The past two years have marked a period of intense change for the world as a whole, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting every aspect of modern life. The long-term effects of the COVID-19 crisis are still up in the air, but one thing is certain: for many of us, it has transformed the way we work.

Remote working became a necessity during the pandemic, and many organisations have chosen not to go back to the traditional office set-up and instead introduce home working permanently to provide staff with greater flexibility and freedom.

But with so many of us now spending our working hours at home, it’s important to ask what impact this might be having on our wider lifestyle and health, including our sleep health.

Research has explored the relationship between full-time remote working and our sleep health

There has been a significant amount of research into the relationship between home working and sleep, especially over the past two years. One survey by Hammonds UK looked at the sleep habits of 2,000 people who had recently started working from home. They found that more than 70% of home workers reported some level of sleep disruption, with a quarter of respondents stating that their sleeping pattern had been ‘very disrupted’ with restless, broken sleep every night.

The study also looked at the circumstances surrounding participants’ remote working set-up, with only a fifth of respondents being lucky enough to have their own home office. Another fifth (21%) were working from their bedroom and, of these, 84% found their sleep pattern to be ‘disrupted’ or ‘very disrupted’.

Another study by the Medical University of South Carolina mirrored these results, finding that 40% of adults working from home report sleeping less and worse than when they worked in an office. Sleeping pill use also increased by 20%.

How to take control of your sleep quality when working from home

There are several theories about why working from home might damage your sleep health, with most of them relating to the fact that those of us who work from home have more trouble separating our work and downtime. This leads to people being unable to ‘leave work at work’ and switch off from work at the end of the day, especially if you consider your bedroom to be your workspace.

That’s why it’s important to put boundaries in place. Just because you’re working from home, that doesn’t mean you need to be available to work at all times. You should still stick to set working hours, just as you would if you were in the office, avoiding using your work devices outside of these hours. Give yourself a daily routine to stick to, as this will train your body to know when it’s time to focus and when it’s time to wind down.

There are certain steps you can take to care for your physical and mental health when working from home. Take regular breaks, and try to get some fresh air and natural light, particularly if you’re feeling tired. Staying hydrated will also help you keep your energy levels up during the day.

The best sleep happens on a high-quality mattress, so check out the Perks range now. You can also explore the rest of our blog for more sleep news and tips.

The post Does working from home full time impact your sleep health? appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

April marks the return of International Dark Sky Week – an initiative that aims to shine a light (no pun intended) on the detrimental impact of light pollution.

According to the International Dark Sky Week campaign, light pollution is increasing at two times the rate of population growth, and 83% of the global population now lives under a light polluted sky. This is having a negative impact on the world around us, as well as on our own wellbeing. Including our sleep.

We’re going to take a closer look at the impact of light pollution, and the relationship between excess artificial light and our sleep health.

What is light pollution and why is it bad?

In many ways, artificial light is an essential part of modern society. With today’s 24-hour culture, night lights help us stay productive, visible and safe when out and about after dark. However, any artificial light which is not wholly necessary should be considered a pollutant, according to the International Dark Sky Week campaign.

This pollutant does more than simply block our view of the night sky. It can have significant consequences overtime, including disrupting wildlife, wasting money and energy, contributing to climate change and impact human health, particularly our sleep schedules.

Light and relaxation

Sleep and light have a close relationship, with light impacting everything from your circadian rhythm and melatonin production to your overall sleep cycle.

Your circadian rhythm is essentially your body clock, coordinating a wide range of processes in the body, including sleep. Light enters the eye and is sensed by a special group of cells on the retina, which is carried to the brain and interpreted as information about the time of day. The brain then sends signals throughout the body, in accordance with the time of day. When you’re only exposed to natural light, your circadian rhythm falls closely in line with sunrise and sunset, but artificial light can alter your brain’s ability to tell your body when to be energised, and when to relax.

Exposing your eyes to bright lights late into the night – such as those from a phone screen, television or laptop – can prevent your brain from helping your body wind down, effectively making it more difficult to fall asleep, largely due to a lack of melatonin.

Otherwise known as the sleep hormone, melatonin is a chemical produced by the brain that tells our body it’s time to relax. Darkness helps to stimulate melatonin production, while artificial lights can inhibit it.

Improving your sleep space

Making smart changes to your sleep space and sleep habits can help you rest easier when bedtime comes around. Ensure your bedroom environment is both cool and dark. Ideally it should be free from electronic devices, as this can help you associate your bedroom purely with rest.

