At Tempur-Pedic, our thirty-year commitment to innovation in the mattress industry has taught us a lot about the science of sleep, but one thing hasn’t changed. “When it comes to getting quality sleep," explains Allen Platek, our Vice President of New Product Development, “one of the best things you can do is to make it a priority.” Unfortunately, even though many people realize the importance of sleep, they struggle to prioritize it in their everyday lives. To find out more, we recently partnered with OnePoll to survey 2,000 Americans to get a deeper understanding of recommendations for good sleep habits. Sleep can impact how you feel, how productive you are, and even your long-term health. But how much do you really know about sleep?

Finding Your Best Sleep

Finding your best rest doesn’t have to be a daunting task if you know what to look for! Unfortunately, our study revealed that one in four Americans don’t know how much sleep they should be getting, which is why our Sleep Experts are here to ensure that every minute spent on a Tempur-Pedic mattress helps you achieve your best sleep ever.

But how much sleep does your body truly require? The National Sleep Foundation guidelines advise that healthy adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.^ There are several factors that impact exactly how much sleep you need, so it’s important to pay attention to how you feel and determine what’s right for you.

Cut Back on Caffeine

When juggling our busy lives, we may find that sleep is the first thing we cut short. In fact, on average, people reported they’re not going to bed until a full two hours after when they feel like they should. Missing out on these two hours or more can leave you feeling sluggish throughout your day and make for a tiring trend throughout the week. There are many factors that play into our quality of sleep — including our caffeine intake. Many Americans claim that caffeine doesn’t affect their ability to get enough sleep, but doctors state otherwise — recommending that caffeine consumption should stop 4-6 hours before bedtime in order to get a good night’s sleep… While some coffee lovers may hate to hear it, it might be worthwhile to skip that afternoon pick-me-up latte.

Prep for the Changing Seasons

That cup-o-joe isn’t the only thing keeping you up at night. As we move through the changing seasons, you might find yourself a little more restless than usual — and you aren’t the only one. In addition to the dreaded time changes, keep an eye on your thermostat as we transition into the summer months. Studies show that warmer room temperatures can make you feel less comfortable (and less relaxed) than cooler temperatures. Next time you climb in bed, try a different temperature between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit and see which temperature agrees with your body throughout the night.

Understand Your Sleep Stages

Sleep is broken into different stages throughout the night, including light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. With a good mixture of the different sleep cycles, you can experience a well-rounded night’s rest. REM (or Rapid Eye Movement) is a type of sleep that’s familiar to most people surveyed, but most (87%) were not able to define it — and that’s key to understanding its importance. During this state, your brain activity increases to promote learning. It’s also the stage of your shallowest sleep and when you’ll most likely experience dreams.

Meet Your Sleep Goal

Many of us think we can take a quick power nap to catch up on the sleep we missed throughout the week — but unfortunately, that won’t replace the sleep we’ve already lost. The short cat nap may be a quick fix to leave you feeling temporarily rested throughout the day but getting the sleep you need (so you won’t need to nap) is the best fix! Those naps can also make it more difficult for you to fall asleep later that night.

To avoid needing that extra nap, treat yourself to a cozy bed that caters to your sleep preferences — plus freshly washed sheets and your favorite nighttime sleep soundtrack so you can savor each and every minute in bed. But a word of warning: just like everything else in life, overindulging can cause negative side effects. Try to find the perfect sleep regimen for yourself, without under or oversleeping. Oversleeping is (somewhat counterintuitively) linked to decreased productivity in the workplace, which was revealed in a 2018 StayWell study of 600,000 employees published in the American Journal of Health Promotion. A consistent routine and comfortable sleep environment can help make achieving your sleep goal that much easier.

Feeling and performing your best begins when you aren’t even awake, so use your new sleep knowledge to help improve your quality of sleep — and enjoy more restful nights and productive days.

^See more: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need