Cycling Active Recommends The Snoozery Sleep Masks

Cycling Active give one of our sleep masks a winning review.
Cycling Active magazine recently published an article about how getting a good night's sleep can help your cycling performance. Included in the feature was a review of sleeping aids of different shapes and sizes. They reviewed The Dream Essentials Escape sleep mask stocked by The Snoozery and gave it a winning 9 out of 10 score.
"This product is a good choice if you want to catch up on some sleep whilst travelling"

The Sleep Revolution – By Arianna Huffington. A book review and giveaway for the first few requests.

This is a quick review of this latest book from Arianna Huffington – Founder of the Huffington Post about her perspectives and point of view on the topic of Sleep and the need for a revolution in attitudes towards the need for sleep. This is particularly important in the prevailing culture of big business and the attitude that sleep can wait or “we don’t want to miss out”

The book was inspired by Huffington’s own experiences of becoming acutely sleep deprived at one point in her life, passing out through exhaustion and cracking her cheekbone in the process. The event was a wake up call (excuse me!) and set here on the road to find out more about the business of sleep and to transform her attitudes and habits along the way.

As someone who has been championing the sleepless through The Snoozery since 2012 I am delighted to see such high profile people taking to the cause and the book is an accessible way to understand more about the cultural, historical and scientific business of sleep as well as providing some handy tips for improving your own sleep.

What I personally like about "The Sleep Revolution" is that it sees the issue from a real personal perspective, it raises the alarm about the disturbing prevalence of both sleeplessness and the use of sleeping pills.

What I also like is that it is not an unrealistic book that promises some kind of overnight (there I go again) magical cure but makes clear that everyone needs to find a way that’s right for them from a plethora of sensible measures that anyone can take to set themselves on the road to better sleep habits.

Like for instance reviewing our relationship with technology in the bedroom and the temptation to stay connected 24/7 and what the blue light of modern smartphones can do for sleep. Like being aware of the importance of a good bedtime routine in the wind down and how meditation and mindfulness can help to tackle the worries and anxieties that can be at the root of a lot of sleeplessness.

The only small downside is that for a Brit it can be a bit American at points so for example only offering ideal sleeping temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit. Though this is a small niggle in an otherwise very readable book.

We’ve got a handful of copies of the book to giveaway – if you’d like one please get in touch. Stocks are limited.

What should I eat or drink for a good night's sleep?

If you are interested in what foods and drinks to consume to help you get a good night's sleep the BBC iWonder have produced this fun interactive guide.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z282p39#zw4j6fr

Sleeping in a Freshly Made Bed Makes you Happy

According to a survey by BUPA published in various papers this week including the Daily Telegraph Sleeping in a Freshly Made Bed is the number one thing that makes Britons happy.

Here @TheSnoozery we've been saying that all along! Time to change the sheets.

The Snoozery Earplugs Featured In Sainsbury's Magazine

In this month's edition of the Sainsbury's magazine The Snoozery's Handy Bags of earplugs are featured in a piece on 4 Ways to Get Some ZZZs....

Thank you Sainsbury's.

Here @thesnoozery we recommend The Sleep Book by Guy Meadows

Here at The Snoozery we are currently reading this no-nonsense book which puts forward a natural, drug-free way of getting a better night's sleep and beating insomnia.

It's an easy to read guide to using mindfulness and acceptance to combat the mind spinning whirl of thoughts that afflict those suffering from insomnia. The idea is simple, it's the battle with those thoughts that keeps you wakeful so if you can find a way to accept them rather than fight them you are on the way to getting a better sleep.

Easier said than done no doubt, but this book explains with tools, techniques and case studies how to go about it and for anyone suffering from insomnia this natural approach surely beats the alternatives.

We'd recommend this book and the approach that's clearly explained by it's author Guy Meadows who is a professional sleep therapist and researcher.

How to sleep well at a hotel II - watch out it's the snore police!

Further to my last post about getting a good night's sleep at a hotel I came across this piece about the Crowne Plaza introducing Sleep Monitors to detect loud snorers in their quiet zones.

crown plaza snore-monitors

Apparently if you are snoring too loud in the quiet zone then you get a knock on the door from the snore police (aka the snore monitors).

Now whilst snoring is a big nuisance for those that want a great night's sleep. Ask my wife - I snore like a drain. I can't help feeling if I'd paid good money for a hotel room and got woken up because I was snoring I may not be best pleased.

However good PR for Crowne Plaza and well done for having a go and putting a good night's sleep on the agenda.

Isn't the real issue about the architecture and design of hotels to control unwanted noise pollution from wherever it comes?

How to sleep well at a hotel

As someone who frequently travels around the world and stays at a lot of business hotels there are a few ways to ensure you get a good night’s sleep at a hotel. Here’s what I have found…

Keep the noise down…

Before the trip checkout the hotel in terms of its location and proximity to noise sources such as roads, railways, airports, bars and clubs. Take a look at a good cross section of reviews on Tripadvisor – I tend to look at a reasonable spread of reviews to get a decent picture.

A good example of this would be a hotel I have stayed at a few times in Los Angeles. A lovely hotel in many ways with great food and helpful staff. However the hotel is a an experience of two halves – rooms on the front of the hotel look out onto a noisy road, rooms on the back look out over the Hollywood hills. There is also an LA stlyle open air bar (with DJ) at one end of the hotel. Great if you want to hang out, but lousy if you want a good night’s sleep.

Use your knowledge to request a room on the quiet side as early as possible.

