Hibernate in style this winter

As another blast of winter comes our way, we are well into those longer nights, shorter days and lower temperatures. Making sure you get the best nights sleep possible, there's some tried and tested tips to make your bedroom a restful and sleep inducing piece of heaven on earth - no matter what the weather is doing outside.

1. Be comfortable

The most important first point, is to make sure you are comfortable, any sort of irritation of mind or body can upset your all important sleep - making sure you start each new day refreshed and ready to take on all the day ahead has to offer. Having the right mattress for your body type and sleeping style is hugely important but needs to be accompanied with natural clean materials next to your skin. Having the correct amount of support but also softness will ensure the cold nights remain outside the front door.

It's all important to be warm and comfortable but also important to make sure you're not overheating, just as important as not being cold is not being too warm, as this can adversely affect the quality of our sleep. However if you like to be toasty and warm your bedding is one of the best places to start! A tog is the way we measure the flow of heat between two surfaces of material, particularly for duvets, and the higher the tog the warmer you will be. During the colder season, choose a 13.5 tog duvet and add lots of layers of beautiful bedding to increase the flow of heat. To create the ultimate cosy bed, wrap yourself up in a 16.5 tog duvet for the ultimate winter warmer.

One of the hardest parts of the winter season is the darker mornings and evenings and the change in timings which can throw your sleep pattern off kilter. Try to keep to the same timings every day and factor in at least 30 minutes of exercise or activity, it will help you regulate your circadian rhythm and thus naturally settle into sleep. Taking a warm shower or bath can set you up for the best nights sleep, it's important that it's not only the soothing warmth of bathing that helps the body relax, but the actual cooling down process that initiates the sleeping process.

The cold can have a big impact on getting out of bed in the morning and mean the difference between getting up or feeling as though you want to stay under that duvet for longer! Set your heating system to switch on 15-20 minutes before you’re due to wake up - you’ll be surprised at the difference it could make to your mood in the morning.

Once you’ve made it out of bed, open the curtains and blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. If you have the option, go outside and breathe in some fresh air while soaking up the sunlight. The light will help to stimulate your brain, releasing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin which elevate your mood. If you have to be up before the sun, try waking up with a light emitting alarm clock. These clocks mimic a sunrise to gently wake you up ‘naturally’ with light.