In the run-up to bedtime, engage in activities that promote relaxation. Give yourself a curfew for social media, smartphones, work and television (at least an hour before you plan to turn in), and instead opt for reading, meditation, gentle stretches or a relaxing bath. This will let your body know that it’s time to wind down, and that sleep is approaching.

By reducing the number of lights that you have on in your home in the evening, you can enjoy higher quality sleep in the long run.

The best sleep happens on a high-quality mattress, so check out the Perks range today. You can also explore the rest of our blog for more sleep news and tips.

The post Don’t let there be light: the impact of light pollution on our sleep health appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

While once upon a time both men and women believed that achieving success meant sacrificing sleep – Margaret Thatcher reportedly got by on just four hours a night – advances in the study of sleep have taught us that this really isn’t the habit for women to give up.

One of the loudest advocates for paying attention to sleep is Arianna Huffington. In her book “The Sleep Revolution”, the founder of the Huffington Post shares how she went from working through the night to being a sleep evangelist when she realised the huge benefits to her cognitive and physical health. As she puts it, she was “more irritable, more reactive, less present, and absolutely less joyful” when she wasn’t sleeping well.

But getting quality sleep is easier said than done. Women experience a number of changes throughout their life that can have a negative impact on sleep patterns.  From biological changes to environmental factors and lifestyle, it can be difficult for women to regularly maintain a sleep routine that promotes quality sleep. 

So just what is stopping women from getting to sleep?

Biological Changes

Hormonal fluctuation can have a highly disruptive effect on women’s sleep patterns but are actually very common.  They can occur as part of the monthly menstrual cycle, during different stages of pregnancy, peri-menopause and also menopause.  The detrimental effect of hormones on sleep can be a frustrating side-effect of female biology – insomnia is 40% more likely to occur in women than in men. 

Incidences of insomnia in women are known to actually increase with age – largely due to hormonal and physiological changes associated with menopause.  As more research is directed into how the transition into menopause can have a drastic effect on women’s mood, cognitive abilities and mental health, it is now thought that it is those physical symptoms, in particular that are known to disrupt sleep quality. 

Night sweats and hot flashes are two of the most common symptoms associated with menopause and have been reported to be experienced by over two-thirds of women. They can make it difficult to keep at a comfortable temperature through the night and keep the sleep surface dry and moisture-free. This makes it particularly important that the bedroom is always well ventilated, that bedsheets aren’t too restrictive and that the mattress does not lock in heat. 

Sleep cycles during pregnancy and during the postpartum period can present an extremely challenging time also.  Physical discomfort during pregnancy and the weeks following birth, mixed with the nocturnal sleep cycles of an infant can present a daily disruption to normal sleep patterns – often leading to extreme fatigue and frustration.  Adapting to the sleep cycle of a newborn baby and sleeping on 2-3 hour shifts can seem torturous at times but thankfully, is relatively short-term for most. 

Lifestyle Impact

Working night shifts, particularly on non-regular rotations, can have a damaging effect on our circadian rhythms.  The sleep–wake cycle of our circadian rhythm is easily disrupted by shift working pattens. 

Non-traditional working hours are often required across a wide range of professions for both men and women. Roles such as health and social care, emergency services and, increasingly, logistics and retail all place nocturnal strains on individuals. In fact, according to recent data, over 1.2 million women in the UK were working night shift patterns pre-pandemic. 

Forcing one’s body into slumber during non-traditional hours can lead to sleep of a much-lower quality, often impacted by a lack of downtime, relaxation and disordered eating patterns.  The impact on family life and routine can be profoundly difficult but managing sleep around childcare and other commitments can be problematic to prioritise. 

Shift working can in fact have a longer-term negative effect on health.  Research has shown that women who work in night shift rotations and sleep during the day have been found to be more at risk from a range of diseases, including a 4 times higher risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. 

There are, however, some proven ways to improve sleep quality for female night-shift workers. Namely avoiding caffeine, sticking to ordered eating pattens and most importantly – incorporating natural light into your routine as much as possible. 

Celebrate each day; prioritise sleep each night

No matter what line of work or stage of life, it’s critical that women (and their male counterparts) make time for sleep and put effort into creating a routine for good quality rest and recovery.

The best sleep happens on a high quality mattress, so check out the Perks range now. You can also explore the rest of our blog for more sleep news and tips.

The post International Women’s Day: Making Sleep a Priority appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

The festive season is officially here, and we can all agree that one of the best things about Christmas is all the delicious food and drink options on offer. From selection boxes and festive snacks to celebratory tipples and, of course, Christmas dinner itself, this is the time of year when our inhibitions go out the window and all thoughts of healthy eating are put on hold until January.

