This article was created in partnership with TEMPUR®
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen anxiety levels in the UK rise to a historic high, and that anxiety will have a knock-on effect on Britons’ sleep patterns, as trouble sleeping is closely associated with mental health issues.
Anxious nights
Data from the Office of National Statistics shows that women in particular have been hit hard by the pandemic, with women registering higher levels of anxiety, loneliness and symptoms of depression in their survey.
However, whilst women appear to suffer from higher levels of anxiety, men tend to take time to report their symptoms or try to get help.
Whilst there are a number of ways that people struggling with anxiety can try to reduce their stress levels, getting a good night’s sleep is an important one, and if there are mental health factors affecting your sleep pattern, you need to maximise your sleeping situation.
Possible solutions
Living a healthier lifestyle is the best way to improve your sleep quality, which means eating a better diet, exercising regularly and drinking less alcohol and caffeine.
To get an out of this world night’s sleep, there are other elements that you can control, such as reducing your blue light consumption in the evening so your body recognizes it’s night time, attempting to create a regular sleep pattern to train your body when it needs to sleep, and various meditation practices to de-stress.
However, one very simple thing that people can control about their sleeping environment is their bed.
Investing in your bed
It may sound obvious, but the difference between a very good bed and a simply okay one can make a world of difference to your sleep quality, and when you’re struggling with sleep for a variety of reasons, that can be important.
If you want to sleep better, longer, deeper, then you need to be prepared to splash out on your bed.
When discussing bed quality, the most important element is the mattress, as that does most of the heavy lifting.
As such, mattress shopping is not something that you should rush, and taking your time to pick the best mattress you can is a decision you’re unlikely to regret.
Pandemic purchase options
With the global pandemic, it’s more likely that people will shop online, which has the significant downside of not being able to test a mattress in person before buying it.
However, the south west London TEMPUR® shop in White City, as well as others, is set to reopen on the 12th April under the Government’s current roadmap.
Moreover, TEMPUR® are currently offering a 100-night trial on all mattresses bought online, leaving that option open to you in the meantime.
Naturally, there are lots of complex elements that will affect people’s sleep, and when you’re suffering from mental health issues, as an increasing number are during the pandemic, buying a higher quality mattress won’t fix all of your sleep problems.
However, every incremental difference that you can make is a significant one, and just as poor mental health can cause poor sleeping habits, improving the quality of your sleep can have a positive impact on your mental health too.
This article was created in partnership with TEMPUR®
