Sleep like a baby: Best kept secrets for quality night's rest [read now]

Not many may know, but March 15 is celebrated as the World Sleep Day every year to raise awareness about the importance of sound sleep for health and well-being. The theme this year is Sleep Equity for Global Health. India faces extreme sleep health crisis, which further contributes to diseases affecting brain and heart. It is common knowledge that sleeping a minimum of seven hours every day is essential for good health, if not it can affect your body, both physically and mentally. But sleep deprivation is one of the highest in India among global countries.

To take note of this, on the occasion of World Sleep Day, let's take a closer look at what takes away our good night's sleep (no, it's not love) and how to get it back.

First of all, adequate sleep benefits brain function, immune response, metabolism, stress reduction, and skin repair. Further, lack of sleep is also linked to early dementia, affecting both short and long-term memory, concentration, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, said Dr Satish Nirhale, Consultant Neurologist at DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pune. It can also raise mental health problems like irregular mood swings, and anxiety, and potentially lead to depression.

We spoke to Dyson engineer Michael Love, who shared some practical tips on how to enhance sleep quality.

Don't ignore the lights: According to research, exposure to artificial light, especially from electronic devices, can disrupt sleep patterns, which in turn affects daytime efficiency. One can consider using lights that promote relaxation and gradual wake-up.

Mattress care: Despite appearing clean, mattresses can harbor microscopic organisms that affect sleep quality. Dust mites, bacteria, viruses, and allergens accumulate in mattresses, potentially impacting health. Additionally, materials in mattresses and bedding may emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), further compromising air quality.

One must regularly wash and vacuum mattresses to reduce allergen buildup. As we've tested with Dyson cordless vacuums, the powerful suction effectively removes embedded dust and allergens from mattresses.

Purifying the air in silence: If one invests in an air purifier, the constant buzzing sound can disrupt sleep, leading to poor rest. There are plenty of air purifiers, that do not make sound and have a special setting for nighttime purification, such as Dyson's Purifier range with night mode for quiet operation.

Pollution inside homes: Homes are often considered free from pollution, but it's the exact opposite. Indoor air pollution, prevalent in India, can significantly impact sleep quality. An air purifier that effectively captures ultra fine pollutants and gases is highly recommended in cities like Delhi. By improving indoor air quality, one can create a cleaner sleep environment.

Set the temperature: Maintaining optimal temperature and humidity levels is essential for comfortable sleep. This is often ignored, but if one has already invested in any of Dyson's purifier range, it lets you control environmental conditions from the MyDyson app or remote control,

With these few simple tips, sleep quality can be enhanced, and the difference will be evident during the day.