Caffeine

It takes your body up to 15 hours to process caffeine – so even if you have just one morning coffee, it can still keep you up at night! If you’re finding yourself lying awake at night, try cutting down on tea and coffee.

Alcohol

Many people are aware that consuming alcohol can send you off to sleep faster than usual, but not many people are aware of just how much it affects the quality of your sleep; consuming alcohol before bed can cause you to wake 15-20 more times during the night.

Anxiety

It is not uncommon for people to lie awake at night worrying about what tomorrow will bring. If you’re going through a period of more stress than usual, that may explain your lack of sleep.

Clock watching

Believe it or not, worrying about not sleeping can cause you to … not sleep! If you turn over every half an hour to see the hours ticking by, it’s likely that you’ll begin to worry – which will keep you awake even longer!

Poor quality bed sheets

Even when you’re very tired, if your bed sheets are getting caught around your feet, slipping off during the night, or feeling scratchy or clammy against your skin, you may find yourself too uncomfortable to sleep! That’s why it is important to make sure you have quality, fitted bed sheets.

If you’ve found the reason why you’re not sleeping, the solution should be simple – and hopefully, you’ll find yourself having a good night’s sleep again soon.

Having quality bed sheets will make all the difference to your comfort and the quality of your sleep, so whether you are searching in a store, or if you’re looking to buy sheets online, it’s important that you choose wisely. Let’s take a look at the top three factors you need to look out for when choosing bed linen:

Cotton

If you want soft sheets, they need to be made from good quality cotton. Cotton sheets are breathable, so you will not get clammy during the night. The other option is Polyester, which may look smooth, but will not feel as soft and comfortable on your skin. For the best quality bed sheets, keep an eye out for Egyptian cotton – this type of cotton is ideal for bed linen because of its long, fine fibres that make a strong and smooth thread.

Stretch

Everyone knows what it feels like to have crinkled sheets getting caught around your body as your sleep – it’s enough to keep even the deepest sleeper awake! That’s why it is important to have bed sheets that stay smooth. You could buy ordinary sheets and iron them before each use, which is very time consuming, or you could buy stretch, fitted sheets that fit snugly over your bed, without moving throughout the night. If you get good quality sheets, they will remain smooth without ironing – so you have the comfort without the hassle!

Natural blends

The best luxury bed sheets include blends of natural fibres such as silk and Aloe Vera, to give extra healing and soothing benefits to your skin. If you have these extra details in your bed sheets, your skin will feel the difference and you’ll sleep easier, and wake up feeling more rested.

Now you should be ready to make a decision about your next bed linen purchase. Remember your bed sheets are a long-term investment; good quality sheets will last a long time, and help you to get a good night’s sleep – there’s nothing more important than that! If you’re ready to buy sheets online today, take a look at Fortis Textiles’ Bella Donna stretch jersey sheets for the best quality bed linen in New Zealand.

1. Routine
Your body clock plays a vital part in helping you to fall asleep, and stay sleeping throughout the night. Make sure you go to bed at the same time every night, wake up at the same time each morning, and try not to break this routine on weekends. If you have lost sleep, catch up with a nap during the day, and return to your usual routine at night.

2. Health
Avoid large meals in the evening, and eat earlier to give yourself a few hours to digest your meal. Also avoid alcohol and caffeine, as both reduce the quality of your sleep, even if they are consumed earlier in the day. Many people also find that light exercise and a healthy diet can assist with sleep and general health.

3. Comfort
Your body temperature and comfort is a very important factor in the quality of your sleep – which is why you should invest in good quality sheets and pillows. Soft, perfectly fitted sheets and comfortable pillows can make all the difference to the quality of your sleep.

The keys to a good night’s sleep are in the details – take the time to prepare your environment and your body for sleep, and you’ll get the rest you need to take on the day with confidence and vitality.

Thankfully, Fortis Textiles make this all possible. Bella Donna Stretch Jersey Fitted Sheets are the softest, most comfortable sheets you’ll ever sleep on. They’re easy to care for, and made from durable, high quality cotton.

Why you need Bella Donna Stretch Jersey Fitted sheets:

• Aloe Vera & Silk protein treated for superior softness.

• Washable at up to 60° Celsius.

• Dryer-friendly on medium heat.

• Elasticated for an easy fit on any mattress.

• Non-pilling.

• Smooth & soft feel.

• Exceptionally suitable for oversized/extra large mattresses.

• Perfect for adjustable beds.

• Non-creasing, no ironing required.

• Fits like a custom made sheet, smooth & wrinkle free.

• Extremely durable.

• Superior fit in a range of sizes up to 400 mm in height.

• Extensive range of colours.

• Superior quality, made in Germany.

Once you have tried these sheets, you won’t want to sleep on anything else! Buy NZ sheets from Fortis Textiles.

In the first four stages, eye movement is slow, so they are referred to as “Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM)” sleep. Only the last stage has “Rapid Eye Movement” and is referred to as REM sleep. Let’s take a closer look at each of the sleep cycles.

Light sleep

Stages 1 and 2 are called light sleep. Stage 1 is a transition phase between waking and sleeping and it last about 5-10 minutes. Your eye movement slows and you eventually fall asleep, which is where you enter Stage 2. During Stage 2, you no longer wake with every sound, but if you do wake you don’t yet have the feeling that you were deeply asleep. This stage lasts 10 to 25 minutes.

Deep sleep

Stages 3 and 4 are deep sleep. Stage 3 begins about 30 minutes after you fall asleep. This is the transition phase to deep sleep. Your breathing becomes regular, your heart rate slows and your muscles relax completely.

After about 45 minutes, Stage 4 begins. Here your breathing and heart rates are at their slowest. If you are awakened from sleep in Stage 4, you are disoriented and need time to realise where you are.

REM sleep

The final stage is REM sleep. Rapid eye movements characterise this part of the sleep cycle. Stage 5 is also called the “dream” stage. If you wake during this stage, you can often remember the dream you were having.

After the REM sleep stage, you generally wake briefly (usually unconsciously) and the sleep cycle begins again from the beginning.

You normally go through these stages 7-10 times in one night. The relative amount of time spent in REM sleep changes with each sleep cycle; in the first cycle it is shorter, but in the third and fourth cycles it increases. Non-REM sleep takes comparatively more time in the first and second cycles.

So what happens when we sleep is actually far more complex than it seems! As for getting to sleep, that’s the easy part; all you need is a comfortable bed, some peace and quiet and sleep will come easily.

Sleeping well and long enough recharges you physically and mentally, and this is vital to being able to function optimally while working, studying, spending time with your family or pursuing recreational activities.

How long people can go without sleep is not known for certain.

What is known, however, is that people who suffer from lack of sleep have trouble concentrating and remembering things.

It is also apparent that chronic sleep deficiency can lead to decreased serotonin sensitivity. Serotonin is a substance that transmits signals to the brain.

It is involved with mood, sleep, emotion, sexual activity and hunger that gives feelings of satisfaction and happiness.

Recent studies have suggested that lack of sleep can not only lead to depression, but can also contribute to obesity and diabetes.

Listen to your own body. If you feel like you function well even with less sleep, then don’t be concerned if you don’t sleep the full eight hours.

Also try to sleep your optimum number of hours every night. Catching up on weekends is not as good for you.