GETTING A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP

It's fair to say good sleep feels a bit of a myth to me, I would say John too but I think that boy could sleep on a washing line as my Nan would say. Sadly, our youngest hasn't adopted this trait from his dad and alas has caused complete havoc with this thing they call sleep, for the last two years. I'm probably giving him a bit of a bad rep as *touch wood* over the few months we have come to see more full nights sleep than broken, which is a huge achievement. But whilst my little Pip isn't a big fan of a good nights sleep, I certainly am and it's something I've lusted after since becoming a parent almost five years ago.



But there are chances even in the lives of those parenting night owls, that a full nights sleep is on the cards; sometimes a family member scoops them away like a night in shining armour for a sleepover, or there's a full moon and suddenly they're zonked out - we never actually know the reasons do they, but from time to time our little ones sleep through. That's when you need to be on your a game, knowing that you can drop off without a single worry. I mean after eighteen months of disturbed sleep I don't think much would have prevented me from sleeping but there were certainly things that hindered me having a restful sleep. So how do I manage a good nights sleep when the little ones aren't a factor?

Invest in your surroundings.
Make sure your bedroom is a place for slumber, we don't have a tv in our room for that exact reason, my mind knows that when I hit the hay, it's for sleeping and that's exactly what I do. I bought all the cosy blankets, the ridiculously expensive feathered quilt and the fluffy cushions to boot - I wanted my bedroom to be my snuggly haven and it really is just that. Light a candle, do what you have to do that adds those little slumber touches to your room, my top tip would be a pillow spray, even if it's a placebo effect, every little helps.

The mattress is your foundation
It's so important to have a good base and I really didn't see this for quite some time. I assumed when you bought a mattress then that was that, if you slept then it did the job. Wrong. Our old mattress wasn't even old, a couple of years at best and not something you'd assume needed replacing, but it really did. In came the Leesa and now I truly see the difference between a good quality mattress and a bog standard one with the obvious contrast is the comfort. Leesa mattresses come with the soft grey iconic quilted cover and to me that makes a huge difference, yes for how comfortable it makes the bed but in comparison to our old mattress when the sheets were constantly coming away from the corners due to the silky surface - HOORAY for not having to effectively remake the entire bed every morning. If you haven't been on planet Earth lately then you wont have noticed the incredible heatwave we've suffered here in England and I did worry initially when I saw the fabric on the Leesa that it might contribute to hot and sweaty nights. Wrong again, it's the complete opposite, since we put our mattress down the nights have only increased in temperature outside but I wouldn't know that throughout the night as I'm sleeping soundly and cool-ly. A good mattress is absolutely key to a good nights sleep and Leesa will always be the first place I start looking now.

Wind yourself down
For me I always sleep better if I have a long hot soak before bed, now I know that isn't everyones' thing but winding down is so important for me. Whether that's with a good book, binge watching love island or whacking on a face mask and having a hot chocolate, needs must and I like to just remove myself from anything that requires too much brain power before I bed down for the night.

So whilst you may not be able to control what havoc your toddler plays with your idea of a good rest, it's in your hands when they're bedded down for the night. I can't make any promises that you'll sleep soundly, but I can sure bet you'll sleep better with a Leesa under you.



*This is a sponsored collaboration with Leesa however all opinions as ever, are my own.