However, it’s still important to show some restraint and willpower, even during the festive season. Eating and drinking too much can have an adverse effect on your body at any time of year, impacting your mood, skin health, weight and energy levels, while also increasing your risk of serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes.

And when it comes to willpower, sleep is vital. We’re going to take a closer look at the relationship between sleep and willpower to help you rest easy, have fun and stay healthy this Christmas.

How does sleep impact your willpower?

Research has shown that when we suffer from sleep deprivation, we’re more likely to give in to our impulses, including snacking on high-sugar and high-fat ‘comfort foods’ as a source of energy. One review published in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience found that a lack of sleep leads to less focus and a greater risk of making risky or questionable decisions.

Not only does sleep deprivation reduce your capacity to exercise willpower`, making you more likely to give into temptation, but it can also lower the energy needed for your willpower too. This has been made clear by numerous brain imaging studies that show how attempting to control our behaviour increases brain activity in the prefrontal cortex. When we’re sleep-deprived, we experience a decrease of activity in the same area, which suggests that our ability to control our impulses could be neurologically impaired when we miss out on sleep.

In short, losing sleep over the festive period can make you more likely to give in to unhealthy cravings and temptations, which will likely already be more tempting than usual at this indulgent time of year.

Why is willpower important at Christmas?

Of course, part of the fun of Christmas is relaxing and indulging, so why is maintaining your willpower so important? It’s vital to keep up some awareness of your health during the festive season because overindulging too much can have an adverse effect on your health.

Statistics from the British Heart Foundation reveal the extent to which UK adults indulge over Christmas, spending a combined total of nearly 10 billion hours sitting down. Over the festive season, Brits collectively put on over 5 million stone in weight, and a third of us (33%) do absolutely no exercise over Christmas at all.

This can cause a knock-on effect, as over 1 million of us won’t get back to our normal exercise habits until February.

Losing sleep, moving less and eating unhealthily can impact both your health and your mood, meaning you may actually enjoy Christmas less when you indulge too much. By prioritising good sleep this Christmas, you can give yourself the willpower you need to have a happy and healthy festive season.

The best sleep happens on a high quality mattress, so check out Perks collection on our website now. You can also explore the rest of our blog for more sleep news and tips.

The post Sleep and willpower: how to avoid overindulging this festive season appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

While finding a balance between recuperating and letting one’s hair down can be tricky, here are a few easy ways to top up those hours of shuteye without missing out on revelry.

During the Journey

An aeroplane or train is never going to be the ideal sleeping environment. Whether it’s the back and neck ache from the uncomfortable seats distracting you, or perhaps the noisy passenger seated directly behind, many factors stand in between you and sleep when travelling. But it is possible to make the best of a bad situation. Here’s how:

• Reduce light exposure: any kind of light exposure serves to suppress the production of melatonin, a key hormone which tells the body it’s time to sleep. Whether it’s artificial light or sun shining through the window, it can really inhibit your sleep. Therefore, investing in an eye mask before you leave will help you out in getting in those extra winks.
• Reduce noise: this can be difficult, as you can’t really control those around you. But you can try using ear plugs in order to tackle unwanted noise and distractions.
• Dress comfortably and use a neck pillow: when it comes to sleep, comfort is key. So don’t wear anything that will leave you either cold or overheating, therefore opting for layers is a great option.

Tackling Jet Lag

As regular traveller will know, jet lag can have a profound effect on established sleep wake patterns. Unfortunately, it is an unavoidable experience. However, there are some precautionary things you may do to prevent jet lag seriously disrupting your holiday. These include:

• Making gradual changes to your sleep-wake cycle before you leave can really help. So, if you’re travelling east get up and go to bed earlier, or if you’re travelling west get up and go to bed later. Whilst on the flight try eating and sleeping according to the time zone you are travelling to.
• Avoid napping on arrival. Once in the time zone, stick to it! As hard as it may be to resist slipping in between the sheets as soon as you arrive it will only make things worse. Get outside and embrace the new culture as a distraction and night time will arrive before you know it.

A new sleeping environment

Whether you are casting your net overseas, or crashing at a friends house, sleeping in an unusual environment can unsettle normal sleep patterns. Though some people revel in the comfort of a hotel room, for others it can really play havoc with nightly rest. Here are a few tricks that could help to improve sleep quality in any environment:

• Many hotels will have various pillow types available, so if you’re looking for pressure relief or any other specific need, don’t be shy to ask!
• Limit light and noise pollution through eye masks and ear plugs.
• If the new environment has you tossing and turning then do something that will distract you like reading a book in order to reduce stress and anxiety.

Want to find out more about improving sleep? Find out how the Mammoth Performance range can help.

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