Use the Formula by massaging one or two drops on the temples and the back of the neck thirty minutes before bedtime. If you wake up during the night, you can safely reapply.
The ingredients in the Formula are soothing and will relax you and aid in sleeping to help you enjoy a good night's rest safely and naturally. Sleep will progressively continue to improve with ongoing use.
SOURCES:
New Study Says 7 Hours of Sleep Is Ideal Middle Age (prevention.com)
WomensHealth.gov. http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/insomnia.html. (Accessed, Feb 11, 2021).
http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Related-Conditions/Sleep-Disorders. (Accessed, Feb 11, 2021).
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.