Autumn Sleep - The Ultimate Checklist

The leaves are turning brown and fluttering to the floor, it's getting darker earlier, and there is now a bite to the wind.

Yup, it's Autumn

With the longer nights coming, we at Dormeo think it would be a good idea to give you a checklist of ideas and why to make your Autumn more comfortable.

Light's sleep impact

Sleep is intrinsically connected to light. Is it dark? Be tired. Is it light? Be awake.

That's how your brain works as it follows something called "circadian rhythm" which is your internal clock.

With Autumn comes earlier darkness in the evenings and longer darkness in the mornings, potentially ruining your natural rhythms.

When we're exposed to natural light, especially in the morning, it signals to our brains that it's time to wake up and be alert. This helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle.

On the flip side, when the sun sets, our bodies start producing melatonin, a hormone that helps us feel sleepy and prepares us for a good night's rest.

The pineal gland, a small but important gland in our brains, plays a crucial role in this process. It's like the conductor of our sleep orchestra. When darkness arrives, the pineal gland gets the message to ramp up melatonin production, making us feel all snug and ready for sleep.

But, and this is a big 'but', artificial light emitted by TVs or your mobile phone can severely disrupt this cycle because of...

The Blue Light

With the earlier darkness you might just want to snuggle up and watch a film or binge a series, but your TV is working against you.

The dreaded blue light

This "blue" light is a small band of frequency within the light spectrum. As mentioned before, your pineal gland reacts to this kind of light because blue light tricks it into thinking that it's daytime, totally throwing off your circadian rhythm.

There are a few ways to combat the blue light enemy.

Not to sound like your mother but how about turning off the TV when in bed? Modern TVs are the worst for emitting blue light because of the LEDs that make up the screen.

If you absolutely have to watch TV in bed, you can invest in some snazzy blue light-blocking glasses. These types of glasses filter out the blue light frequency and stops your body clock from being disrupted.

Mobile phones come a close second to TVs when emitting blue light, and are probably more invasive than TVs.

But mobile phone companies now know about blue light, so there is an option (on most mobiles) to remove the blue light frequency from the light emitted by the screen.

You can now BikBok, FaceSnap, and InstaTwit as much as you want without messing up your body clock, allowing you to get nice and relaxed during the dark Autumn evenings!

You are what you drink

What you drink in the run-up to bedtime should be carefully considered.

Some people think they sleep better after a few beers or whatever poison is chosen. This is totally wrong.

Drinking alcohol causes disruption to your sleep architecture, that is to say, your sleep will be broken and fragmented. It can also reduce the amount of time you spend in REM sleep.

Consider having a hot drink such as Camomile tea or lavender tea. Most tea companies do a "special blend" that is put together purely for its soporific qualities.

I don't think we need to say anything about caffeine as that is well-known for its stimulating effects.

Having a nice hot drink before bed helps you relax and gets you nice and warm on the inside, ready for sleep.

The right bedding

Summer disappears and winter takes a long run-up. This gives you some time to get your bed in order with some proper bedding.

Time to get the thicker duvet out. A summer duvet has a tog rating of 4.5, which is perfect for hot summer nights, but this can be a little light for the approaching winter. A 10.5 or a 13.5 tog duvet is ideal for the colder nights.

Of course, if you don't want to get a thicker duvet, you can just layer the bed up with blankets. This can give you more control over how warm your bed can get during the night as you can add and remove blankets as you wish.

But this can cause broken sleep as you could be constantly fiddling about with the layers to get the bed "just right".

Adding weighted blankets is a great idea as it can add an extra sense of security and keep warmth nice and tight around your body, allowing you to fall asleep comfortably and securely.

Changing the bedclothes on your bed can also be a good way to keep warm during the night. Try high-thread-count bedclothes such as your sheet and duvet cover as the weave is tight together and keeps the warmth in more efficiently.

Your bedroom should be a sanctuary. It should be a place to relax and get away from everything. If you need some ideas on how to do that with your room, check our style guides

Your bedroom

Your sanctuary.

This is where you can have total control over the environment.

Keeping your room around 18°C degrees during the night is the optimal temperature for sleep. With a duvet that is the correct tog for the colder nights, 18°C will make you feel perfectly snuggly on the dark evenings.

Proper lighting in your room is also incredibly important when winding down before bed. Bright lights, or lights that are mostly white, the retina's light-sensing cells become over-stimulated and release massive amounts of signaling chemicals, potentially injuring the back of the eye.

This is obviously bad when trying to get a good night's sleep.

Soft, warm lighting is great for relaxing. Lower-wattage bulbs give off a soothing softer light, and don't forget about dimmer switches!

Now, some people will find this easier than others but keeping your bedroom tidy helps soothe you before bed.

"A tidy bedroom keeps a tidy mind."

Your bed

We have gone through bedclothes, bedding, ideal drinks, and the dreaded blue light, but what about the star of the show - your bed?

After a day of waiting on a cold station platform in the rain, getting splashed by cars whizzing by, you deserve a comfortable place to relax your body.

As we know mattresses, we know there is a mattress out there for every body type and every sleeping style (side, front, or back) and it's always worth checking out our latest deals.

Whether you prefer a soft or firmer mattress, having a place to take the weight off and relax the tense muscles is incredibly important for your body's strength and for your mental health.

The longer darker hours can cause some serious issues to your mental health with conditions such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). These depressive moods can be incredibly debilitating for those suffering from them.

This is why it's so important to make your sleeping environment the most relaxing and comfortable haven you can.

Autumn is the prelude to winter, so if you can prepare in Autumn, you will be better set up for the depths of winter. For more information about how to get through a cold winter, you can read our advice on how to keep your bedroom winter ready.