When you get to the room check out the potential noise sources – the main culprits in my experience are – lifts, ice machines, dripping taps, refrigerators and air conditioning. It’s much easier to change rooms at this moment before you are settled in so make a quick decision about whether you accept the room at this point. It’s not always possible to change, especially if the hotel is full, but if you don’t ask you don’t get.

Once in the room you need to manage your environment carefully. The trickiest choice is about air conditioning in hotter climates. These units can be really noisy. These days I will keep it on until I go to bed and turn it off at that moment.

The other things to watch out for are in room refrigerators that can be noisy. As someone who generally does not use the mini-bar I tend to turn them off at the wall as soon as I arrive.

What you cannot legislate for is noisy neighbours, some folks like to party hard and if you find yourself next door to them that’s generally bad luck. If it keeps up then complain firmly but politely and asked to be moved.  If there is a planned party at the hotel that affects the noise levels at your room a good hotel will advise you of the fact when you are booking.

Lights out…

Electronic devices in the room tend to have stand-by functions that can cause a lot of light interference, again switch them off at the wall. Also avoid the temptation to get sucked into late night telly or films.

Curtains and blinds vary dramatically in terms of their effectiveness. Not much you can do about this except come prepared with a good sleep mask.

Creature comforts….

Beds in hotels differ widely in terms of their quality and comfort. The Westin chain in the US make a feature of their “Heavenly Bed” which in my experience lives up to its name. Some even offer pillow menus. Seek out those hotels that see this as important.

I know some folks who insist on taking their own pillows wherever they go. This is a bit impractical for airline business travel but if you are in the car and have plenty of space it’s an option.

Sleep tight, don’t let the bugs bite

More unusually the hotels in New York have in the last couple of years been known to harbour bed bugs. I also know of someone who had that experience recently in Singapore at a good hotel. So that’s a whole new dimension to watch out for and in hotter climes the mosquito remains a menace at night without a net.

Happy sleeping!

Are you sleep deprived?

Falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow may not be a good thing.

Various studies have shown that falling asleep within 5-15 minutes is the ideal.

So if you conk out the second you close your eyes and your head hits the pillow, it might be a sign that you're suffering from chronic sleep deprivation - or in other words, not enough sleep.

Or perhaps you're just very drunk.

Top tip for a great night's sleep: Make sure you allocate sufficient hours to sleeping...and don't get blind drunk

Sorry, but a weekend lie-in does you no favours...

Yes it's annoying, but the fact is that a lie-in is more likely to make you feel groggy than better.

As we all know, the human body is an amazing thing - our natural body clock prepares the body for waking an hour beforehand by making sure that the right hormones are flowing, so you can hop out of bed at the appointed hour. Amazing. 

But the body can only prepare if it knows when you're going to get up. So if you mess it about getting up at 6.30am on a weekday and then 9.30am on a Saturday morning, your body has to readjust constantly - which can make you feel groggy. 

Top tip for a great night's sleep and avoiding grogginess on waking: Try to stick to a regular sleeping pattern and don't lie in at the weekend - it will help you synchronise with your body's natural rhythms. 

10 tips for a better night's sleep

If you are struggling to head off to the land of nod every night, here's ten quick tips for helping to get a better night's kip.....


1. Buzz off

Avoid the stuff that gives you a buzz in the late afternoon and evening. Say no to caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol if you can. A cup of coffee in the afternoon can delay you dropping off, and more than a glass or two of beer or wine will make your sleep more restless. It’s not just tea and coffee you have to look out for but chocolate, medicines and some soft drinks too.

2. Work it out

If you exercise you need to give your body a chance to unwind after a workout. Ideally aim to finish up at least three hours before you go to bed.

3. Stay cool and comfortable

Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature. Most people sleep better in a cool room so keep an eye on the thermostat and open a window but watch out for letting in unwanted noise. Wear loose natural fabrics like cotton for maximum comfort and a good bed and pillow is worth the investment.

4. Eat light at night

Don't eat too much too close to bedtime. If you need a snack before turning in, choose a high-carbohydrate food such as a bowl of cereal.

5. Get into good habits

When evening comes, if you find yourself falling asleep on the sofa take yourself off to bed. That late film may seem attractive but you’ll regret a lousy night’s sleep.

6. Over to the dark side

Sleep comes easiest and best in a dark environment where there’s less stimulus. Take steps to block out unwanted light and noise that can wake you from a light sleep. Consider investing in a pair of blackout blinds, a good curtain lining or a quality sleep mask to keep the light pollution out.

7. Stick to a routine

Establish a regular bedtime routine for yourself. This may be easier said than done with young kids or a snoring spouse. Wind down an hour or so before bed, put aside any work you've brought home from the office and forget the e-mails. Soak in a relaxing hot bath with lavender oil or bubble bath, make a cup of herbal tea or warm milk, and snuggle down with a good book before you turn out the light.

8. Don't force it

If you can't go to sleep after 30 minutes, don't stay awake in bed tossing and turning. Get up, go into another room, and listen to calming music or read until you feel sleepy. You can't force yourself to fall asleep if you aren't ready.

9. Just bedtime stuff

If you are in the habit of watching TV in bed at night, stop. Use your bed only for sleep and sex. You should associate your bed only with bedtime activities. Try to clear your mind - don't use bedtime to solve your daily problems.

10. Capture your cares away

If your thoughts are racing, keeping you awake, have a notepad by your bed to capture them until the morning. Could also come in handy for remembering your more interesting dreams!