Getting a good night’s sleep is all about making sure the conditions are right.
Which means if you’re struggling to drift off, it’s worth taking a few factors into consideration.
Chances are you’re already aware of some, such as not drinking tea or coffee too late in the day or spending time online before bed.
But others, like how your choice of sleepwear can affect your ability to fall into a blissful slumber, are lesser known.
Sleeping in cute pyjamas could be affecting your ability to fall asleep and stay sleeping (stock image)
While it might sound a little strange, picking the right pyjamas can really help when it comes to getting a sound night’s slumber.
According to the science of sleep, the body needs to be at a certain temperature in order to fall asleep.
‘We must first have a rise in our melatonin levels, which happens to correspond with a drop in our core body temperature,’ The Sleep Health Foundation’s Dr Moira Junge told Body + Soul.
Usually, as we approach the time when we would normally go to sleep, blood vessels in the hands, feet and face start to lose heat.
Experts recommend falling asleep in a room somewhere between the range of 15 and 25 degrees.
While it might sound a little strange, picking the right pyjamas can really help when it comes to getting a sound night’s sleep (pictured Elle Macpherson)
If your pyjamas are too fitted, or made from fabric that isn’t breathable, you’re likely to find yourself uncomfortable, and overheated (pictured Kim Kardashian)
But if what you are sleeping in is too warm, this can affect the process, which means it’s not only going to be harder to fall asleep, but it will also be harder to stay sleeping.
This means if your pyjamas are too fitted, or made from a fabric that isn’t breathable, you’re likely to find yourself uncomfortable, and overheated.
Instead, think about choosing sleepwear that’s looser, lighter and made from natural or organic fabrics.
‘Most of the time in my clinical role I’m encouraging people to shed layers – sleeping in too many layers can cause more problems than being a little cool and warming up once you’re in bed,’ she said.
Materials including silk and bamboo are often cite as good for sleeping. Meanwhile, countless experts also regularly extol the benefits of sleeping nude.