Welcome to the first ever TechRadar Sleep Week, our in-depth look at all things slumber, which runs from Sunday 31 October to Sunday 7 November. To mark the occasion, we’ve interviewed doctors, psychologists and neuroscientists to get their tips and techniques for how you can sleep better, starting tonight.
We’ve also rounded up the best sleep products to ensure you’re comfy in bed and clued up on what’s happening with your shut-eye. So set aside some time to dive into our round-ups of the best mattresses, as well as the top sleep trackers and other essential kit.
Getting consistent, good quality sleep has big benefits for your physical and mental wellbeing. It lowers your risk of heart disease, reduces levels of inflammation in the body, and benefits the immune system. Good sleep also helps the brain to function properly, and you’ll feel more positive and productive after a good night’s kip.
Sleep doesn’t come easy to everyone though, so we’ll be looking at ways to get you all snoozing a little better. This could be spotting the signs of sleep deprivation, or figuring out why you keep waking up at night. Getting up at the same time each day is one of the best things you can do for your sleep, as well as creating a relaxing bedtime routine to help you shut-off.
We’ll be updating this article daily with the freshest Sleep Week features, buying guides and reviews, so bookmark this page and keep checking back for everything you need to know about sleep and how to do it better.
TechRadar Sleep Week 2021: how to sleep better
We have plenty of great content lined up for the forthcoming week, all designed to help you get a better understanding of good sleep, how to do it, and why stressing over poor shut-eye only makes it worse.
How comfortable you feel in bed affects how well you sleep, so we’ll also be looking at ways to boost your in-bed comfort. This includes tracking down a cracking pillow for your favorite sleeping position, and a good mattress topper to extend the life of your current bed and save you money.
For old or worn-out mattresses that can’t be saved, this is a great time of year to upgrade as we’ll soon be flooded with holiday season shopping offers. Our guide to the best Black Friday mattress deals talks you through what to look for and how to snag the biggest discounts.
Sleep buying guides, reviews and deals
Sleep features, tips and advice
Why the clock change is a good time to talk sleep
The good news is that the one hour time difference when the clocks go back isn’t as disruptive as when they go forward (when we lose an hour’s sleep). We’ll be looking at this more closely in our forthcoming feature on how to adjust your sleep when the clocks go back, but for now here are some quick tips to get ready (if you need to) ahead of Sunday:
1. Reset your own (biological) clock
Insomnia experts Sleepstation say that if you are sleeping well at the moment, it isn't crucial that you adjust your sleep routine to tie-in with the clocks going back, as chances are it will be pretty easy for you to adjust quickly. However, if you are struggling with poor sleep or you are undergoing sleep therapy, then you will need to gradually shift your usual bedtime routine a little each night as of Friday.
To do this, Sleepstation advises staying up a little later each night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to prepare for that 2am clock windback. Aim for 15 mins later than your usual bedtime on the Friday, 20 minutes later on the Saturday, and 25 minutes later on the Sunday.
2. Go for a morning walk and soak up that daylight
This is good sleep advice for anyone. Light impacts how well we sleep at night, and evidence shows that getting outside into natural daylight is best. There are plenty of mental health benefits of walking outdoors too, especially in nature, so you’re onto a double win here.
If you can’t or don’t want to head outside for various reasons, then you might benefit from using a light therapy lamp each morning instead. These aren’t suitable for use by everyone though – certain health issues and medications will preclude you from using one – so check the guidelines before you buy, or ask your health practitioner if in doubt.
