Nothing is more important to overall health than a good night’s sleep, yet many of us never seem to get as much of it as we need. Sometimes, we even resort to pills and supplements, but there are other kinds of products that can help you sleep. You may find that you can sleep better at night without drugs than you ever did with them.
These include everything from the right pillow to the right gear to block out sound and light and much more in between. Here are seven kinds of products that can help you sleep without you having to take any drugs or supplements:
1. The right pillow. For most people, that’s a uniquely designed pillow that provides firm support without causing pain from pressure on any part of the head. You may have to try several designs and styles to find one that is conducive to sleep and doesn’t make neck or back pain worse. If you experience neck pain from your pillow, you’ll toss and turn — and you can’t sleep soundly when you’re doing that.
2. Earplugs. If you like it quiet at night, something as simple as earplugs can block out enough sound to make sleeping easier. This can help with sound from a noisy partner, the sounds of a busy street and more. Earplugs can be one of the most helpful sleep products when traveling because unfamiliar sounds are more disturbing. Just try not to lay directly on your ears when wearing earplugs as this can cause ear pain.
3. An eye mask. For blocking out light, nothing works as consistently as an eye mask — and choices are available from Amazon. And even better, some modern eye masks have additional features that can help decrease morning puffiness and allergy symptoms so you can sleep better and wake up feeling more alert.
4. A fan. While many people get better sleep when using a sound machine, a fan is all that some need to get to sleep. You may not think of a fan as a sleep product, but a noisy fan — perhaps a box fan — can cover the irregular sounds inside and outside your home with a steady stream of white noise that makes it easier to drift off to sleep. White noise is proven to enhance sleep.
5. The right mattress or pad. For keeping the shoulders, back and hips comfortable, you need a great mattress. If yours is lacking and a new one isn’t an option right now, there are many quality mattress pads that can help take away the pain at pressure points and make sleeping more comfortable. When there’s no pressure you’re more likely to sleep uninterrupted, so no product to help you sleep is more important.
6. A sleep tracker. It’s possible that your daytime grogginess and other symptoms aren’t really caused by poor sleep. It’s also possible that a device like a FitBit tracker watch can help you determine which of your efforts to achieve better sleep are working. Knowledge is power, as they say, and you can take action when you have the right information about how you’re sleeping and whether you’re sleeping right.
7. Blackout curtains. Make the whole room darker so that outdoor lighting or early sunrises don’t disrupt your sleep. Blackout curtains are simply curtains lined with a thick, opaque material that won’t let light in. They’re an inexpensive way to make a real difference in how you sleep.
Is seven your lucky number? Whether it is or not, trying these seven sleep products could enhance your sleep and therefore your life. When you sleep well, all of life seems brighter, better and more interesting.
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